Defense leads to Dragon win

THE WOODLANDS - Luis Canavati kicked a 19-yard field goal with five seconds remaining, capping a 77-yard game-winning drive in 28 seconds, as The John Cooper Dragons (1-2) defeat the Episcopal (JV) Knights 17-14 at Pugh Field Thursday night.

Through the first two games this season the Dragon offense has shown signs of being capable of big plays. However it was the Dragon defense and special teams taking center stage Thursday night as they combined to force five Episcopal (JV) turnovers in the first half and continued to dominate the second half forcing two additional turnovers in leading the Dragons to their first win of the 2013 season.

“Tonight was an entire team effort but for us as a new program to be able to hang in a game like that after they (Episcopal JV) come back and tie it up and we have a couple of late turnovers, this team didn’t quit,” said Cooper Head Coach Brent Landrum. “Our players made plays when we had to, I’m really proud of the kids right now.”

Trailing 7-0 in the second quarter, the Dragon defense began to assert itself when the Episcopal (JV) offense had a first and ten at their own 9-yard line, Junior Linebacker Parker Wooden stepped in front of Knight Quarterback Reagan Reitmeier’s attempted screen pass, intercepting it and taking it back eight yards for the Dragon’s first touchdown of the evening and with the point after good, the score was tied 7-7 with 4:41 remaining in the second quarter

“We got on a roll once we got through the first few series, we envisioned what we could do and we did it,” said Senior John Monroe.

The Dragon offense started clicking at the end of the third quarter when Sophomore Quarterback Michael Gerber found Senior Iker Pimienta for a 26-yard reception down to the Knight 33-yard line. Following an 11-yard run by Freshman Running Back Emerson Raybon, Gerber connected with Senior Luis Canavati for a 22-yd touchdown reception to give the Dragons a 14-7 lead with 8:05 remaining in the game.

Episcopal (JV) answered immediately as Austin Spurling took the ensuing kickoff back 64 yards to the Cooper 36-yard line. Three plays later the Knights cashed in as Reagan Reitmeier connected with Cameron West on a fade route in the left corner of the end zone for a 22-yard touchdown to tie the game at 14 with 7:14 left in the game.

Defense for the Dragons was huge in the fourth quarter as two Dragon turnovers on offense gave the Knights a short field on two separate possessions with the first being at the Cooper 20-yard line with 6:12 left in the fourth quarter and the second at the Cooper 28-yard line with 2:35 left. The Knights couldn’t get into the red zone on either one of those possessions due to the constant pressure from Peter Novak, John Monroe, John Aquino and Alec Mitchell.

“After playing a couple of games, everyone has learned personnel and we are clicking as a team, and came into tonight with a passion to win this game,” said Senior Peter Novak. “Everyone looked at each other and said we are not losing this game.”

The Dragon offense led by quarterback Michael Gerber, rallied around each other when it mattered the most on their last possession in a 14-14 game with a first and ten on their own 22-yard line with just 33 seconds remaining. Gerber completed a pass down the near sideline to Senior Hunter Cogdell for a 24 yard gain at their own 46-yard line. Gerber on the very next play completed a short out route on the far sideline to Junior Sam Hodges, who turned the corner and went 54 yards down to the 1-yard line with 15 seconds left. After an incomplete pass to Pimienta on a slant route, the Dragons went for the winning field goal as Canavati connected from 19 yards out to give the Dragons the game winner.

“I tried to concentrate just like an extra point in practice, but it was really easy with the help of all my teammates,” said Canavati.

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