CPA rolls into Class 3A semifinals

The last time Christ Presbyterian Academy played White House Heritage, it escaped with a 35-28 win, its narrowest margin of victory in 2015.

The Patriots hoped to play CPA tough again Friday, but Wallace Barrett set the tone for the night by taking the opening kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown and help the Lions cruise to the 3A semifinals with a 55-21 triumph.

It really just all came together for us right there,” Barrett said. “We knew we played them before and we just wanted to come out and win and show everybody what we can do.”

CPA (12-1) will host Liberty Magnet (13-0) from Jackson next week. Liberty beat Milan 32-7 on Friday.

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White House Heritage (9-4) managed to hold CPA to just the Barrett touchdown in the first quarter and responded early in the second quarter with Kyle Fuhrer's touchdown run to tie the game 7-7.

The Lions responded quickly, however, reeling off two 50-plus yard touchdown pass plays in a row between quarterback Zack Weatherly and receiver Price Perdue. The second one happened as time expired to send CPA to the locker room with a 21-7 advantage.

The Patriots may have hoped to regain their footing in the second half, but the Lions came out of the locker room on a mission. Weatherly hit Barrett for a 20-yard touchdown pass play and running back Chip Omer added a 14-yard touchdown run a little over seven minutes into the half.

Weatherly finished the game with 10-of-14 passing for 186 yards and three touchdowns.

White House Heritage took to the air in an attempt to respond to CPA's onslaught, but linebacker John Orr picked off Austin Gunter and took it 63 yards for a touchdown, then running back James Deaton added a touchdown on a 19-yard run.

White House Heritage would add two fourth-quarter touchdowns — a 26-yard pass from Gunter to Branson Kramm and a 7-yard Thad Baker run — but it was too little, too late.

Baker finished with 105 yards rushing and a touchdown, while Fuhrer had a touchdown and 125 yards rushing. Fuhrer became the all-time leading rusher in Patriot football history.

“He’s one of those kids who doesn’t say much,” Patriots coach Pat Brown said. “He’s just a solid performer.”

Reach Sam Brown at 615-259-8232 and on Twitter @SamBrownTN.