Escambia Academy racked up 283-yards rushing and Winston Barron scored three touchdowns as the visiting Cougars spoiled Morgan Academy’s homecoming by taking a 34-6 win.

After losing three region games to start the season, head coach Hugh Fountain told his team before kickoff their season rested squarely on whether or not they came away winners.

“We had a sense of urgency because if we lost tonight, we’ve only got one area game left and they took it to heart,” Fountain said. “We had a great week of practice, we put our indiscretions behind us and did what we had to do.”

After a Morgan onside kick to start the game that failed, Escambia struck first when Barron scored from 40-yards out, the series keyed when the Cougars converted on fourth and one in Morgan territory.

“We came out with an onside kick to see if we could catch them off guard, they executed, got it, came out and hit us in the mouth and never checked up,” said Morgan Senators’ head coach Bob Taylor.

Barron closed out the scoring in the first quarter with another touchdown from 9-yards out. The drive began on Morgan’s 38-yard line after the Cougars recovered a fumble and then were the recipients of a personal foul penalty that moved the ball deep into Morgan territory.

“We just didn’t execute anything tonight,” Taylor said. “I was disappointed with our execution offensively and defensively.”

Morgan drew within one score in the second quarter when Dalton Lee scored on a quarterback keeper from 2-yards out, the drive highlighted by a long run by Trevor Bates, who rushed for 69-yards on 14 attempts.

“When we got in a rhythm we went right down and scored,” Taylor said. “There’s one or two things we were doing earlier in the year we’re not doing now.”

Escambia added two more touchdowns in the second quarter – one on a run from 26-yards out by Reid Bell and another on a 68-yard touchdown pass from Cougars’ quarterback Michael Thompson to Barron. Bell capped the scoring in the third quarter with an electrifying 82-yard scamper.

Taylor said the game could have sealed a playoff spot for the Senators. Instead, they’ve got to travel to Fort Dale, and then face Hooper and Monroe and hope they can play their way into the playoffs.

“If we’d gone ahead and won tonight, we’d be in the playoffs,” Taylor said. “Now we have to fight and claw and do whatever we got to do to get in. Fort Dale, Hooper and Monroe are all quality football teams. We’ve got to step our game up all the way around.”

Helping with Bates on offense, Woodhum Kimmer rushed for 28-yards on eight attempts with Jamie Bearden adding 21-yards on eight attempts.