Brookhaven Academy running back LandonNettles appreciates his offensive line. The DAILY LEADER’sOffensive Player of the Week said, “Make sure you mention theoffensive line. They’re the ones that pick up the yards forme.”

    Nettles rushed for 189 yards and scored three touchdowns in BA’s35-14 Friday night homecoming victory  against Bowling Green on R.M. “Red”Stuard Field. He scored second half touchdowns on runsof  1, 20 and 10 yards.

    Bowling Green’s game plan was to defend BA’s high-powered passingattack. The Buccaneers lined up in a 3-2-6 formation ondefense.

    “Landon did a real good job running the football,” said BA CoachTripp McCarty. “Bowling Green lined up in a 3-2 and dared us to runthe football.

    “Our offensive line was really knocking over their defense so wekept running the football.”

    Working in BA’s offensive line are left guard Colby Culbertson, left tackle Drew Philipp,right guard Ken Britt and right tackle Garrett Pace. At center areHunter Franklin and Cody Thornhill.

    Nettles and his teammates had to deal with the usual distractionsthat accompany Homecoming Week. “We tried to keep our minds rightand focus on the game. I felt good and my line was blocking realwell. I picked up some good blocks downfield, too.”

    Asked about his favorite play, Nettles named it 25. “Bubba (Keene)comes in motion. Gage (Posey) fakes it (handoff) to him and I runto the left side.”

    Nettles (5-10, 185), who celebrates his 16th birthday today, is theson of Michael and Denise Nettles. He has an older sister, Katie,who is at student at Copiah-Lincoln Community College. His youngerbrother, Trent, is a BA freshman who plays basketball for theCougars.

    Nettles has rushed for nearly 800 yards this season. The Cougars(6-2) play their first District  5-AA game Friday night at ColumbiaAcademy. It will be a reunion of sorts, since former BA defensivecoordinator Kenny Williams is CA’s first-year head coach.

    Asked about his team’s chances of repeating as district champions,Nettles said, “It looks good. We have Columbia and ACCS coming up.Trinity is the team to beat.”

    Nettles also excels in baseball. He has been a starter at catcherfor since the eighth grade, when BA won the AA state championship.He wears jersey No. 33 in both sports. “I’ve been wearing thatnumber since the seventh grade.”

    In his spare time, he enjoys watching the Mississippi StateBulldogs. His favorite NFL player in Indianapolis quarterbackPeyton Manning.