TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The Heritage Academy family has faced plenty of adversity the past two weeks on and off the field.
Presbyterian Christian added to the football team”s troubles Friday night, blanking Heritage Academy 42-0.
“We knew (Presbyterian) was going to be good,” Heritage Academy coach Brad Butler said. “We were flat, there was little emotion, little intensity.”
Heritage Academy (3-3) is dealing with the recent death of student-athlete Spencer Perkins in a hunting accident and the loss of junior quarterback Brandon Bell and senior running back John Laws Ferguson to season-ending injuries.
A crowd of more than 800 people attended Perkins” funeral Tuesday at First Baptist Church in downtown Columbus.
“It”s like I said earlier, ”We”re not looking for excuses,”” Butler said. “The good thing is it was a non-conference game, and they don”t add up the points from one game to the next. That game”s over and now we go on.”
Butler said Presbyterian Christian had a significant size edge on his team, which is something the Patriots have come to expect. Still, he said, “They looked bigger in real life than they did on film,” he said.
Heritage Academy will travel Friday to Magnolia Heights.
- Immanuel Christian 56, North River (Ala.) 36:
At Steens, the Rams didn”t play the numbers game against North River, an eight-man team. Immanuel played the visitors on even terms with their own eight-man game.
The victory, however, gave Immanuel Christian (2-4) its first two-win season since 2006. The 56 points also was the highest total the Rams have scored since a 64-18 victory against Calhoun Academy Sept. 11, 2009.
Two Rams — Michael Tate and Norris Harris — showed Immanuel Christian”s strength as they ran over North River with more than 200 yards apiece. Tate carried 19 times for 223 yards and four touchdowns, while Harris added 200 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries.
Tate contributed 187 return yards, including an 85-yard kickoff return for a first-quarter score after the Rams fell behind 12-0.
North River added another rushing score to lead 18-6 before Rams guard James Riley took a handoff 23 yards for a score. Harris converted the two-point conversion to make it for an 18-14 after one quarter.
North River scored before halftime for a 24-14 lead. Immanuel Christian cut the lead to 24-22 at halftime with Harris”s 52-yard scoring run and Tate”s conversion run.
The Rams led in the third quarter 30-24 after Tate scored from 23 yards and Ross Moore executed a quarterback sneak for the conversion. North River followed with a 95-yard scoring return on the ensuing kickoff for a 30-30 tie after three quarters.
Fatigue then took over North River, as Immanuel rolled up 26 points in the final stanza. Tate scored on runs of 5, 49 and 63 yards, and Harris had a 36-yard scoring run to put the game out of reach.
Jeremy Davidson led Immanuel Christian with 10 tackles, followed by James Riley (eight), and Harris, Zach Kimbrell, and Dustin White with five each.
Immanuel Christian will entertain Houlka for homecoming on Friday.
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