Mustangs squeak by Lauderdale County

Madison Academy defeated Lauderdale County with a score of 14-3. (CONTRIBUTED)

By Mike Easterling

For the Record

ROGERSVILLE – It took a second-half comeback, a defense doing something that hasn’t been done in four years and a “scoop and score” to seal the outcome.

Madison Academy, however, will take what turned out to be its 33rd straight win in high school football regional play.

The top-ranked Mustangs trailed No. 7 Lauderdale County until Kiki Matthews’ touchdown run in the third quarter. Jaelin Ferdinand returned a fumble for the clincher in the fourth. The defense kept the Tigers from scoring a TD for the first time since 2011 in a 14-3 Class 3A victory Friday night.

“If we didn’t play so well on defense,” coach Eric Cohu said, “we don’t win this game.”

Madison Academy (6-1 overall, 5-0 in Region 8) can claim its fourth straight region championship and sixth in Cohu’s seven seasons at Clements this week.

Lauderdale County (5-2, 4-1) led 3-0 at halftime.

Madison Academy went up 7-3 when Matthews ran in from the 6-yard line, and Sean Dorney added the extra point with 3:11 left in the third.

Ferdinand later scored on the fumble return, and Dorney’s kick made it 14-3 with 5:52 left to play.

The Mustangs missed a field goal in each half and threw an interception but had the fumble recovery and interceptions by Matthews and Robbie Orfield. Lauderdale County led in total offense 220-208.

“We dodged a bullet,” Cohu said.

The Mustangs’ Malik Miller rushed for 73 yards in his second game back from a hip injury.