donbrown00@alltel.net

Staff writer

BROWNSVILLE -- For the first time since the 2000 season, the coveted Tobacco Stick will reside in Edmonson County after the Wildcats handed the Cougars a 27-14 defeat on Friday.

Instead of the Tobacco Bowl, this game could have been called the Zack Coulter Bowl as the Wildcats' senior running back scored three touchdowns on the night and was instrumental on the fourth when he became a decoy on a reverse that caught the Cougar defense over-pursuing.

The Cougars had the ball first and were moving well, taking it from their own 42 to the Wildcat 27 before they stopped themselves. Facing a third-and-eight, the Cougars put the ball on the ground and the Wildcats covered it to take over at the 27.

The Cougars forced a punt but again hurt themselves with a turnover on their next possession. After a loss on first down and a motion penalty put the Cougars into a third-and-20 situation, Coulter, playing cornerback on defense, stepped in front of a Brett Clemons pass to the sideline and went 34 yards untouched for the first score of the night. Jarrod St. Onge added the extra point to make it 7-0 at the 5:50 mark.

The Cougars got things rolling again on their next possession and this time made it pay off as they moved 64 yards in six plays for the tying score with 1:56 left in the opening period. Nathan Gordon carried the final 22 yards for the touchdown, and Jordan Drake added the extra point.

Following the kickoff, the Wildcats moved 68 yards in 13 plays to go ahead. As the second quarter began, Edmonson faced a fourth-and-inches play at their own 42. As play resumed, junior quarterback Kyle Culbreth carried three yards to pick up the first down and the Wildcats were on their way. Coulter carried in from the three at the 7:40 mark, but St. Onge's kick was tipped just wide to make it 13-7 in favor of the Wildcats.

The Cougars came roaring back to take the lead, using just three plays to move 58 yards. Senior Brian Sandlin found a hole off tackle and scrambled 33 yards for the go-ahead score with 6:03 left in the half.

Just before the half, the Wildcats picked up a first down at the Cougar 38, but freshman Sean Embry picked off a Culbreth pass at the 12 on the next play, and the Cougars ran out the clock.

The Wildcats took charge in the third period with a 56-yard drive that ate up nearly four minutes on the clock. Coulter carried in from the four at the 6:10 mark, then carried for the two-point conversion to make it 21-14.

On the ensuing kick, Grayson County got caught with its pants down as a pooch kick was recovered by the Wildcats at the Cougar 36. Though the Cougars held on defense, they were put in a deep hole when a Wildcat punt forced them back to their own 15.

A holding call and a flag for an illegal block moved the ball back to the six, where the Cougars faced second-and-19. Despite the hardships, Gordon picked up a first down after two runs of 14 and 12 yards moved the ball to the 32.

On third-and-four, the Cougars were again penalized, this time for an illegal substitution. Clemons ran for seven yard to bring up a fourth-and-two as the fourth quarter began. Sandlin carried into Wildcat territory at the 40, but the fourth flag of the series, a holding call, ended the Cougars' chances.

The Wildcats then moved 52 yards in seven plays to cap their triumph with one last touchdown. On third-and-10 at the Cougar 29, the ball was handed to Coulter for what appeared to be a sweep. The Cougar defense bit on the play and when Coulter handed the ball on a reverse to senior Dustin Poteet, there was no one left on the backside of the play and Poteet waltzed into the end zone. The Cougars blocked the extra-point attempt, but the Wildcats were ready to paint the Tobacco Stick red and blue.

Next week the Cougars will play their first home game of the season when they play host to the Larue County Hawks. The Hawks will come into the game at 0-2 following a 39-25 loss to Somerset in the opening week of play, and a 19-14 loss to Central Hardin last Friday. Game time is set for 7 p.m.