LUBBOCK, TX — The No. 9 Lubbock-Cooper Pirates look to right the ship this week after a tough loss at home to Frenship last week when the Pirates open up District 2-5A at home against the Plainview Bulldogs.
Last week, the Pirates started slow. Frenship built a 35-14 lead at the half that Cooper had to claw its way out of in the second half. Despite stellar play in the final two quarters, the Pirates did not have enough gas left in the tank or time on the clock to claim victory.
Head Coach Chip Darden expressed his thoughts on his team’s performance after the game. Watch that interview below:
“You can’t start that way against that team,” Darden said in the loss to the Tigers. “But I am proud of our team. I’m not surprised one bit. I knew how we would fight.”
Despite the 51-42 loss to Frenship, the Pirates should be ready for Plainview on Friday. This is a team that takes pride in their defense. Defenses that secure takeaways and force turnovers win football games, and Darden echoed that sentiment last week.
“I think that’s football in 2024. Offenses are really good, and you aren’t going to always stop then, but you have to get turnovers,” Darden said. “We love our defense, and we think we can win with defense.”
The Pirates will need that defense moving forward. Two upcoming district matchups come with two high-octane offenses that know how to put the ball into the end zone, Abilene Cooper and Abilene Wylie. Darden is correct when saying that it is hard to stop explosive offenses from producing, but as Lubbock-Cooper proved against Frenship, they are capable of snagging takeaways.
Lubbock-Cooper Pirates
(South Plains LIVE! Photo/Ryan Chadwick)
Offensively, the Pirates match up well with Plainview this weekend. Quarterback Ryan Rodriguez threw for 275 yards and three touchdowns against the Tigers—most of those yards went to Michael Dever. The Pirates' talented wideout was electric in the second half, compiling many of his 156 yards on six catches in the 3rd and 4th quarters. He finished with two touchdowns on the evening, with his last pulling the Pirates within seven points in the 4th quarter.
The Pirates’ rushing attack will also be a factor. Chaymane Johnson, Jackson Austin, and RJ Florence combined for 149 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries. Cooper will need this same production to control the clock moving forward.
Lubbock-Cooper waded through a gauntlet of a non-district schedule this season to prepare the Pirates for district, including a win over a metroplex school and the close loss to 6A Frenship. At 3-1 on the season, the Pirates look ready to make a run at a district title and beyond in 2024.
The Pirates return to action on Thursday, September 26, when Lubbock-Cooper (3-1) hosts Plainview (2-2) at Pirate Stadium in Lubbock. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m.
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