EA, Patrician to meet for 1st time since 2011

Two defending champions will share the same football field this week as Escambia Academy visits Patrician in a region contest.

EA won the AISA Class 2A title, while PA captured the 1A championship last season.

This will be the first time both have meet since 2011, according to the Alabama High School Football Historical Society’s website. EA lost the match up seven years ago 44-28.

The Cougars are coming off a 41-7 rout over Clarke Prep, in which Patrick McGhee rushed for 251 yards on 15 carries and scored two touchdowns. Patrician beat Lowndes Academy in a close 13-6 game.

“We got a really tough trip to Patrician (this week) because they were the 1A state champions,” EA head football coach Hugh Fountain said.

Fountain said after last week’s game that none of the coaches, or players, has ever been to play at PA’s football field in Butler.

“That’s going to be a kicker for us, is how to handle that,” he said.

Fountain said EA used to play PA all the time, but haven’t since he’s been the coach for the Cougars.

McGhee’s scoring rushes came on a 61-yard run with 11:40 in the second quarter, and with 5:06 left in the third on a 65 yarder.

The Cougars got off to a slow start in the game, but picked up momentum in the latter part of the first half, scoring on three straight possessions.

Jabo Davis scooted in from 3 yards with 5:46 left in the first, and Daughtry McGhee ran a pick six back 78 yards after Patrick’s first touchdown of the night.

To put the game away, EA’s Shannon Wheat rushed in from 7 yards with 5:32 left in the second quarter.

Clarke Prep helped the Cougars extend their lead on another pick six as Chase Bell ran the ball back 60 yards for the score with 51. 2 seconds left in the first half to make it 34-0.

Parts of the early woes were found on the offensive front for EA.

Fountain said the team did change some people up front to give a different look.

One of the advantages the Cougars (2-1, 1-0 in AISA Class 2A, Region 2) had tonight was freshness.

Fountain said this week, a lot of players played one side of the ball.

“We weren’t playing as many on both sides of the ball, and were able to catch our breath,” he said. “Tonight, the key was that we were good in the basics and on the key fundamentals. Tonight was a good night for us.”

Clarke Prep scored on a 2-yard touchdown pass with less than 6 minutes to go in the third quarter.