Cougars rout Northview 41-14
Published 11:33 pm Friday, September 1, 2017
Escambia Academy’s big boys put together a big-game performance in a 41-14 rout over Northview on Friday night in Bratt, Fla.
The Cougars’ defensive front dominated in the first half, only allowing the Chiefs minimal run yards on the ground. NHS couldn’t stop the power-run and air attack of EA.
“We played ball in the first half,” EA head football coach Hugh Fountain said. “We maintained control pretty much the whole game. We played good offense.”
In a state-line battle, the third-ranked Cougars (4-0) didn’t let off the throttle from the start.
By the end of the first quarter, EA led 12-0, and took a 28-0 lead into halftime.
Northview, built with a younger team, didn’t give up throughout the game. The Chiefs outscored EA 14-13 in the second half.
NHS head football coach Derek Marshman said the Cougars were better than “us in every facet of the game.”
“They blocked better, tackled better and executed better; they ran better,” Marshman said. “We’re playing with a lot of young dudes. To compete against a team like that with this group is pretty special.
“Our young guys stepped up,” he said. “We’ve got to play better, winning football.”
Long passes set much of the Cougars’ touchdowns up from junior quarterback Jabe Dawe.
Dawe found receiver and utility Fred Flavors for a 29 yarder to help set the table for a 4-yard touchdown rush from Louie Turner in the first quarter. Turner compiled three touchdowns on the night, scoring with a little more than 1 minute left in the second quarter from 22 yards and from 55 yards in the third.
Patrick McGhee, a junior running back, scored twice, once from 14 yards in the first quarter, and from 12 yards in the third. A long pass set up McGhee’s second touchdown. Dawe found senior receiver Neikel Robinson on a go rout.
Earlier in the second quarter, Dawe kept the ball in the air as he found senior MJ Johnson for a 69-yard scoring pass with 8:13 on the ticker. With McGhee’s 2-point try, EA led 20-0.
McGhee’s third touchdown of the night game EA a healthy 41-0 lead midway through the third quarter after a running clock was established.
The Chiefs bounced back sometime later after freshman running back Jaden Jackson ran through some tackles for a 70-yard touchdown with 5:27 left in the third
Later in the fourth, Aunterrio Minor punched it in from 5 yards out and the Chiefs nailed the 2-point try.
Fountain said the team was focused this year because of last year’s bad performance. EA lost 21-14 to NHS last year.
“I was proud of them,” he said. “I thought they played hard.”
Marshman said the boys didn’t give up.
“We’re young, but we’re going to fight,” he said. “These young guys are going to fight. It’s a young group. There’s no quit in them.
“We won the second half, and that’s a positive,” he said.
EA hosts Pickens Academy this week while Northview visits South Walton.