By By Chandler Myers
It was a tale of two games Friday night at Bachelor Field as the Escambia Academy Cougars played back from a stale first-half and a 14-0 deficit to pick up a 28-22 victory over the Pickens Academy Pirates.
The EA Cougars (3-2, 1-1) started their drive to a victory with a drive down the field that put six points on the board and followed that drive with 16 more unanswered points to get on top of the Pirates 22-14.
EA Cougars head coach Heath Gibson said it was a big win for his team that showed their ability to fight back.
Going into halftime, the Cougars down 14-0 had been pushed around by the Pirates offensive line and fooled by the running attack that was thrown at them.
After the break, it looked as if a completely different team took the field as the tandem of Jon Dean and Jaylen Henry ran the ball picking up huge chucks of yardage with Henry scoring the first touchdown.
The Cougars’ defense then stepped up and got the ball back on a quick three and out.
After getting the ball back Cameron “Cowboy” McGhee took the ball and pushed his way down the field in three big carries and scored from 10 yards out. After a successful two point conversion the Cougars were tied with the Pirates at 14.
With the offense playing much stronger, Gibson said he told the team at halftime that they needed to step up and be big winners.
The next big play came just two plays into Pickens next drive as defensive lineman Robert Whatley showed his leaping ability by grabbing a pass out of the air and rumbling 40 yards for the go ahead touchdown. Another two-point conversion put the Cougars up 22-14.
The third quarter ended with another Cougars stop on defense, and the fourth quarter started with another drive down the field by the Cougars’ offense.
This time senior Jon Dean put the ball in end zone from five yards out to put the Cougars on top 28-14.
Pickens made one last fight for the game putting up one more touchdown to make the score 28-22, but in the end the Cougars were able to come away with a huge win.
Gibson said his running backs just came out and ran hard to get three big touchdowns.
The Cougars travel to Wilcox Academy next week with a 7 p.m. kick off slated.