COOPER - David almost slayed Goliath Friday at Bulldog Stadium as the Cooper Bulldogs carried a 9-6 lead entering the fourth quarter, but eventually lost to the top-ranked Omaha Paul Pewitt Brahmas 13-9.
The battle of two unbeaten teams lived up to its billing with an estimated crowd of 3,000 on hand for what proved to be a largely defensive struggle.
A large line waited outside the ticket gate at 5:30 p.m., and cars overflowed the stadium parking lot onto nearby roads and a residential area as spectator after spectator arrived at the game.
No one at the game could remember a matchup at the stadium with higher attendance.
The Associated Press high school poll ranked the Brahmas as the number one 2A team in the state this week, with Pewitt (4-0, 8-0) receiving 193 total votes and 16 first place votes.
Cooper (3-1, 7-1) did not rank in the top ten, but did receive 3 votes in the poll.
The Bulldogs likely will receive more votes after a very strong showing against Pewitt.
"I'm very, very proud of everybody ... the community, the fan support, it was just great," said Cooper head coach Joey Florence.
"We played as hard as we could," he said. "It was a great football game."
Florence praised the play of his team, especially the Cooper defense, which he said has made vast improvements since last year.
Pewitt blew out Cooper 61-14 last year en route to the Division I Class 2A state championship.
Florence said he knew he did not want to get into a shootout with Pewitt, so the Bulldogs developed a game-plan with a focus on tough defensive play that would keep the game close.
"We did exactly what we wanted to do," he said. "We had a chance at the end."
An apparent touchdown in the first quarter that was ruled a fumble with a touchback would have changed the complexion of the game.
Jason Demidio made a 15 yard run to the goal line, but officials ruled he did not break the plane of the goal before fumbling and the Brahmas took the ball on the 20 yard line for a touchback, denying Cooper the score.
Vernard Wilkerson had set up the drive by returning the opening kickoff 61 yards to the Pewitt 29 yard line.
A fumble by Pewitt's Jimmy Wilkerson at the 19 yard line was recovered by Cooper linebacker Adam Shaw and set up the first Cooper score.
Cooper capitalized on the Pewitt fumble with an 18 yard pass from Drew Conley to Billie Mayberry, who rumbled in for the Cooper score with nine seconds to left in the first quarter.
Cooper running back Jason Demidio, who already passed the 1,000 yard mark this season, finished with 85 yards on 18 carries. He now has 1,242 for the year.
Brahmas running back Kenny Boyd led all rushers in the game with 105 yards on 13 carries with one touchdown.
Pewitt head coach Ronnie Bickham said he was impressed with the way the Bulldogs played.
"They've improved from last year. They proved a lot. They played hard and their kids did a great job out there," Bickham said.
With the win, Pewitt, the largest school in District 14-2A, wrapped up a playoff spot as the Class 2A Division I team.
Cooper can clinch a playoff spot as a smaller (Division II) school with a win at Honey Grove Friday.
A 33 yard scamper by Kenny Boyd tied the game 6-6 with 9:12 left in the first half. The game remained tied when the buzzer sounded at half time.
The Bulldogs attempted an onside kick by Danny Wall to start the second half, but the Brahmas recovered and drove to the Cooper 19, then were hit for consecutive losses in the backfield by Demidio.
Cooper got the ball back on their own 26 yard line.
A 33 yard run by Demidio and a personal foul tacked onto the end of a Vernard Wilkerson run took Cooper all the way to the Pewitt 7, but the Bulldogs were forced to attempt a field goal facing fourth down on the three yard line.
Drew Conley's 21 yard field goal split the uprights and pulled Cooper ahead 9-6 heading into the final quarter.
After punishing runs by 230-pound running back Delwynn Johnson, the Brahmas scored on a 15 yard pass play from Stephen Sperry to Matthew Haynes to pull ahead 13-9.
But a crucial first down pass play from Pewitt quarterback Jimmy Wilkerson to tight end Hercules Tarver helped the Brahmas run the clock down to the two-minute mark.
Boyd picked off a Conley pass to end Cooper's last possession, and the Brahmas ran the clock to end the game and pull out the win.
Pewitt 0 6 0 7 13
Cooper 6 0 3 0 9
First Quarter
Cooper - Billie Mayberry 18 pass from Drew Conley, 0:09 (Drew Conley kick fails)
Second Quarter
Pewitt - Kenny Boyd 33 run, 9:12 (Tramond Hawkins kick fails)
Third Quarter
Cooper - Drew Conley 21 field goal, 2:11
Fourth Quarter
Pewitt - Matthew Haynes 15 pass from Stephen Sperry, 10:42 (Tramond Hawkins kick)
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
RUSHING
Pewitt: Kenny Boyd 13-105, Jimmy Wilkerson 13-31, Delwynn Johnson 4-29, Desmond Jones 8-27, James Gilmore 1-5.
Cooper: Jason Demidio 18-85, Billie Mayberry 9-23, Vernard Wilkerson 4-18, Drew Conley 4-4, Danny Wall 2-(18).
PASSING
Pewitt: Jimmy Wilkerson 3-7-0 26, Stephen Sperry 1-1-0 18.
Cooper: Drew Conley 1-3-1 18, Danny Wall 1-3-0 4.
RECEIVING
Pewitt: Matthew Haynes 1-15, Hercules Tarver 1-14, Kedrick Wright 1-12, Kenny Boyd 1-0.
Cooper: Billie Mayberry 2-22.
INTERCEPTIONS-Kenny Boyd 1.
RECORDS
Pewitt: 8-0, 3-0.
Cooper: 7-1, 2-1
