Cougars Top Jags to Open SWAC Play

Hailey Loftin
Staff Writer

Despite a few rocky non-conference games to open the season, the Cougars varsity football team beat Athens Drive High School to start conference play last Friday. They started out the game a little slow, only scoring one touchdown in the first quarter. By halftime though, the Cougars were up 27-0 thanks to a one-yard run by Ian Boyd and a thirty-yard pass from Grayson Boyd to Hart Simpson, both of which occurred in the last three minutes of the half. The Cougars increased the lead by another touchdown before Athens Drive was finally able to score a touchdown off an interception with seven minutes left in the third quarter. The Jaguars scored two more touchdowns in the final five minutes, missing one PAT to have a final score of 44-20.

“We’re going to start a run,” Coach Graham said. “We’re trying to do something big this year and win the conference.” The Cougars made it to the playoffs in 2014 for the first time in five seasons. They made it to the second round and lost to rival Green Hope High School. Highschoolot.com has listed Apex as a team that is currently on the bubble for the playoffs, despite only being four weeks into the season. The win against Athens boosts the Cougars’ chances of making it to the playoffs, but there are many games left to be played that could be difficult for the team. The final game of the season is against Middle Creek High School, whose varsity football team is ranked seventeenth in North Carolina. Every game from this point in the season on is important if Coach Graham’s goal is going to be achieved.

The next game for the Cougars is Friday night, Sept. 18. This is the homecoming game against Cary High School. With a continued good offensive performance, the game should be a great one for Apex fans to attend.