FOOTBALL

Peabody's defense key in overtime win over Milan

Jeff Clark
USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee
Trenton Peabody's Cooper Baugus (3) runs the ball up the field against Chester County during a scrimmage on Friday.

TRENTON — Before Cooper Baugus' 10-yard run around the right side sealed Trenton Peabody's 27-21 overtime victory over cross-county rival Milan Friday night, the Golden Tide's defense was forced to step up on numerous occasions.

Khance Hill returned a fumble 58 yards for one touchdown early in the fourth quarter.

“I just picked it up and I saw green grass in front of me,” said Hill. “I thought about those sprints we always run in conditioning, and I said, 'I got to make this count.”'

And Hill had another big defensive play early with a sack to stop the Bulldogs from getting a field goal.

“You won't find a tougher kid in West Tennessee than Khance Hill,” said Peabody coach Shane Jacobs. “Khance doesn't come off the field, even at practice. He is always going at it and is the heart of our defense. When we needed a play, that is who always ends up making a play — the kid who is always working his tail off every day in practice. I knew when we needed a play to be made that Khance would make it.

“When we got down 21-14, we were making so many mistakes, but we told the kids, 'You just have to gut through this and find a way.' I am so proud of these kids and this group.”

Jacobs gave credit to defensive coordinator Tab Vowell for his team's defensive performance holding Milan's vaulted running attack to three scores after the Bulldogs defeated another Gibson County rival in Humboldt 50-0 the previous week. 

“Coach (Tab) Vowell is a tremendous workhorse as our defensive coach," Jacobs said. "That defense played hard for him, and I think they think so much of him that they wanted to win this game for him."

Hill also wanted to praise his team's sophomore quarterback Baugus as well.

“He really grew up tonight," Hill said. "He's just a sophomore, but we really saw a lot out of him tonight to love.”