Thirty-four points in the third quarter and 54 in the second half.
It took Cooper a little more than eight minutes to turn a 17-7 halftime deficit against Highlands into a 61-23 running clock win in Friday’s Class 5A semifinals.
“To do that against a really good football team that’s well-coached, that says a lot about our kids,” Cooper coach Randy Borchers said. “We got a few breaks, but man, they played lights out.”
Cooper faces Bowling Green, a 31-28 semifinal winner over South Warren, for the title at 8 p.m. next Saturday at Kroger Field in Lexington.
Senior lineman Mike Mulvihill remembered the halftime talking-to.
“Our coach is, like, ‘How are you going to handle adversity?’,” Mulvihill said. “And this is how we respond: second half was 54-6. Our boys just rolled off momentum; we got after it.”
Friday’s second half might be something the Jaguars will remember when they’re using walkers because Cooper scored in just about every way you want.
There was passing. Cam O’Hara, who threw for 279 yards, tossed three of his four touchdowns – two to Austin Alexander for 27 and 10 yards and a 61-yarder to Jaidan Combs.
There was running. Ryker Campbell’s 10 carries for 106 yards and three scores included a 3-yard plunge – a strong showing considering he had to fill in for Keagan Maher, who broke a finger during last week’s quarterfinal win over Southwestern.
“I didn’t know that, no sir,” Campbell said when told about his statistics. “That’s crazy. I didn’t expect that.”
And there was Mulvihill. He recovered four Bluebird fumbles, with one in the end zone for a touchdown, to go with his two sacks.
“I lost count,” Mulvihill said. “It just happened so quick, our team was making so many plays. The ball just happened to be in front of my face; I’d just dive on it.”
Mulvihill brought something of a Buckeye brigade – he played his first two high school seasons in Blanchester, Ohio. His touchdown was a right-place, right-time moment.
“The ball just finds me,” he said. “Our guys are just making plays left and right, I’m sitting here, closing on the end, the ball … they absolutely whacked the ball out of the quarterback’s hand, and it falls into my hand.”
Highlands (11-3) had seven turnovers altogether.
“A tale of two halves for sure,” Highlands coach Bob Sphire said. “I don’t know that I’ve ever been part of an epic meltdown like that, to be honest with you. Obviously, you’ve got to take care of the football … We just didn’t.”
Cooper (14-0) and Highlands traded drive-stifling mistakes on their opening drives – a 15-yard personal foul against the Jaguars for grabbing a face mask and Isaac Brown intercepting Highlands quarterback Litmer.
Campbell’s 4-yard run with 4:30 left in the first gave Cooper a 7-0 lead. O’Hara’s 42-yard toss to Isaiah Johnson set up the score.
Highlands had highlights in the second stanza. Adam Surrey scored from two yards out, and quarterback Rio Litmer, who threw for 245 yards and two touchdowns, hit Jack White with a 9-yard score.
“I would like to say this: The body of work these kids put in this year … they don’t need to be remembered for the last (24) minutes,” Sphire said. “Unfortunately, that’s the way it works.”
But the Bluebirds also had trouble getting the ball to Litmer. One snap sailed over his head, and another skidded along the ground.
Cooper’s 20 fourth-quarter points included Campbell’s 43-yard touchdown run, O’Hara to Johnson for 69 and Mason Stanton’s 2-yard plunge.
Cooper thus joins Beechwood in Class 2A and Ryle in 6A at the state finals next Friday and Saturday. Borchers said Northern Kentucky high school football is a brotherhood.
“Playing the teams up in this area week in and week out prepares us,” Borchers said. “We’ve got really good football over here.”
JAGUARS 61, BLUEBIRDS 23
HIGHLANDS — 0-17-6-0 — 23
COOPER — 7-0-34-20 — 6 1
Scoring Plays
First quarter
C-Ryker Campbell 4 run (Eyler Tibbs kick)
Second quarter
H-Logan Nickelman 25 field goal
H-Adam Surrey 2 run (Nickelman kick)
H-Jack White 9 pass from Rio Litmer (Nickelman kick)
Third quarter
C-Austin Alexander 27 pass from Cam O’Hara (kick failed)
C-Campbell 3 run (Tibbs kick)
C-Mike Mulvihill fumble recovery in end zone (Tibbs kick)
C-Jaidan Combs 61 pass from O’Hara (Tibbs kick)
C-Alexander 10 pass from O’Hara (Tibbs kick)
H-Jackson Arnold 31 pass from Litmer (kick failed)
Fourth quarter
C-Campbell 43 run (kick failed)
C-Isaiah Johnson 69 pass from O’Hara (Tibbs kick)
C-Mason Stanton 2 run (Tibbs kick)
Game Stats
Passing Yards: Highlands 247 (Litmer 26-44-245-2 TD-2 INT, Harris 1-3-2, Surrey 0-1-0); Cooper 279 (O’Hara 14-25-279-4 TD-1 INT).
Rushing Yards: Highlands 105 (White 17-82, Williams 3-26, James 3-12, Surrey 3-6, Lorenzen 2-(minus-9), Litmer 10-(minus-12)); Cooper 115 (Campbell 10-106, Stanton 7-20, Team 1-(minus-4), O’Hara 1-(minus-6)).
Receiving: Highlands 245 (Arnold 8-93, Lorenzen 5-54, Surrey 4-38, White 6-32, Garrahan 3-25, James 1-5); Cooper 279 (Johnson 3-120, J. Combs 2-77, Alexander 5-62, Ewell 1-10, Stanton 3-10).
First downs: Highlands 27, Cooper 22.
Turnovers: Highlands 7, Cooper 2.
Penalties: Highlands. 8-73, Cooper 6-70.
Records: Highlands 11-3, Cooper 14-0.
