Columbia Academy dominated the first and fourth quarters of last Friday’s home opener against Presbyterian Christian School, but the Cougars struggled during the second and third quarters, dropping a 42-20 decision to the Bobcats.
“They had some big plays on us offensively,” CA head coach Randy Butler said. “We couldn’t get anything going after our first offensive drive.”
Columbia Academy (1-1) took just seven plays to drive for a score on its opening drive. After a strong kickoff return by Aaron Thomas to the CA 37, Ras Pace completed a 12-yard pass to Thomas on first down. On the next play, Drew Havard drove deep into PCS territory with a 24-yard run. Two plays later, Pace connected with Holden Smith for a 10-yard gain and a pass to Thomas put the Cougars on the Bobcats’ 2-yard line. Pace dove into the end zone on his second try for the Cougars’ first score with 9:39 left in the first quarter. The two point conversation was no good and CA held a 6-0 lead.
On the next drive, the Cougars drove into PCS territory but could not convert on a fourth and inches and the ball turned over to the Bobcats.
With 55 seconds left in the first quarter PCS missed a 35-yard field goal attempt and at the end of the first quarter, CA held a 6-0 lead.
Midway through the second quarter, PCS wide receiver Eric Robinson hauled in a 35-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Brandon Thornton and the PAT kick was good giving the Bobcats a 7-6 lead.
PCS would never look back from that point, adding another touchdown on a keeper by Thornton with 33 seconds left in the half to make it 14-6.
A fake punt by the Bobcats set up another touchdown with 8:35 left in the third quarter to increase the PCS lead to 21-6. After a CA drive stalled at midfield, PCS scored again with 7:13 to go in the third and make it 28-6.
The Bobcats added another score on a 20-yard run by Thornton to make it 35-6. A 59-yard run by Taylor Beatty then set up another PCS score before the quarter ended, leaving the Cougars trailing 42-6 entering the final stanza.
“We just kind of came unwound, so to speak,” he said. “I need to do a better job of coaching them in those situations.”
Early in the fourth quarter, the Cougars’ offense came to life again with Pace connecting to Thomas for a touchdown with 9:45 left. Pace also ran the two-point conversion in to make it 42-14.
After the ensuing kickoff, PCS turned the ball over on downs to the Cougars, Thomas hauled in a 53-yard touchdown pass from Pace, but the two-point conversion pass fell incomplete and the Cougars lost 42-20.
“That’s a good football team there,” Butler said. “They’re well coached and Joe (Hawkins) does a great job with them. We just have to play better in the second and third quarters.”
Butler said the effort in the fourth quarter pleased him.
“If I knew the secret, I’d bottle it up and be a millionaire,” he said. “You’ve just got to keep coaching them as hard as you can. Hopefully, the results will be better next week.”
Columbia Academy has another tough test this week, hosting Purvis (1-1) at 7 p.m. Friday at Pope Field.
“With Purvis coming in, it will be another big crowd,” he concluded. “Coach (Perry) Wheat is a good friend of mine. I’ve known him a long time. He’ll have his team ready. It will be a battle. They are well coached, they are physical and well disciplined. We’ll have to be really physical and well disciplined and we’ll see.”
Pictured Above: Drew Havard extends for the pylon against PCS. | Photo by Mark Rogers
