The Simpson Academy Cougars employed a strong defensive performance and key offensive plays to secure a 20-10 victory over the visiting Pillow Academy Mustangs last Friday night.
The first quarter was a defensive struggle, with both teams trading stops and neither gaining an edge. Early in the second quarter, however, sophomore quarterback Braxton Baldwin put the Cougars on the board. Baldwin engineered a steady drive capped with a 17-yard touchdown strike to Kolt Walker.
With under three minutes remaining in the half, Baldwin went back to work. He connected with three different receivers to push the Cougars into scoring position, highlighted by a leaping catch from Walker over two defenders that placed the ball at the 3-yard line. Baldwin finished the drive himself, powering into the end zone for a score. The extra point made it 13-0 Cougars at halftime.
Meanwhile, Simpson’s defense set the tone, stuffing the Mustang run game and shutting down any early momentum Pillow attempted to build.
The Cougars carried that momentum into the second half when defensive end Garrison Warren pressured the Pillow quarterback into an errant throw. Thomas Jones capitalized, intercepting the pass and returning it 42 yards for a pick-six that extended the lead to 20-0.
Pillow managed to take advantage of a couple of Cougar miscues, adding 10 points in the third quarter. But the Cougars’ defense locked down again in the fourth, preserving the win.
With the victory, Simpson Academy improves to 1-1 on the season.
They now turn their attention to a home matchup against the undefeated Columbia Academy Cougars (2-0) this Friday in Mendenhall. The game will also mark Simpson’s Homecoming celebration.
