By Mike Goodson/Sports Correspondent
Coosa Christian used the potent 1-2 rushing punch of Ben Mills and Austin Mills – along with a late touchdown reception by Jonah Mills – to subdue Class 1A, Area 7 rival Jacksonville Christian Academy, 28-21, last Friday in Gadsden.
“I’m proud of our kids,” said Coosa Christian head coach Van Owens. “These games between these two schools are always close. I can’t say enough about our offensive line and our defensive coaches. The coaches made the needed adjustments at halftime to slow JCA down.”
Coosa (2-6, 1-6) took the opening kickoff and drove 52 yards in seven plays for the first points of the evening.
Austin Mills capped the drive with a one-yard run for the games first points. Mills added the PAT, and Coosa led 7-0 with 9:01 to go in the first quarter.
JCA answered on its initial possession, driving 61 yards in 10 plays. Dakota Crook scored on a one-yard run with 4:16 to go in the first quarter.
Daylon Brackett added the PAT and the game was knotted at 7-7.
Coosa struck again in the opening stanza, driving 43 yards in six plays to regain the lead.
Austin Mills scored on a five-yard run to give Coosa the lead at 13-7 with 1:47 to go in the first quarter.
The Thunder answered on their next possession to take their only lead of the night.
The visitors put together a 14 play, 63-yard drive and took a brief lead when on a fourth and 19 Brackett fired a 19-yard TD pass to Kristopher Armprester with 6:27 to go in the half.
Brackett booted the PAT and JCA led 14-13.
The Conquerors answered almost immediately, driving 55 yards in only six plays to regain the lead.
Ben Mills capped the series with a three-yard TD run. Mills passed to Jonah Mills for the two-point conversion and a 21-14 lead with 4:12 to go in the half.
The third quarter was mainly a defensive struggle, with neither team mounting a serious threat.
Coosa once again got its offense in gear on the Conquerors’ second possession of the fourth quarter.
Coosa drove 66 yards in eight plays to put the game out of reach. On fourth and 10 from the 10, Ben Mills fired a pass into the end zone, and Jonah Mills made a circus catch for the score. Austin Mills’ extra point gave Coosa a 28-14 lead with 2:41 remaining in the game.
JCA added a late score, driving 56 yards in five plays to close out the scoring. Brackett passed 18 yards to Dakota Crook for the score.
An on-side kick attempt failed and Coosa ran out the clock for their second win of the season.
Coosa picked up 16 first downs while rushing the ball 45 times for 238 yards. Jacksonville Academy picked up 18 first downs while rushing the ball 42 times for 190 yards.
Austin Mills led the Conquerors with 128 yards rushing and two touchdowns on 21 carries and scored. Ben Mills added 110 yards and a TD on 24 carries.
For JCA, Brackett was 9-13-1 in passing for 116 yards. He also added 96 yards rushing on 15 carries.
Coosa Christian travels to Woodville on Friday in the Conquerors’ final region contest.