Cougars retain Tobacco Stick, 31-18 over Wildcats

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logan-k

The Cougar football team moved to 3-0 last Friday with a 31-18 victory over visiting Edmonson County, allowing them to hold on to the coveted Tobacco Stick for another year.

The Cougars rushed for 359 yards in the victory, led by senior Hunter Gibson’s 178 yards, good for three Cougar touchdowns. Senior quarterback Logan Kopp carried the ball 15 times for 102 yards. Senior Jakob Kerr added 58 yards on seven carries and one touchdown.

On defense, senior Cooper Terry led the Cougars with 12 tackles, seven of them solo tackles. Junior Dylan Zabel had six tackles, while senior Ryan Coates had five, four of them tackles for loss.

The Wildcats got on the board first after taking the opening kickoff and moving 62 yards in six plays, with Chance Lucas carrying in from 33-yards out. The extra-point attempt failed and the Wildcats led 6-0 at the 9:11 mark.

Following a Wildcat three-and-out, the Cougars found themselves with the ball at their own 10-yard line. An illegal procedure penalty moved the ball back to the five, when the Cougars set sail on a 95-yard, 14-play drive to take a lead they would not give back.

The big play in the drive was a 29-yard pass play on 3rd-and-12 from Kopp to Gibson that gave the Cougars a first-and-goal at the Wildcat five to end the first quarter. Three plays later Gibson carried in from the one. Logan Raymer added the extra point and the Cougars led 7-6.

The Cougars forced a punt on the next Wildcat possession and took over at their own 36-yard line. An incomplete pass and a Kopp eight yard run moved the ball to the Wildcat 48 and a third-and-two. Gibson then got loose on a 48-yard ramble for another Cougar score. Raymer’s kick was good and with 6:34 left in the first half, the Cougars led 14-6, which is how the first half ended.

Grayson County took the second half kick at the Wildcat 40-yard line. Eleven plays later the Cougar drive stalled at the four, and Raymer trotted out to try a 21-yard field goal. Raymer’s kick was good and the Cougars led 17-6 at the 6:55 mark of the third quarter.

The Wildcats were forced to punt on their next possession and Kopp got in to get a hand on the kick. Sophomore Brandon Carter picked up the loose ball at the Wildcat 45 and returned it to the 36. The Wildcats were flagged for a personal foul on the play and the ball was moved to the 22-yard line.

Four plays later, Gibson carried in from the three for his third touchdown of the evening and the Cougars had a 24-6 lead with 3:57 left in the third quarter.

Grayson County forced another Wildcat punt and took over at their own 49-yard line. Six plays later senior Jakob Kerr punched the ball in from the two to give the Cougars a commanding 31-6 lead with 5:02 left to play.

The Wildcats got on the board again with a three-play, 72-yard drive that culminated in a 71-yard pass play from Jon Smith to Isaiah Johnson. A try for two failed and it was 31-12 with 3:29 left in the game.

The Wildcats then executed a successful on-side kick and took over at the Cougar 40-yard line. They then ran 10 plays, with Johnson scoring as the final horn sounded to make to final score 31-18.

The Cougars will be on the road this Friday when they make the long trip to Fort Campbell to take on the Falcons (0-3). Game time there is set for 7 p.m.

By Don Brown, Local Sports
Reach Don at donbrown@k105.com

Rewatch the game here below:

Part One

Part Two