Brentwood Academy had trouble stopping Ensworth junior running back Corn Elder all night.
By JIM WOJCIECHOWSKI For Brentwood Home Page Brentwood Academy receiver Al Thompson couldn’t resist teasing his friend Corn Elder.
When asked about the junior running back’s riveting 405-yard, four-touchdown performance in Ensworth’s 37-17 rout of BA Friday night, Thompson nodded toward Elder, standing a few yards away, and grinned.
“He’s all right; he ain’t that good,” Thompson said with a chuckle, then gave his props. “He’s a real good player. We’re real close. It’s fun to play against him. We’ll get him next time.”
Eagle quarterback Max Staver dodges Ensworth's Keshonn Carter. (Photos by Renee Yarbrough)
BA freshman C.J. Sanders heads out into the open for a first down.
Elder spoiled Senior Night festivities at Carlton Flatt Field. He rushed for 245 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries, and caught five passes for 158 yards and two scores.
Elder had scoring plays of 61, 63 and 64 yards as Ensworth (8-1, 5-1) beat BA (7-2, 5-1) for the fourth consecutive time. The Tigers pulled into a tie for first place with Brentwood Academy and Baylor in the Division II-AA East/Middle standings with one game remaining in the regular season.
Brentwood Academy had a seven-game winning streak snapped, losing for the first time since an opening-game loss to nationally ranked Louisville (Ky.) Trinity.
The Eagles failed to capitalize on early scoring chances. They drove 59 yards on 11 plays on their opening drive but settled for a 20-yard field goal by Ben Boatright for a 3-0 lead. BA advanced to the Ensworth 14 on its second possession before D’Montre Wade was stopped short of a first down on a fourth-and-2 run.
Elder answered on the first play of the ensuing possession, racing 75 yards to the BA 13. Two plays later, Elder scored on a 4-yard run for a 7-3 advantage. Prior to that, Elder had been held to zero yards on three carries on the Tigers’ first two possessions.
“I think the game turned when we had the (fourth-and-2) and didn’t make it and then the next play Corn hits the long run,” BA coach Ralph Potter said. “I was a little disappointed tonight to how we reacted to that. We’ll try to get better from this. We weren’t really expecting this but there are some things we can do to get better.”
“We got the momentum after that play,” Elder said.
Elder scored on a 63-yard run midway through the second quarter, drawing a penalty for taunting a BA defender on his way to the end zone. Ensworth led 13-3 at halftime.
“He had two runs in the first half and he’s going to make those sometimes,” Potter said. “You have to limit what he gets.”
Coach Ralph Potter interview
Ralph Thompson interview
Corn Elder interview
Connor Lunsford interview
The Eagles’ chances were diminished from the outset of the second half, as Elder took a bubble screen from Andrew Bowers 61 yards for a touchdown, opening up a 20-3 lead.
“That really hurt us,” Potter said. “We had him covered up out there again and they make a block and he gets one-on-one and their guy beats our guy.”
“It was one of those things where you have to lift your head up and realize things might not go our way tonight,” said BA senior linebacker Conner Lunsford.
Elder boosted his rushing total to 1,456 yards for the season, with 15 touchdowns.
“He’s a great athlete,” Lunsford said. “If you don’t get two or three guys on him you are going to have a hard time getting him down.”
Elder closed with a 63-yard scoring reception in the third quarter – putting on quite a show for the Comcast Sport Southeast viewing audience.
“He’s got great speed but he’s got the great quickness about him,” Potter said. “They do some good things getting him loose.”
BA plays host to McCallie for homecoming next week, while Ensworth plays at Father Ryan.
“If you look at what we’ve done this season we’ve always bounced back,” Lunsford said. ‘That’s been one of our things.”
Ensworth 7 6 14 10 -- 37 BA 3 0 7 7 -- 17
First quarter BA: Boatright 20 field goal, 7:51. EHS: Elder 4 run (Doochin kick), 1:13
Second quarter EHS: Elder 64 run (Doochin kick failed), 6:27.
Third quarter EHS: Elder 61 pass from Bowers (Doochin kick), 11:44. EHS: Elder 63 pass from Bowers (Doochin kick), 3:32. BA: Sanders 69 pass from Staver (Boatright kick), 2:33
Fourth quarter EHS: Estes 33 field goal, 10:24 EHS: C. Batey 12 pass from Bowers, 3:18. BA: Sanders 2 run (Boatright kick), 1:51.
PASSING: E, Bowers 7-18-3-186. BA, Staver 11-23-1-180.
RECEIVING: E, Elder 5-158, Pasley 1-16, C. Batey 1-12. BA, Sanders 4-121, Thompson 4-46, Alexan 1-7, Wade 1-6, Ramsey 1-0.
Tyler and Trent Atkins were among the BA seniors honored before the game. Check back Monday for more Senior Night photos.
Vanderbilt coach James Franklin looks over players on both sides before heading off to another game in a waiting helicopter.
WSMV reporter Chris Harris starts his pre-game warmup for Touchdown Friday.
BA Dance Team members India Way, Madeline Dozier, Hannah Grimson, Gigi Nash, Becca Eddings and Lindsey Keller pose with the team's newest mascot, puppy Nash Brown.
Email
Print
