Columbia Academy dropped a 32-26 decision to Bowling Green Thursday night, giving the Buccaneers the district title and sending the Cougars on the road next week for the first round of the playoffs.
The Cougars’ opponent in the first round had not been determined as of press time, but head coach Randy Butler said the team would be busy preparing for wherever it had to travel.
“We’ve gone on the road and won in the playoffs before,” he said. “Every week we have a lot to focus on, but today was senior recognition. I’m happy for the seniors, but there were a lot of distractions. We lost our focus in the second half.”
The Cougars (4-6, 1-1) got on the board first. Quarterback Ras Pace ran for 23 yards on the first play from scrimmage, and Pace and Drew Havard combined to run the ball downfield. Havard’s 5-yard run put the Cougars up 6-0.
But Bowling Green came right back, driving down the field and scoring just four plays later. CA’s Tyler Terry blocked the extra point attempt.
Midway through the second quarter, the Cougars took a 12-6 lead when Havard ran in from three yards out. Later in the second quarter, Jordyn Mahaffey picked up a fumble and returned it 60 yards for a score, giving the Cougars an 18-6 advantage.
The third quarter proved costly for the Cougars as Bowling Green scored on runs of 5 yards and 40 yards to tie the game at 18 and then got a 71-yard rushing touchdown to take the lead 25-18 with 6:17 left in the third.
Midway through the fourth, Bowling Green added another touchdown on a 25-yard run and the PAT kick was good, giving the Bucs a 32-18 lead.
CA battled back, blocking a Buccaneers field goal attempt and then driving downfield before Pace scored on a 1-yard run. Pace also added the two-point conversion and closed the gap to 32-26. In an odd sequence just after the score, the Buccaneers got a chance to replay a third down situation when the sprinklers came on during the play. But the third down pass fell incomplete as play resumed, and on fourth down the Cougars received a punt to begin from their own 37 with just under 3 minutes left in the game. CA drove, but Pace’s keeper on a fourth down with about a minute left fell a yard short.
