The Columbia Academy Cougars (0-5) stayed within striking distance throughout but couldn’t overcome an early hole in a 40-28 home loss Friday night to the Silliman Institute Wildcats.
Silliman, playing in its first game of the season because of Louisiana’s coronavirus restrictions, put together a creative game plan to jump out to a quick lead, and the short-handed Cougars were unable to match Silliman’s firepower.
“We battled the whole way, but again we had a couple people banged up and couldn’t finish it off,” CA head coach Randy Butler said.
The CA offense went three-and-out to start the game, but Silliman’s wasted no time getting going. Mills Dawson found Bo Gilkison on a middle screen that should have been called for illegal man downfield, but instead it resulted in a 40-yard touchdown to make it 8-0 in favor of the Wildcats less than two minutes into regulation.
After both teams traded several punts and an interception each — Preston Sauls picked off a pass for the Cougars — Trevor Courtney recovered a Wildcat fumble at the Silliman to set up CA’s first score. Cougars quarterback Kris Ginn scored on a 1-yard keeper to knot the game 8-8 early in the second quarter.
Silliman bounced back, though, as Dawson found Hunter Harrell on a playaction pass for a 35-yar touchdown to put the Wildcats back on top 16-8. But the Cougars then converted two 4th downs leading to a 7-yard Sauls touchdown run with four minutes remaining in the first half to cut the deficit to 16-14.
On the last play before halftime, Silliman answered with Dawson connecting with Gilkison on another middle screen for an 11-yard score to make it 24-14 going into halftime.
The defenses took center stage early in the third quarter with a turnover on downs, two punts and Ginn being picked off for a second time before the Wildcats reached pay dirt again. Jacob Simmons broke three tackles along the sideline on a reverse to score from 41 yards out to put Silliman in front 32-14.
On the ensuing drive, Ginn completed a 40-yard pass to Courtney despite getting drilled in the ribs as he released the ball, setting himself up for another 1-yard touchdown run to make it 32-20 going into the fourth quarter.
Gilkison put the game out of reach midway through the fourth with a 45-yard touchdown that made it 40-20. Ginn would add one more rushing score, a 2-yarder, but it was too little too late.
CA will look to pick up its first win of the season Friday night as the Cougars travel to Hattiesburg to take on PCS.
The Cougars had more than 300 yards of offense and four touchdowns but also had to punt five times and had two turnovers. Butler said they are in a tough position to establish some consistency with the injuries they’ve had and their limited numbers. Sauls and Robert Johnson hardly practiced last week while Ginn was also banged up, and Butler said it’s hard to make improvements when they can’t practice.
“It’s not the kids’ fault when they’re banged up,” he added. “We’re also playing some guys up front that are inexperienced, but we do need to be a little bit more consistent.”
Credit has to be given to the Silliman coaching staff for its creative play calling that put the Cougars defense in some tough positions and led to some big plays.
“The big plays were primarily from our eyes being in the wrong place. Our eyes were in the backfield when we were playing man. When you get a hard run fake and your eyes are in the backfield, you’re going to freeze a second, and they got some people running behind us,” Butler said. “We have to correct that.”
The journey doesn’t get any easier for the Cougars as they head to Hattiesburg Friday night to take on PCS (4-1), who beat Columbia Academy 41-22 last season.
“They’re big and they’re fast. They are a big power running team, and they bring pressure on defense,” Butler said. “We’ll have to come up with a good game plan to stop the power attack, and we’ll have to figure out how to try to move the football and keep it away from them a little bit.”
Marquis Crosby, who transferred from Seminary to PCS prior to last season but was banged up during last year’s game against CA, is back to full strength and is having a monster year on the ground. The senior Louisiana Tech commit is averaging 245.4 yards per game, 9.7 yards per carry and has compiled 1,227 yards and 13 touchdowns in just five games. Butler said the Cougars will have to keep him and other Bobcats playmakers from getting to the edge and using their speed.
