Cougars lose opener to Brookings-Harbor
From our weekly issue dated September 08, 2010
Quarterback Roger Hults runs for a seven-yard touchdown in the first quarter. (Photo by Scott Jorgensen, Illinois Valley News)
The 2010-11 football season started off with a bang, as the Illinois Valley High School Cougars hosted the Brookings Harbor Bruins in Cave Junction on Friday, Sept. 3.
A 65-yard touchdown pass completion nine seconds into the game put the Cougars on top 7-0. Cougar senior Anthony Becker recovered a kick shortly thereafter, giving the Cougars a first and ten at the Bruin 45 yard line.
Senior Curtis Paulson caught a long pass to give the Cougars first and goal. Quarterback Roger Hults, a senior, made a seven-yard touchdown run with over 10 minutes left in the first quarter to give the Cougars a 14-0 advantage.
The Bruins responded in kind, scoring a touchdown with eight minutes left in the first quarter. A drive by the Cougars faltered with an interception, resulting in the Bruins taking over in Illinois Valley territory.
That turnover was followed by another, as a Bruin fumble was recovered by Cougar defenders. A Cougars drive deep into Bruins territory resulted in a turnover on downs.
The Bruins scored a touchdown on the first play of the second quarter to tie the game 14-14. A pass interference penalty against the Bruins kept a Cougar drive alive, but the home team was forced to punt the ball away.
A touchdown with less than five minutes left in the first half, combined with a successful two-point conversion, put the Bruins up 22-14. The Cougars marched up the field with a series of long pass receptions to Paulson and junior Fred Hults, eventually scoring a touchdown and conversion to tie the game at 22.
A Cougar field goal put them up at halftime, 25-22.
The Bruins came out of the locker room charged, and returned the second half opening kick in for a touchdown.
At the end of the seesaw game, the Bruins got the best of the Cougars 44-34.
Assistant coach Mike Murphy said he was pleased by his team’s efforts, despite the loss.
“I think it was a great game,” Murphy said. “We came out with a couple of big plays, and they were a little shocked. Once they realized what the score was, they got their composure back together and figured out what they were going to do from then.”
One advantage that Brookings Harbor had over the Cougars was a much longer roster, Murphy said.
“If you can dress 52 players against a small school like us, that means that more kids can be on special teams, as opposed to our kids playing special teams, offense and defense,” Murphy said.
“They came out a little less tired than us.”
The Cougars will host Lost River High School Friday, Sept. 10 at 7 p.m. in Cave Junction. Murphy said he expects quite the contest.
“They’re a good team. They will run the ball just like Brookings did to us,” he said. “We have to be more prepared defensively and hope to get up on them quick. That way, we can stay in the game.”
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