COLUMBIA — Brookhaven Academy traveled to Columbia AcademyFriday night, trying to finish undefeated in the district for thesecond consecutive year. The Cougars entered the game with a 5-3overall record and a 3-0 record in district play.

Columbia Academy’s Cougars have struggled, standing at 0-8 goingin to their homecoming game against Brookhaven. After ahard-fought, physical battle, the Cougars of Brookhaven emergedwith a 28-19 win to improve to 6-3 overall and finish a perfect 4-0in District 4-AA . Columbia fell to 0-9 overall and 0-3 in thedistrict.

Brookhaven took the opening kickoff and wasted little timeputting points on the board as they marched 68 yards in 6 plays.Quarterback Daniel Lofton scored on an 18-yard run around the rightend with 9:56 left in the first quarter. Nathaniel Sbravati addedthe extra point for a 7-0 Brookhaven lead.

It took just two plays for the Cougars from Columbia to respond.Columbia coach Dan Phails used a little trickery and Columbiaquarterback Chase Slocum hooked up with Jeremy Lee on a 69 yarddouble reverse pass. Michael Saucier added the extra point,knotting things up at 7 with 8:55 showing on the clock.

Brookhaven answered with a 9 play, 55 yard drive that was cappedoff with Sbravati scoring on a 13 yard run. He then added the extrapoint for a 14-7 Brookhaven lead with 5:27 left in the firstquarter.

The Cougars got their final offensive touchdown of the nightwith 1:01 showing in the first as Lofton hooked up with CoreyDickerson on a 32 yard pass. The extra point attempt failed, givingBrookhaven a 20-7 lead after the first quarter.

The only score of the second quarter came from Columbia at the4:27 mark with Slocum scoring on a 1 yard run. The extra pointattempt was blocked, closing the Brookhaven lead to 20-13 at thehalf.

Both teams traded possessions in the third quarter, unable toregister points until Dickerson returned an interception 46 yardsfor the Brookhaven score with 2:28 left in the third quarter.Lofton ran in the two- point conversion for a 28-13 lead.

Columbia tried to mount a comeback in the fourth quarter, withSlocum scoring on a 1 yard run with 7:10 left. But after Columbiafailed on the two point conversion attempt, Brookhaven held a 28-19lead and ran out the clock to preserve the win.

“We overcame a lot of adversity tonight.” said Brookhaven coachBo Milton. “We lost possibly the best linebacker in the districttonight (referring to Kolby Byrd’s first quarter ankle injury). Butwe overcame a very fired up Columbia team and overcame not havingone of our leaders. We finished undefeated in the district and nowwe just have to focus on the playoffs.”

Lofton led the Brookhaven offense, throwing for 174 yards bycompleting 11 of his 20 pass attempts. He had one touchdown passand was intercepted once. He also rushed the football 17 times for93 yards and another touchdown. Sbravati picked up 50 yards on 7attempts with a touchdown. Dickerson caught 7 passes for 125 yardsand a touchdown.

Ryan Stewart led Columbia with 176 yards on 27 carries. ChaseSlocum followed with 14 yards on 8 attempts and two touchdowns.

On defense, Steven Watts led Brookhaven with 9tackles. Lofton and Caleb Dorman each followed with 7 stops. JeremyJames and Sbravati each had 6 tackles. Lofton and Dickerson eachintercepted a pass. Garrett Posey blocked a punt.

Brookhaven returns home Friday night to host Adams CountyChristian School in a non-district matchup. Kickoff is 7 p.m.