Lubbock-Cooper's defense stifles Rider in the state quarterfinals

ABILENE — Eight games in four years. A rare feat.

But what has made these eight games between Rider and Lubbock-Cooper special is the significance behind each of those matchups, including four state quarterfinal matchups.

On Friday, Cooper’s stalwart defense stifled Rider in a 22-0 victory in what could be the final chapter of a short-lived district rivalry. The win delivered Cooper (13-1) its second Region I-5A Division II championship in the past three seasons and sends the Pirates to the state semifinals to face either Lucas Lovejoy or Dallas South Oak Cliff.

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Rider finishes its season with a 12-2 mark, with both losses dealt by Cooper.

“Their defense is really good. Their scheme is really good. Their players are really good, and they’re very physical,” Rider coach Marc Bindel said. “They do a good job changing things up and taking away what you do best. I really felt like we tried to do a bunch of different things from the first game to the second game, but they seemed to be ready for anything we threw at them.

“They’ve got a great defensive coaching staff, and there’s probably five or six college-type players on that squad, which is the key to their success.”

The Raiders (12-2) were held to 194 total yards and turned the ball over twice. And that’s despite Rider’s defense and special teams creating extra possessions.

Rider recovered a muffed punt and pooch kickoff on special teams along with an interception on defense. Rider had three possessions start in Cooper territory but only penetrated the red zone twice and never further than the 15.

Rider’s star running back Anquan Willis was held to 58 yards on 21 carries. Twenty-nine of his yards came of the Raiders’ final drive, already trailing 22-0.

“I knew our defense was going to play well. When you watch them prepare all week, you just know they’re going to play well,” Cooper coach Chip Darden said. “But what I’ve been able to watch two weeks in a row… That was unreal. They were put into a couple bad situations by special teams and the offense and just answered the call. There was no worry. They just kept playing.”

Rider’s defense played well enough to win the game, holding Cooper to 276 total yards, although the Pirates did manage 162 rushing. Judge Thomason led the way with 91 rushing, including the game’s final TD on a 3-yard run late in the third quarter.

Rider’s defense even played well with its back against the wall. A lost fumble set Cooper up at the Rider 16 late in the first quarter. But the Raiders didn’t allow a first down, and Cooper settled for a 26-yard field goal by Teagan Vann for the game’s first points.

The Pirates took a 9-0 lead into halftime thanks to a 47-yard TD pass from Holt Gibson to Cooper Mooris in the second quarter.

But it was Cooper’s defense putting points on the board and essentially sealing the game.

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The Pirates still led 9-0 when standout defensive end Kyler Jordan intercepted a screen pass and returned it 40 yards for a touchdown, extending the lead to 15-0 with 7:42 left in the third. Cooper was focused on stopping Rider’s screen game and nearly picked off two receiver screens as well.

“We were really keying on their screens and watched a lot of film on that during the week,” Jordan said. “It was just kind of a football instinct. We were gonna stop the screens.”

This likely isn’t the final time Rider and Cooper will meet on the gridiron. There’s a handshake agreement between Bindel and Darden to play each other next season. It will be a non-district game, though. Cooper is headed to Class 5A Division I, while Rider sticks around in 5A Division II.

And while each team may make a fifth straight appearance in the state quarterfinals, it won’t be against each other.

This rivalry has decided the Region I-5A Division II champion and served as the de facto District 3-5A Division II championship the past four years. It’s been the backdrop to some of the most significant moments in each program’s history.

It’s unfortunate it won’t carry that same weight again.

“It’s always a high stakes game,” said Jordan, who played in all eight meetings against Rider. “It’s always really hyped up. It’s just crazy to think about. I’ve got a lot of respect for those guys over there. I’ve played against them the past four years, and it’s a cool deal. I wish all those guys the best.”

Rider-Cooper falls on the friendly side of the rivalry scale, evidenced by the way players from each team sought each other out following the game.

Willis made his way over to Jordan, asking for a photo and then trading words of encouragement.

“That is one heck of an athlete,” Jordan said of Willis, who had two sacks while playing defense for the Raiders. “I know for a fact he’s about to have a big January (for recruiting). Our whole defense, heck our whole offense, was trying to stop him.”

While Willis leads a strong Rider junior class into the offseason, Jordan and the Pirates gear up for the program’s second state semifinal appearance. They nearly upset Aledo two years ago before falling 28-21. It won’t be Aledo they face next week, but the goal remains the same.

“I’ve had a bad taste in my mouth for two years,” Jordan said. “We’re going to be ready to go no matter who it is. They better be ready for a very physical game.”

Lubbock-Cooper 22, Rider 0

Rider 0 0 0 0 -0

Cooper 3 6 13 0 -22

FIRST QUARTER

LC – FG, Teagan Vann 26, 2:07

SECOND QUARTER

LC – Cooper Morris 47 pass from Holt Gibson (kick failed), 5:35

THIRD QUARTER

LC – Kyler Jordan 40 interception return (kick failed), 7:42

LC – Judge Thomason 3 run (Vann kick), 1:23

TEAM STATS

First downs: (R) 10; (LC) 12

Rushing: (R) 30-82; (LC) 39-162

Passing: (R) 10-26-2—112; (LC) 7-14-1—114

Punts: (R) 5-32.6; (LC) 4-36.3

Fumbles: (R) 2-1; (LC) 1-0

Penalties: (R) 8-75; (LC) 6-42

INDIVIDUAL STATS

RUSHING – (R) Anquan Willis 21-58, Jack Pitts 8-19, Tobias Oliver 1-5, Jordon Gibbs 1-0; (LC) Judge Thomason 17-91, Kaden Chambers 16-71, Holt Gibson 5-8, Team 2-(-8).

PASSING – (R) Pitts 10-26-2—112; (LC) Gibson 7-14-1—114.

RECEIVING – (R) Kaden Jones 3-50, Oliver 3-31, Willis 3-26, Reese Frantom 1-5; (LC) Cooper Morris 1-47, Sam Marcinowski 2-28, Brady Barnett 2-19, Braydon Laws 1-18, Hayden Brooks 1-2.

RECORDS – Rider 12-2; Lubbock-Cooper 13-1.

This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Lubbock-Cooper beats Rider Raiders in Texas quarterfinals