Gobbla2001
10-04-2003, 02:23 AM
October 4, 2003
MIKE FORMAN
Advocate Sports Writer
EDNA - Those seeking an example of the rapid maturation of the Cuero football team need look no further than Latrael Cooper.
The sophmore running back rushed for 179 yards and three touchdowns and caught a touchdown pass to lead the Gobblers to 34-7 victory over Edna on Friday night at Cowboy Memorial Stadium.
Cooper carried only 17 times, but scored on runs of 9, 27 and 75 yards, and had two receptions, including a 51-yard catch and run for a touchdown.
"This is not the first time for Latrael," said Cuero coach Mark Reeve, who saw his team improve to 4-1 heading into next week's District 27-3A opener against Goliad. "Against Rockport-Fulton, he ripped them pretty good. Our other backs are playing defense so he's the one with the freshest legs on the team. The guy with the freshest legs has got to come through."
Cooper put Cuero ahead to stay as he swept the right side from the Edna 9 for his first touchdown with 7:53 left in the first quarter.
The Gobblers, who won their fourth straight game, extended their lead to 13-0 when Nick Taylor went 64 yards on a counter play. But Edna (3-2) cut the lead to 13-7 on a 31-yard halfback pass from Robert Gloria to Garrett O'Neal. Cooper gave the Gobblers some breathing room at halftime when he went through a hole on the left side for 27 yards and a touchdown with 1:32 remaining in the second quarter.
Cooper helped the Gobblers put the game away in the second half by pulling in a pass from quarterback Matt Schumacher on the Cuero sideline and out-racing the Edna defenders 51 yards to the end zone.
Cooper completed the scoring when he broke through another hole on the left side of the line and streaked 75 yards for a touchdown.
"We came in with a positive attitude," Cooper said. "I was just trying to run hard. I have to give it up to my line. My line was doing it all for me."
Cooper's performance helped Cuero overcome a number of miscues, including two lost fumbles and six penalties that forced it into poor field position. "We jumped offsides and we did some things," Reeve said. "But we're complicated. I think conditioning was a big key. I think some of our two-way players were fresher than their two-way players. We were able to take advantage of some things. "
The Gobblers were able to exploit Edna's secondary, as Schumacher completed some key passes to his running backs.
Schumacher, who was 6 of 9 for 160 yards, connected with running back Zach Gomez three times for 92 times. Two of the passes to Gomez came on third-and-long situations, and the third came on second-and-long and would have been a touchdown if Gomez hadn't bobbled the ball before stumbling and falling.
"They were playing us in man coverage," Reeve said, "so that's where the mismatches were. Our backs were able to get away from their defenders."
Edna had very little success on offense. The Cowboys managed only six first downs and 68 net yards. Edna quarterback Mario Soto was thrown for a loss or stopped for no gain on nine of the 11 times he carried the ball or attempted to pass.
"We just couldn't get anything going," said Edna coach Mike Menefee, whose team opens District 28-3A play at Sweeny next week. "We're real, real young up front and we just blew some assignments."
Edna's most effective weapon proved to be Gloria, who not only threw the touchdown pass, but also returned three kickoffs for 77 yards and four punts for 55 yards.
But that paled in comparison to the production of Cooper, who left the game after his final touchdown run with 8:40 to go in the fourth quarter.
"He's pretty dang good," Menefee said of Cooper. "You have to give coach Reeve a lot of credit. They're young, but they're maturing fast."
Cuero 6 14 7 7 - 34
Edna 0 7 0 0 - 7
First Quarter
C - Latrael Cooper 9 run (kick failed), 7:53
Second Quarter
C - Nick Taylor 64 run (Brandon Kuecker kick), 11:36
E - Garrett O'Neal 31 pass from Robert Gloria (Patrick Lemke kick), 4:13
C - Cooper 27 run (Kuecker kick), 1:32
Third Quarter
C - Cooper 51 pass from Matt Schumacher (Kuecker kick). 3:41
Fourth Quarter
C - Cooper 75 run (Kuecker kick), 8:40
Individual Statistics
Rushing - Cuero, Latreael Cooper 17-179; Nick Taylor 2-64; Dewone Williams 3-18; Matt Schumacher 4-11; Zach Gomez 2-3; Josh Guajardo 2-(-1); Courtney Williams 3-(-7); Larvell Roy 1-(-9). Edna, Larry Holmes 13-32; Anthony Mathis 7-15; Landon Turner 6-4; Robert Gloria 1-3; Steven Hermes 1-1; Mario Soto 11-(-37).
Passing - Cuero, Schumacher 6-9-0 160; Russell Goebel 0-1-0 0; Edna, Soto 4-7-0 20; Gloria 1-1-0 30.
Receiving - Cuero, Gomez 3-92; Cooper 2-53; Brady Urbanovsky 1-12; Aaron Saenz 1-3. Edna, Garrett O'Neal 1-31; Holmes 2-6; Derrick Bermea 1-9; Rashard Porche 1-4.
MIKE FORMAN
Advocate Sports Writer
EDNA - Those seeking an example of the rapid maturation of the Cuero football team need look no further than Latrael Cooper.
The sophmore running back rushed for 179 yards and three touchdowns and caught a touchdown pass to lead the Gobblers to 34-7 victory over Edna on Friday night at Cowboy Memorial Stadium.
Cooper carried only 17 times, but scored on runs of 9, 27 and 75 yards, and had two receptions, including a 51-yard catch and run for a touchdown.
"This is not the first time for Latrael," said Cuero coach Mark Reeve, who saw his team improve to 4-1 heading into next week's District 27-3A opener against Goliad. "Against Rockport-Fulton, he ripped them pretty good. Our other backs are playing defense so he's the one with the freshest legs on the team. The guy with the freshest legs has got to come through."
Cooper put Cuero ahead to stay as he swept the right side from the Edna 9 for his first touchdown with 7:53 left in the first quarter.
The Gobblers, who won their fourth straight game, extended their lead to 13-0 when Nick Taylor went 64 yards on a counter play. But Edna (3-2) cut the lead to 13-7 on a 31-yard halfback pass from Robert Gloria to Garrett O'Neal. Cooper gave the Gobblers some breathing room at halftime when he went through a hole on the left side for 27 yards and a touchdown with 1:32 remaining in the second quarter.
Cooper helped the Gobblers put the game away in the second half by pulling in a pass from quarterback Matt Schumacher on the Cuero sideline and out-racing the Edna defenders 51 yards to the end zone.
Cooper completed the scoring when he broke through another hole on the left side of the line and streaked 75 yards for a touchdown.
"We came in with a positive attitude," Cooper said. "I was just trying to run hard. I have to give it up to my line. My line was doing it all for me."
Cooper's performance helped Cuero overcome a number of miscues, including two lost fumbles and six penalties that forced it into poor field position. "We jumped offsides and we did some things," Reeve said. "But we're complicated. I think conditioning was a big key. I think some of our two-way players were fresher than their two-way players. We were able to take advantage of some things. "
The Gobblers were able to exploit Edna's secondary, as Schumacher completed some key passes to his running backs.
Schumacher, who was 6 of 9 for 160 yards, connected with running back Zach Gomez three times for 92 times. Two of the passes to Gomez came on third-and-long situations, and the third came on second-and-long and would have been a touchdown if Gomez hadn't bobbled the ball before stumbling and falling.
"They were playing us in man coverage," Reeve said, "so that's where the mismatches were. Our backs were able to get away from their defenders."
Edna had very little success on offense. The Cowboys managed only six first downs and 68 net yards. Edna quarterback Mario Soto was thrown for a loss or stopped for no gain on nine of the 11 times he carried the ball or attempted to pass.
"We just couldn't get anything going," said Edna coach Mike Menefee, whose team opens District 28-3A play at Sweeny next week. "We're real, real young up front and we just blew some assignments."
Edna's most effective weapon proved to be Gloria, who not only threw the touchdown pass, but also returned three kickoffs for 77 yards and four punts for 55 yards.
But that paled in comparison to the production of Cooper, who left the game after his final touchdown run with 8:40 to go in the fourth quarter.
"He's pretty dang good," Menefee said of Cooper. "You have to give coach Reeve a lot of credit. They're young, but they're maturing fast."
Cuero 6 14 7 7 - 34
Edna 0 7 0 0 - 7
First Quarter
C - Latrael Cooper 9 run (kick failed), 7:53
Second Quarter
C - Nick Taylor 64 run (Brandon Kuecker kick), 11:36
E - Garrett O'Neal 31 pass from Robert Gloria (Patrick Lemke kick), 4:13
C - Cooper 27 run (Kuecker kick), 1:32
Third Quarter
C - Cooper 51 pass from Matt Schumacher (Kuecker kick). 3:41
Fourth Quarter
C - Cooper 75 run (Kuecker kick), 8:40
Individual Statistics
Rushing - Cuero, Latreael Cooper 17-179; Nick Taylor 2-64; Dewone Williams 3-18; Matt Schumacher 4-11; Zach Gomez 2-3; Josh Guajardo 2-(-1); Courtney Williams 3-(-7); Larvell Roy 1-(-9). Edna, Larry Holmes 13-32; Anthony Mathis 7-15; Landon Turner 6-4; Robert Gloria 1-3; Steven Hermes 1-1; Mario Soto 11-(-37).
Passing - Cuero, Schumacher 6-9-0 160; Russell Goebel 0-1-0 0; Edna, Soto 4-7-0 20; Gloria 1-1-0 30.
Receiving - Cuero, Gomez 3-92; Cooper 2-53; Brady Urbanovsky 1-12; Aaron Saenz 1-3. Edna, Garrett O'Neal 1-31; Holmes 2-6; Derrick Bermea 1-9; Rashard Porche 1-4.