Hills continue to dominate against a Cooper squad struggling to identify their opponent's identity
Highlands Bluebirds End Three-Game Losing Streak Against Cooper Jaguars
In a thrilling game played in front of a capacity crowd in Union, the Highlands Bluebirds emerged victorious against the Cooper Jaguars with a 28-14 win.
The winning streak was Highlands' first against Cooper in three games. The Bluebirds' offense, led by star junior Tayden Lorenzen, resembled old-school football, with a powerful running game and a well-executed passing attack.
Lorenzen, a 6-foot-3, 230-pound junior, rushed for 103 yards on 20 carries with three touchdowns. He also completed two passes for 16 yards and caught two passes for eight yards. John Feldbrugge of Highlands caught a touchdown pass and had 66 yards receiving.
Rio Litmer, Highlands' quarterback, completed 19 of 27 passes for 186 yards and a touchdown. Max Merz and Mason Howard, who are 305-pound and 310-pound respectively, block effectively for Lorenzen, creating opportunities for the powerful running game.
Cooper's offense struggled against Highlands' defense, with quarterback Cam O'Hara completing only four of 15 passes. Ryker Campbell caught three passes for 60 yards and a touchdown, while Keagan Maher rushed for 133 yards with a touchdown, including a 58-yard explosive run.
The game saw Highlands score four touchdowns, three of which were by Lorenzen. The scores were as follows: Highlands - 14, 0, 7, 7 for a total of 28; Cooper - 7, 0, 0, 7 for a total of 14.
Highlands had 26 first downs to Cooper's 10 and had 35:12 time of possession to Cooper's 12:48. The Bluebirds' victory over the Jaguars marks a significant turning point in their season, as they look forward to their next game against crosstown rival Ryle, scheduled for next week.
Coach Bob Sphire of Highlands described Lorenzen's running style as the "Florida package," after the way Florida utilized Tim Tebow as a powerful running quarterback. Lorenzen's improvisational run technique involves lunging, spinning, leaping, and finding the end zone or the first down marker.
Cooper has three more weeks before district play, according to coach Borchers. Despite the loss, the Jaguars will undoubtedly use this game as a learning experience to improve their offense and defense in preparation for their upcoming games.
