Please note that this post contains affiliate links and any sales made through such links will reward MageeNews.com a small commission – at no extra cost to you.
Over the summer, the decision makers for the MAIS governing body decided to divide their member schools into four athletic classifications. Starting this year, teams were separated by size, with the smallest schools competing in the “A” classification and the fourteen largest schools competing in “AAAA”.
The Simpson Academy Cougars have begun the 2015 football season with a perfect 3-0 record in the AAAA division. What is even more impressive, that due to its size, Simpson is classified as an AAA school.
For the last three Friday nights, three of the largest schools in the MAIS have visited Simpson Academy. For the last three Friday nights, those same three teams have left Simpson with a loss.
Friday’s night game started out about as good as you could ask for. The finish was not for the faint of heart. Simpson managed to escape with the win after a drive that they had to have. With just over two minutes left in the ball game, Triston Cowan dazzled the crowd with a 22 yard run that put the Cougars back on top with what proved to be the winning points for the evening.
Simpson took the opening possession of the ball game and put together a classic SCA drive, pounding the ball down the field. The Cougars utilized a 14 play drive that consumed nearly seven minutes of the first quarter, to take their initial lead. Matthew Burney scored from 2 yards out to give Simpson a seven point lead after the Scott Johnson extra point.
The Cougars scored again in the second quarter. This time Matthew Burney connected with his brother and fellow triplet, Aaron Burney for an 18 yard touchdown pass. The Cougars lead had grown to 13.
With 0:15 seconds remaining in the first half, Kyle Burney, the remaining piece of the triplet trifecta, scored on a 22 yard run. It could very well had been the most impressive run of the night as Kyle bounced off would-be Lamar tackles and his own lineman’s backside on the way to the end zone. Impressively, he was able to stay on his feet and glide into the end zone.
At the end of the half, the Cougars had a 19 point lead and all the confidence in the world. Lamar used the half time to regroup.
Head Coach Winston Mullins had told the fans attending the pep rally, held earlier in the day, that Lamar would be the best school they faced this year and also, a well-coached team. Twenty minutes of play in the second half confirmed that.
Five minutes into the second half, the Raiders scored their first points of the evening when the Lamar quarterback connected with his favorite receiver for a 10 yard touchdown. This passing combination proved difficult to defend throughout the second half.
The Cougars fumbled on the second play of their next possession. The fumble occurred at the Simpson 25 yard line, giving Lamar excellent field position.
They made the most of that possession when the quarterback scored from the 2 yard line. With the extra point, Lamar had closed the score gap to 5 points.
The two teams traded drives, punts and turnover on downs over the next several possessions, until Lamar found the end zone once again when the Raiders scored on a 5 yard run by their speedy receiver.
Just like that, the Simpson lead had completely been erased. Simpson scored the first three touchdowns of the night. Lamar scored the next three. The difference in the ballgame game came down to extra point conversions. Lamar was successful on all three of theirs.
The teams traded possession once again. On one of those possessions, the Raiders quarterback fumbled the ball at the Simpson 17 yard line.
The Cougars, determined to win, began to march down the field. The Cougars relied on the legs of Kyle Burney and Triston Cowan, as well as the blocking of its offensive line, to move the ball down the field.
Cowan for 9 yards, Burney for 7 yards, then 8 yards, then 5 yards. Finally, Triston Cowan ran the last 22 yards into the end zone. With 2:08 left in the ballgame, the Cougars had retaken the lead. Scott Johnson placed the extra point through the uprights giving the Cougars a 4 point lead.
Lamar would need to score a touchdown in the final two minutes if they hoped to win the ballgame. The Raiders first pass attempt was broken up by Matthew Burney.
On the next play, Austin Teater ran free into the Raiders backfield, smothering the Lamar quarterback for a 21 yard sack.
Lamar would attempt five more passes. First an incomplete pass, broken up by Nicholas Broadhead. A holding call negated the Raiders next completion. After that, three passes were attempted, Kyle Burney defended on two of them and Triston Cowan closed out the ballgame, deflecting the final attempt.
The Cougars win.
Matthew Burney, once again, was efficient in the passing attack, completing 5 of his 6 attempts for 30 yards and one touchdown. Matthew added 125 yards on 28 carries on the ground. Kyle Burney led the rushing attack with 131 yards on 20 carries. Triston Cowan had 85 yards on 9 carries for an impressive 9.4 yards per carry. Aaron Burney led the receivers with 27 yards on 2 catches and one touchdown.
Triston Cowan was a beast on the defensive side of the ball, recording 9.5 tackles, 8 of which were solo. Will White produced 3 tackles, one sack and a tackle for a loss.
The Cougars are set to play their first away game when they visit Leake Academy to take on the Rebels. Leake is 2-1 on the season, losing to Indianola Academy be a score of 35-7. Game time is scheduled for 7:00.
