The Columbia Academy Cougars opened District 4 play Friday night at Brookhaven Academy, and a handful of plays swung the game in Brookhaven’s direction in a 20-6 loss for CA that could have given it a leg up in the district standings.
The Cougars (1-5, 0-1) played solid defense throughout but allowed Brookhaven’s Trevor Fortenberry, who is one of the best players MAIS has to offer, to score three touchdowns that proved to be the difference maker.
Head coach TC Chambliss said it was disappointing to come up short and that it’s time to stop searching for little victories and rather hunt actual victories.
“We had an opportunity to walk away 1-0 in district but didn’t. However we try to look at it or make ourselves feel better about it, in the end we’re not (1-0),” he said. “Big picture, we are still making strides as a program, and we’re further along than we were this time a year ago, but that doesn’t do us a whole lot of good right now and that doesn’t make it hurt any less for those guys that are paying the price every day and putting in the work. They’re just learning to overcome the adversity that we’re facing.
“All you can do is tip your hat because they made the plays and we didn’t. We just have to log back in and get ready for the next one. If you don’t have your mind right before the next game on the schedule, you’ll be feeling the same feelings and licking the same wounds the next week.”
CA had a solid opening drive going, reaching the Brookhaven 43-yard line, but a pair of penalties backed the Cougars up into a third-and-33, which ultimately led to Duncan getting stripped on a fourth-down scramble.
But on the next play, outside linebacker Holdyn Sandifer got the ball back for CA. Brookhaven ran a slow-developing slip screen that Sandifer undercut and intercepted. However, after a quick punt, Brookhaven became the first to get on the scoreboard. Quarterback Elijah Helton connected with Trevor Fortenberry in stride for a 59-yard touchdown on a deep ball that gave Brookhaven an early 7-0 lead.
On the ensuing possession, Brookhaven middle linebacker Rayce Stewart read Duncan like a book and stepped in front of a pass over the middle for an easy interception that set Brookhaven up at the CA 16. It was a busted play for CA, though, as both Caston Brown and Carter Rowell’s routes had them both in the exact same place, right where Duncan threw it.
Brookhaven quickly added to its lead as Helton connected with Fortenberry, who ran a corner route from the slot, once again for an easy touchdown in the corner of the end zone that made it 13-0 with 11:17 to play in the second quarter. Neither offense moved passed midfield for the rest of the half.
The Cougars defense had seemingly cracked the code on how to defend Brookhaven’s offense, forcing three straight punts, but there proved to be one man it simply couldn’t stop — Fortenberry. With Brookhaven facing third-and-long early in the third quarter, Helton hit Fortenberry 20 yards downfield, then Fortenberry added another 20 yards to the reception with brute strength after the catch. CA was close to getting a goal line stand to end the threat later in the drive until Brookhaven moved Fortenberry into the backfield. He then bulled his way into the end zone to put the home Cougars up 20-0 midway through the quarter.
CA responded in a major way with a play that should have Cougars Nation excited for the next three years. Senior Carter Rowell ran a 10-yard “over” route right in the middle of the field, and Duncan, making just his second start under center, fired an absolute dart to him in stride, which Rowell turned up field for a 59-yard touchdown.
What made the throw so impressive was the pinpoint accuracy and timing to fit it in between three Brookhaven defenders. Brookhaven dropped two linebackers into hook zones, and its safety was coming down as a “robber” over the middle. There was only one spot the ball could be thrown to fit it in between the linebackers and in front of the safety, which Duncan did perfectly and on time. The safety was so surprised that Rowell caught it in stride that he completely whiffed on the tackle, allowing Rowell to turn on the jets and cut the score to 20-6. Developing that timing and anticipation takes a high school quarterback from good to elite.
However, early in the fourth quarter, CA had a chance to make it a one-score game after Preston Sauls put the Cougars in the red zone on a long run, but Duncan was intercepted trying to throw a fade to Brown. With under 30 seconds to play, moments after Duncan found Eli Beard wide open down field for a 56-yard gain, Brown had a touchdown go right through his hands. On the next play, which was fourth-and-goal, Duncan was picked off for a third time on a desperation throw into the end zone.
While his final stat line doesn’t look great (48% completion rate, three interceptions), Duncan showed plenty of flashes in the game and looks like he’s well on his way to being the best quarterback CA has had since Ras Pace.
Chambliss said he and the coaching staff designed a few plays that could take advantage of some of Brookhaven’s coverages and that Duncan is still learning how to adjust when one aspect, whether it be pressure in the backfield, a defender being in a different spot than expected or any number of things, is different and forces him to make a play outside of structure.
“He had to throw it sometimes when it was off schedule or off track a little bit, but those are the kinds of things that come with being a young quarterback. He’ll learn to throw those balls,” Chambliss said. “It’s just like building a program — you can’t skip steps. Being a quarterback, you can’t skip tests. You have to throw balls on the run, you have to throw balls with people in your face and you have to throw balls when everything is perfect and your guy is wide open.”
The loss of Nick Reagan before the game forced the Cougars to adjust their game plan significantly. Reagan makes all the calls for the offensive line, and a lot of those duties fell on Duncan’s shoulders. The strength of Brookhaven’s defense is in the front seven, and without Reagan, they didn’t like their matchups running as much as they did passing, which led to nearly twice as many passes as runs.
Columbia Academy will look to get back in the win column this week as it travels to Centreville Academy (3-4) for a non-district showdown with the Tigers. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.
