AUGUST 31, 2002
ABILENE,
TX --
One play was all wide receiver Antoin
Livingston needed to claim a spot in Cougar football history Friday
night - not to mention set the tone for an impressive season-opening
thrashing of Duncanville.
The junior wide receiver caught the opening kickoff at the Cooper goal
line, found some open space to his right, cut back and cruised 100
yards into the end zone. The return set a school record and ranked No.
1 among a host of highlights in the Cougars' 40-7 season-opening win
at Shotwell Stadium against a Duncanville team that was regarded as
one of the top teams in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.
The return not only broke the school record of 97 yards by Kent Ulm
against Odessa Permian in 1964, it also allowed Cooper to start a new
era on a solid note. The Cougars featured new starters at 10 different
positions on offense and faced questions during the preseason about
its ability to extend its 10-year streak of advancing to the playoffs.
A series of players helped answer those questions for at least one
night.
Will Galusha shined in his first start at quarterback after playing
defensive back and wide receiver last season by throwing for 122
yards. Running back Brandon Diles, Cooper's only player manning the
same position he played last season, rushed for 146 yards and the
Cougars' defense dominated.
One of those plays came in the second quarter after Duncanville
recovered from its 7-0 deficit to tie the game on a 7-yard run by
quarterback Pierce Brown.
Galusha completed a 29-yard pass to tight end Josh Button that set
Cooper up on the Duncanville 2-yard line. Diles scored on a 1-yard run
two plays later to give Cooper a 13-7 lead. Livingston, who
started at running back on the JV team last season, made several key
plays during that rally, including an 8-yard touchdown reception from
Galusha that gave Cooper a 19-7 lead in the second quarter.
Livingston led Cooper in receptions, catching four for 26 yards.
| |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
FINAL |
|
Duncanville |
7 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
|
Abilene Cooper |
7 |
12 |
14 |
7 |
40 |
C - Antoin Livingston 100 kick return (Trevino kick)
D - Pierce Brown 7 run (Willoughby kick)
C - Brandon Diles 1 run (kick failed)
C - Livingston 8 pass from Will Galusha (run failed)
C - Diles 2 run (Trevino kick)
C - Diles 21 run (Trevino kick)
C - Maximo Flores fumble recovery in end zone (Trevino kick)
|
