Stormy weather for the Panthers

Posted 11/2/22

The Alba-Golden Panthers wrapped up their 2022 football campaign by hosting the Cooper Bulldogs Friday. The undefeated Bulldogs averaged 43 points per game and yielded on average only 10 points per game this season.

They added to their statistics by defeating the Panthers 41-0.

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Stormy weather for the Panthers

Posted

The Alba-Golden Panthers wrapped up their 2022 football campaign by hosting the Cooper Bulldogs Friday. The undefeated Bulldogs averaged 43 points per game and yielded on average only 10 points per game this season.

They added to their statistics by defeating the Panthers 41-0.

Cooper has had an excellent year. They took care of business last Friday by doing two things exceptionally well: moving the line of scrimmage on practically every offensive snap and attacking the edges of the Panther defense.

The Cooper bread and butter running play features two backs that simultaneously run at each defensive edge. The crossing action in the backfield forces the defense to try to protect each edge and eases blocking requirements at the point of attack.

With defensive pursuit frozen, and a solid push from the offensive line, the Bulldogs are hard to handle. 

Along with the scheme, Cooper has some speedy and agile runners. 

The combined effect churned out 199 yards on the ground on a rain-soaked field. The visitors attempted only one pass on the night. 

Cooper scored five times in the first half and benefited from two short fields courtesy of Alba-Golden turnovers. 

Turnovers seemed unavoidable in the wet conditions. Each team lost three. The Panthers could simply not generate offense against the district leaders and ended the game with under 100 yards of offense. 

The 2022 season felt like three seasons. A great 5-0 start, three tough losses (Honey Grove, Wolfe City and Rivercrest) which could have gone either way, a late season redemptive win over Como-Pickton, and last Friday’s finale against the seventh-ranked 2A team in the state.