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Cooper shuts out NewCath

UNION, Ky. – It would have been understandable if the Cooper Jaguars would have had a letdown following last Friday’s opening night, program defining win over powerhouse Highlands. 

After a sluggish start against Newport Central Catholic, head coach Randy Borchers’ Jaguars kicked it into gear late in the first half, knocking off the Thoroughbreds 35-0.

“Any win is a good win,” said Borchers.  “We did a lot of things we need to correct, didn’t have a good week of practice. But, the way we set up our schedule, our goal is going to be playing our best in district.”

Cooper did start fast on offense with a nine play, 69-yard drive capped when senior quarterback Nathan Brown found senior wide receiver Chad Michels in the back of the end zone to put the Jaguars up 7-0 with 8:14 left in the first quarter. 

Still the Jaguars really didn’t get it going offensively again until late in the first half, taking a two touchdown lead with 3:52 in the half when senior running back Torey Cordell-Armstrong scampered in from three yards out to make it 14-0. 

Then, Dante Hendrix took over on both sides of the ball.  First, the junior safety intercepted senior quarterback Patrick Henschen pass to set up the Jaguars on their own 36.  Then, as a wide receiver, Hendrix caught a 27-yard pass from Brown on a third-and-three that put the Jags at the NewCath 30. 

He then capped off the drive three plays later, with 25 seconds left in the half, when he outran the NewCath defenders to the pylon on an 18-yard pass from Brown to put Cooper up 21-0, the lead they took into the locker room.

Neither team dented the scoreboard in the third.  The only threat was thwarted when the Breds blocked kicker Mitchell Hollifield’s 26-yard field goal attempt.

Following a three-and-out to start the fourth quarter for NewCath, Cordell-Armstrong went 39 yards to find the end zone to put the Jaguars up 28-0 with 10:59 left in the game. 

Senior linebacker Seth Keller intercepted Henschen at the Breds’ 40, and with the help of two NewCath personal foul penalties, Brown scored from the 6 on a keeper to make it 35-0 with 6:32 left in the game.

Cooper outgained NewCath 364-66 overall.  The Jaguars were balanced on offense, running for 171 yards while throwing for 193. 

Cordell-Armstrong started slow, but ended the night with 82 yards on 18 carries and two touchdowns. 

“That was a really, really good defense, and probably the best defensive line in northern Kentucky,” Cordell-Armstrong said.  “What I needed to do was find a weak point, and I wasn’t able to find it early in the game, but at the end of the game, I was able to see it.“

Brown went 13 of 21 through the air for 193 yards with two touchdowns passing, and 64 yards on the ground to account for another touchdown.  Hendrix had 110 yards on five receptions and a touchdown.

Defensively, the Jaguars defensive front caused havoc up front all night long, holding the Breds to just 26 yards rushing, and sacking Henschen three times.  Junior defensive lineman Sander Roksvag led the sack brigade with two sacks, both in the first half.

Next up, NewCath will travel to Alexandria to take in cross-county rival Campbell County next Friday, while Cooper makes its first road trip of the year, going to Lexington to take on high scoring Bryan Station.

Postgame video: Cooper RB Torey Cordell-Armstrong – https://youtu.be/-ANOt21_Crs
 
NEWCATH 0          0          0          0          – 0
at COOPER 7          14        0          14        – 35
SCORING SUMMARY:
1st Quarter
C: Chad Michels 10 yd Pass from Nathan Brown (Mitchell Hollifield kick) 8:14
2nd Quarter
C: Torey Cordell-Armstrong 3 yd Rush (Hollifield kick) 3:52
C: Dante Hendrix 18 yd Pass from Nathan Brown (Hollifield kick) 0:25
4th Quarter
C: Cordell-Armstrong 39 yd Rush (Hollifield kick) 10:59
C: Nathan Brown 6 yd Rush (Hollifield kick) 6:32

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