By Adam Crocker/Sports Correspondent
In the latest edition of “The Shootout at Wills Creek,” Coosa Christian picked up its first Class 1A, Region 7 win of the season with a 54-42 victory over Decatur Heritage Christian Academy last Friday (Sept. 21) at Phillip Ellen Stadium in Gadsden.
The Conquerors (2-3, 1-1) held a 48-42 lead at the 3:56 mark of the final period. After a Decatur Heritage three-and-out, the hosts began a drive at the Eagle 46-yard line. After runs of six and three yards, respectively, Dartavious Britton (pictured above) gained six points for the home team with a 45-yard rushing score. Carston Lipscomb’s PAT attempt was no good, making it 54-42.
Britton was the bell cow for the Coosa offense, rushing 23 times for 299 yards and five touchdowns.
“I felt like our offense played really well tonight,” said Coosa Christian head coach Navendra Woods. “Dartavious is a special weapon, and he’s a great asset to this football program. He’s a good, hardworking kid, and we have a good offensive line that’s blocking for him. Without those guys up front, we couldn’t get the yards we get on the ground.”
The Conquerors finished with 491 total yards to the Eagles’ 440, but Coosa had a 284 to 187 advantage in yards rushing.
The teams traded the ball back and forth until the 8:59 mark of the first quarter. Decatur Heritage
(3-2, 0-2) began a drive with a couple of negative runs and incomplete passes until quarterback Arthur Orr connected with Alex Orr through the air, for a 13-yard pick-up. Colton Keith then rushed for 16 yards before punching it in the end zone from one yard out. Benjamin Lovelace’s PAT made it 7-0.
The Conquerors regained possession at 4:50 of the first quarter, and quarterback Caiden Lipscomb connected with Evan Delp for a 64-yard touchdown to make it 7-6 with 3:58 remaining the first period.
The visitors soon answered back with six points of their own. Keith kicked off the DHCA drive with two rushes for 11 yards. Orr then found Tyler Founds through the air for a pickup of 37. After a one-yard dash from Keith and a roughing the passer penalty on the Conquerors, the Eagles had a first and 10 at the Coosa 18. Two rushes from Keith for 13 yards placed the Eagles at the 5. A false start pushed DHCA back, but Hank Davis punched it in from 10 yards out and Lovelace’s kick was good, making it 14-6.
Coosa quickly answered with a 54-yard scoring run from Britton. Carston Lipscomb’s kick was good, making the score 14-13 with 11:48 remaining in the first half.
Britton then broke free for a 64-yard touchdown rush. Caiden Lipscomb connected with Clay Waits on the fake PAT attempt for the two-point conversion and a 21-14 lead with 5:50 remaining in the first half.
A shanked Eagle punt allowed the hosts another opportunity to add six points to the scoreboard with 3:37 remaining in the first half. Caiden Lipscomb connected through the air with Delp for 33 yards and with Caleb Cates for 13. With Coosa in the Wildcat formation, Britton punched it in from three yards out. Carston Lipscomb’s kick was good, making it score 28-14 with 2:57 remaining in the half.
Decatur Heritage answered back off of Orr’s 20-yard touchdown pass to Malone. Lovelace’s kick was good, making it 28-21 with 18 seconds remaining in the first half.
The visitors kicked off the second half with Davis’s 11-yard dash to the end zone. Lovelace’s kick was good, evening the score at 28-28 with 9:29 remaining in the third quarter.
Caiden Lipscomb connected with Cates through the air for a 19-yard touchdown with2:56 left in the third. The drive kicked off with a 32-yard pass from Caiden Lipscomb to brother Carston. Caiden then connected with Waits for another seven yards.
After an Eagle punt, Britton ran the ball into the end zone from 63 yards out on the first play of the drive. Carston Lipscomb’s kick was good, increasing the Conqueror advantage to 41-28 with 50 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
The Decatur squad answered back almost immediately on a Davis-to-James Wilson touchdown pass. Lovelace’s kick was good, pilling the visitors within 41-35 with 342 seconds remaining in the third.
The hosts found themselves in good field possession after a fumble recovery by Chase Burger. Caiden Lipscomb connected with Waits from six yards out. Carston Lipscomb’s kick was good, making it 48-35 with 7:07 remaining in regulation.
The Eagles answered back one more time when Orr scrambled for a 50-yard score. Lovelace’s kick was good, making it 48-42 with 6:18 remaining in the game.
Britton provided Coosa with some insurance on his 45-yard touchdown run with 3:56 left in the game.
Caiden Lipscomb was 13 for 19 in passing for 207 yards. Waites caught four passes for 32 yards, while Delp had three receptions for 106 yards.
Along with his fumble recovery, Burger had seven tackles and a sack. Cates had six tackles, followed by Caiden Lipscomb with five. Conner Belyeu and Trevor Horne each had an interception, while Reece Myrick had a sack.
Coosa travels to face Victory Christian this Friday (Sept. 28) in Pell City in non-region action.
“As a coaching staff, our focus is taking care of the small things to get a win,” said Woods. “We’ve been preaching to the guys [to] take one play at a time, and the results will speak for themselves.”