Compared to a multi-function Swiss Army Knife by WRUS sportscaster Austin Pogue, Logan County senior Cooper Parker used every blade effectively Friday in the Cougars’ 35-12 opening round win over Marion County Friday at Cougar Field.
In what most likely the last home game for the seniors, Parker managed to accomplish these feats which were vital to his team’s advancing in the playoffs:
*Ten tackles, 4 of them solo with two tackles for losses and a sack
*An interception which he returned 49 yards for a touchdown.
*The only time he carried the ball on a rush, he scored a touchdown.
*The only time he threw a pass, resulting in a 22-yard completion.
*He caught a pass for 14 yards.
In its statistical report on each team’s game, the Kentucky High School Athletic Association listed seven categories in this one. Cooper Parker was in six of them—all with highly impressive numbers.
He wasn’t needed in the seventh category. His fellow first-team All-SKY big school honoree Caiden Kirby doesn’t need any help on this one. He went five for five kicking extra points against the Knights, which makes him 25 for 25 over the last five games and 43 for 44 on the season.
The five Cougar touchdowns:
1) Sophomore Luke Rogers started the game dramatically by running for 19 yards on a quarterback draw on the first play. The next snap resulted in his passing 21 yards to classmate TySean Thomeczek. Three plays later, junior running back Christian Helle scored from 21 yards out. Kirby’s kick was, of course, good.
2) Elijah Sells returned a Marion punt to the Knights’ 35. Rogers ran 13 yards, and Helle carried the ball twice for his second touchdown, followed by Kirby’s second PAT.
3) The Knights were on the verge of scoring with a first and goal at the Logan 4, but the defense took over. On a fourth and goal from the nine, Parker sacked MCHS quarterback Wyat Thompson way back at the 21. Rogers passed for 14 yards, Parker passed to Damani Goodloe for 22 yards, Helle ran for 9 yards, Rogers neared the goal on a 10-yard run, Helle crossed the goal line but the TD was nullified on a hold, Rogers’s run got 9 of the yards back, and Parker scored on the direct snap behind the blocking of Carson Carlock and Jackson Kemplin. Kirby’s kick made it 21-0 at the half.
4) After Marion County scored to begin the second half, Cougars sophomore Michael Montgomery made a long kickoff return to the Knights’ 49, but the Cougars couldn’t capitalize on it. After the Knights couldn’t move the ball either, Parker returned their punt that same 49 yards for a touchdown. Kirby added the 28th point.
5) Marion threatened to score again, but Parker tackled a runner for a two-yard loss, but then seniors Isaac Christian and Michael Hammonds stopped a fourth and goal runner short of the goal. After a personal foul penalty on the Knights, Helle ran for 20 yards on the first play an then sped 42 yards for the final touchdown. Kirby was good on his fifth conversion kick.
Helle finished with 164 yards and 2 touchdowns on 15 carries. Rogers added 66 yards on 6 totes. Between them, they totaled all but one Cougar ground yard.
Rogers was 7 of 15 passing for 79 yards. Thomeczek caught 4 of them for 48 yards.
Four defenders were credited with double figure tackle totals with three more totaling five or more. Here are the leaders:
Total tackles: Carlock 16, Hammonds 15, Sells 12, Parker 10, Christian 8, Thomeczek 6, Goodloe 5
Solo tackles: Carlock, Hammonds and Sells 6 each, Parker 4, Christian and Thomeczek 3 each; Kenton Holloway, Goodloe, Kemplin, Maliq Ford, Dayton Hurt, Montogomery, Blake Gipson and Jason Scott 1 each
Tackles for Losses: Parker 2, Sells 1.5, Hammonds 1, Goodloe 0.5
Sacks: Parker 1
Coach Todd Adler’s Cougars will take a 9-2 record and a number 7 KHSAA state-ranking to number 10 Elizabethtown (8-3) Friday for the second round of the playoffs. Logan is a 2.5-point favorite.
E’town is the only District 2 team which won last week, beating Calloway County. Franklin-Simpson and Paducah Tilghman will clash in this week’s other regional semifinals.