Cooper 7 Boone County 6

[All State Baseball]

Final

[theguru]

Wow, I can't wait to hear what happened.

[oldgrappler]

Sorry, @theguru, I didn't have opportunity to post the recap until now, but here it is.

 

Prior to the game I thought this was a very winnable game for Boone. I picked the Rebels in the poll. I believe the two teams to be very evenly matched. But if you noticed, just before kickoff on Friday night, I posted a video of Hee Haw’s “Gloom, Despair, Agony on Me” in the prediction thread. I knew that Boone’s QB was not going to play on Friday and, to me, that meant that their chances for victory dropped significantly. The leading rusher was out, and now the QB. That meant Boone would have to rely on their senior FB more than they normally do (with the exception of the Dixie game). The running game works better when Shutt and Vastine are both running because the defense can’t key on either. Plus the FB clears a path for Vastine. In addition, with QB Grau out of the game, Freeman was moved to QB. That takes a valuable lead blocker out of the run game, except to hand-off the ball. Of course, Freeman is able to run from the QB spot. At any rate, it seemed like bad luck for Boone going into Friday’s game. Talking to several Cooper parents before kick-off, the Jaguars were at full strength. Another fact that didn’t bode well for my Rebels.

 

I enjoy this match up because so many of the boys played on the Knights in BCPWFL and several others were on the several other teams from that league. Looking at the senior Jag’s posters on the fence, I could name at least half of them. I always enjoy connecting with the Jag parents, whom I consider to be friends. On to the game.

 

The Cooper Jags fielded the kick-off and took over on their own 42-yard line. The rain arrived in early evening and would continue throughout the game turning the grass field into a slippery surface. On first down, Jeremiah Lee kept the ball and ran around his right end for 15 yards. Boone was flagged for a face mask so the Jags lined up at the Rebel 38 yard line for their second offensive play. A pass to Mikey Armour went for a first down to the 22. Joe Poage ran down to about the 13 yard line. Lee ran around the right side again and took a shot just inside the goal line that popped his helmet off. He jumped up happy as he scored the first TD of the game. The extra point was good. Cooper’s offense appears to be able to do this all night. They really didn’t have much resistance.

 

Cooper 7 Boone 0

 

Boone County fielded the kick-off and would start their first offensive series at their 22 yard line. With Freeman under center, Boone lined up in the Power I. FB Nate Courtney, Power Back David Bodenbender, and John Mark Shutt at TB. Shutt took the first handoff for about 2 yards. His number was called on 2nd down and he found some room off tackle and was tripped up after a 12 yard gain and a first down. Bodenbender got the call next and he went around left end. Cooper’s linebackers and DBs came up hard like they were expecting a run between tackles. The call caught them off guard and Bodenbender had room to run and made it all the way to the Cooper 16 yard line. Boone was called for a 5-yard penalty on first down and so they repeated 1st down from the 21. A sweep right to Shutt went for no gain. Bodie went off left tackle for 3 yards. On third and 11, Shutt started around the right side, saw an opening and cut up inside to the Cooper 13 yard line. It’s 4th down and 7 yards to go for a 1st down. There is no thought to do anything but go for it. Freeman takes the snap and hands off to the senior RB. Cooper’s defense again crashes inside exposing the left so Shutt veers around the left side and runs untouched to the end zone where a DB makes an attempt at a tackle but the RB is already in the end zone. Boone lines up for the kick. Cooper jumps offside and the LOS moves closer to the Cooper goal line. This is all the encouragement the Boone coaching staff needs to send the offense out to attempt the 2-point conversion. It seems like a good call. Shutt gets the call up the gut but Connor Bridges comes from the edge and the Rebels come up short. No worries, right? Boone has over 3 quarters to make the unsuccessful attempt irrelevant.

 

Cooper 7 Boone 6

 

In the next series Cooper manages a couple of first downs but a big penalty killed the drive and Cooper had to punt. Boone took over the ball on their own 31 yard line. They mounted a methodical drive that took them all the way down to the Cooper 15 yard line. A five yard penalty put them back to the 20. On the 19th play of this drive (granted some of them were penalties), Boone attempts their first pass of the game. Backup QB, pouring down rain, the ball slips out of his hand and it is an easy pick for Cooper. They take over on th 1 yard line.

 

I can summarize the remainder of the game as the Boone defense contains Lee and shuts down everything else. The Cooper defense from then on stopped Boone’s run game. The Boone backs rarely made it past the LOS without being hit. The rain continued and Cooper’s field became muddier and muddier. The backs began to tiptoe a bit and no one could sustain a drive. This game was dominated by defense the rest of the game.

 

It ended with the score the same as it was after each team completed their very first offensive drive.

 

Final Cooper 7 Boone 6