Cougars hope to extend postseason tradition
COOPER HIGH SCHOOL PREVIEW
By
By Andrea Wall
Reporter-News Staff Writer
August 24, 2003
Last year, Cooper High School was picked
to finish as low as fourth place in District 3-5A.
Instead, the Cougars went undefeated in the regular season,
snatched the district crown and reached the Division II regional
final.
They were also ranked as high as a tie for third place in the
state among Class 5A teams.
Last year’s campaign marked the Cougars’ 11th consecutive
trip to the postseason. But did it earn them any respect? Well,
in the eyes of the Cougars, it did not. After being picked to
finish fourth in the district again this year, the Cougars are
getting a little fed up with predictions.
“It’s definitely a motivator,” said Cooper head
coach Randy Quisenberry. “Seems like we’re always picked
to be the underdogs. But that’s OK with us. We’ll just
keep surprising people.”
Maybe this year’s fourth-place forecast in Dave Campbell’s
Texas Football Magazine was due to the Cougars losing some big-time
players in wide receiver/defensive back Will Galusha (Rice), running
back Brandon Diles (Tulsa), defensive end Kinny Spotwood and kicker
Mark Trevino (both to Abilene Christian University). Still, that
hasn’t kept the coaches or football players at Cooper from
believing a 12th straight trip to the postseason is just months
away.
The Cougars know they lost valuable athletes, but are confident
that talent runs deep in their program. Rather than worry about
filling holes, Cooper coaches are more concerned with allowing
the new crop of athletes a chance to come together as a cohesive
group.
“There are a lot of guys in new positions this year, and
they just need a chance to jell,” said Janson Carriker, senior
receiver and defensive back. “If any team can find the right
chemistry, it’s going to be hard to beat them. Just like
us last year.”
Aside from the motivation the team feels from the various guesses
on their success, the Cougars are even more inspired by the long
tradition that stands before them. The tradition of playing past
the end of the season that began when the Cooper seniors were
just 5 years old — the tradition that, more than anything,
they do not want to break.
“Protect the tradition.” That’s the team’s
motto this year.
In the Cougars’ locker room “Protect the tradition”
is muttered often. And that’s what the Cougars plan on doing.
The 11-year-long streak of making the playoffs is not about to
end with this bunch, they agree.
“We do feel some pressure to keep that tradition going,”
Carriker said. “But, there’s no way we’re going
to be the ones to break it. Our No. 1 goal is to go to state,
and obviously, that will mean we haven’t broken the tradition.”
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