Cooper 28, Odessa High 14
By JEFF WALKER
Staff Writer
ODESSA -- The Cooper Cougars clinched a playoff berth for the eighth consecutive season with a 28-14 victory over Odessa High Friday night at Ratliff Stadium.
With the help of Midland Lee, the Cougars can wrap up their second consecutive district crown with a victory over Abilene High next week after the Rebels knocked off Odessa Permian.
"This 1998 Cooper football team has added their name to the list of those before them that made a playoff run," Cooper head coach Randy Allen said. "It's a great accomplishment to be 3-1 in district with a chance to be co-champions and keep the (district championship) bell. I'm excited at the way we've improved every week and I'm excited at the effort these guys displayed against a tough Odessa High team."
Running back Carl Bloom had a career night. The junior rushed for 170 yards on 19 carries and he also scored twice.
"He takes the pressure off us," quarterback Dowell Loggains said. "We take pride in the fourth quarter and our big offensive line wore them out tonight."
It was Bloom's second TD of the game that sealed the victory with 3:03 left in regulation, but it couldn't have happened if not for a crucial catch from an unsuspected receiver.
Facing a third-and-25 from the OHS 40-yard line, Loggains found Ryan Gibbs down the middle of the field for a 33-yard gain. It was Gibbs' first reception of the season and it gave Cooper a first down at the seven. Bloom scored on the next play.
"That might be the play of the year," Loggains said. "Ryan ran a great route and did a good job of getting open."
Bloom's first touchdown of the game came in the third quarter after the Bronchos tied the score at 14-14.
Bloom took a handoff to the right, cut left and raced down the sidelines with the help of a finishing block by Mark Rau.
"I thought Carl Bloom's touchdown broke their back," Allen said. "After they took a long drive to tie the score, to come right back and score two plays later and make it look easy took a lot out of them."
Cooper's offense was clicking to open the ballgame. The Cougars took the opening kickoff and marched 75 yards in 5:07. Loggains found Luke Harrison in the end zone from six yards away to give the Cougars a 7-0 lead.
After the Bronchos were forced to punt on their first possession, Cooper put its second touchdown on the board when Loggains hit Adam Riddle on a 15-yard pass to give the Coogs a 14-0 advantage with 31 seconds left in the first quarter.
"Our first two possessions were perfect," Allen said. "Sometimes, though, that can be bad because you start thinking it's easy and you let up a bit."
Odessa cut the deficit to 14-7 on a 1-yard run by Juan Gonzales with 5:30 to play before halftime, and Gonzales added a second 1-yard plunge in the third quarter to tie the score.
Loggains finished the game 14 of 21 for 183 yards and his counterpart, Rick Leach, was 12 of 25 for 108 yards. Neither threw an incomplete pass until just over four minutes to play in the second quarter.
"Our offensive line did a great job all day giving me time," Loggains said. "Luke (Harrison) and all the other receivers did a great job of running routes and getting open."
Jeff Walker can be reached at 676-6711 or at sports@abinews.com.
Cooper 14 0 7 7--28
Odessa High 0 7 7 0--14
SCORING SUMMARY
C -- Luke Harrison 6 pass from Dowell Loggians (Ryan Shahan kick)
C -- Adam Riddle 15 pass from Loggins (Shahan kick)
OH -- Juan Gonzales 1 run (Jeff Marres kick)
OH -- Juan Gonzales 1 run (Marres kick)
C -- Carl Bloom 67 run (Shahan kick)
C -- Bloom 7 run (Shahan kick)
Cooper Odessa High
First downs 18 17
Rushes-yards 30-183 37-107
Passing yards 183 108
Comp-Att-Int 14-22-1 12-25-1
Punts 1-37 5-33.2
Fumbles-lost 0-0 0-0
Penalties-yards 9-87 4-30
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING -- Cooper: Carl Bloom 19-170, Luke Harrison 1-8, Kyle Wiskow 3-6, Sebastian Mata 2-4, Adam Riddle 1-3, Dowell Loggins 4-(-2). Odessa: Juan Gonzales 23-76, Rick Leach 13-24, Ivan Hernandez 1-7.
PASSING -- Cooper: Loggins 14-21-183 yards, 1 int. Jeremy Janssen 0-1-0-0. Odessa Leach 12-25-108-1.
RECEIVING -- Cooper: Harrison 4-61, Mark Rau 3-34, Ryan Gibbs 1-33, Bloom 2-25, Andy Rodgers 1-17, Riddle 2-16, Wiskow 1-(-3) Odessa: Josh Ashley 6-43, Hernandez 2-28, Gonzales 1-19, Taylor Casey 1-12, Ben Wilson 1-4, Brandon Browning 1-2.