Ragland’s Devane Brewster and Ashville’s E.J. Moss are first cousins and have always enjoyed playing football — even if it meant playing against each other.
For as long as they can remember, E.J. Moss and Devane Brewster have played football. It didn’t matter if they were on the same team or playing against each other, both knew they loved football.
Now, the first cousins are at the peak of their high school careers; Brewster a senior at Ragland and Moss a junior at Ashville. The two squared off against each other last Friday in a jamboree game at Ragland.
It was the first time the two had played against each other in several years.
Moss got the best of his older cousin on this night as the Bulldogs defeated Ragland, 26-8 in two quarters of play.
“We have been playing backyard football since we were little kids,” Brewster said. “We care a lot about each other, and we support each other.”
When asked who got the better lick on the other, they both said they got at least one good one on each other. Moss threw for a couple of touchdowns, and ran in another. Brewster did score a touchdown for Ragland, but it was nullified because of a penalty.
Moss said growing up and playing in the youth league with his cousins and friends from Ragland, he always wanted to play for Ragland. And Ragland is where his late father, Ervin Moss, had a stellar career in sports.
“We talked about it all the time,” Moss said. “I wanted to come here, but growing up in Ashville, I gained a big bond with my teammates there, so I just stayed in Ashville.”
Brewster said it felt great to play a game against Moss, even if it was just a jamboree game.
“I haven’t been on the field with him in like forever,” Brewster said. “It really didn’t matter to us if we played with each other, or against each other; we just wanted to play.”
It was the first time the two had been on the same field since they were both in Youth League in Ragland.
