Tigers make it 7 wins in a row over rival Harriman

Sept. 25, 2015 @ Harriman

Credit Goose Lindsay

With star player Isiah Jones serving a one game suspension, and several other key players banged up, not a lot of people gave the Rockwood Tigers a shot at winning at Harriman’s Wallace-Black Field Friday night.

Rockwood’s players didn’t get that memo, however, as they put together a gutsy performance in downing the Blue Devils, 23-14.

“This football team is freaking incredible,” Tiger head coach John Webb said after Rockwood upped its edge to 55-35-6 all time in the state’s longest running rivalry. “The way they just keep working. We’re so banged up, but they found a way.”

“Our coaches also did a great job. I don’t give them enough credit, but they pieced together a great game plan.”

“We were relentless, our defense is relentless,” Tiger senior Austin Cooper added. “We never quit, we never give up. Coach Webb preaches that, he demands it, and that’s that we did tonight.”

Cooper played a big part in Rockwood’s win. He scored a pair of fourth quarter touchdowns. The first proved to be the game-winner, while the second put the game away.

“We told a few players that they had to step up tonight and Cooper was one of them,” Webb said. “He has a lot of athletic ability. He stepped up big for us.”

Cooper’s first big play came midway through the final period. The score was tied 8-8 when Cooper caught a 31-yard touchdown pass from Will Warner on third-and-12.

“The route I was supposed to run wasn’t open and I just had to scramble to get open,” Cooper said. “Will threw a good ball to me.”

Rockwood’s Ryan McCain ran in what proved to be a huge 2-point conversion to give the Tigers a 16-8 lead with 7:23 left to play.

That conversion proved to be crucial, as Harriman responded with an 8-play, 63-yard scoring drive that featured a lot of Garrett Greene. He carried the ball on the final seven plays of the drive, including the final 5 yards for a touchdown.

Greene, however, couldn’t add the conversion thanks to a great play from Rockwood’s Jacob Wilson.

“That was a huge stop for us,” Webb said. “It made it a whole new game.”

Trailing 16-14 with 3:14 left to play, the Devils tried an onside kick, but the ball was corralled by Cooper, who raced 48 yards for the score.

“We’re supposed to get down on the ball right there. That’s what we do in practice,” Cooper said. “It was just a reaction. It took a perfect bounce to me. There was a big hole and I just took off.”

After a scoreless first quarter, Harriman found the end zone first in the second quarter following a 14-play, 91-yard drive that ended in a 1-yard plunge from Greene.

Joe Pace threw to Hayden Bingham on the conversion to give the Blue Devils an 8-0 lead with 9:38 left in the half.

A 41-yard run by T.J. Phipps set up the score.

Rockwood didn’t answer until late in the half.

With less than two minutes remaining in the second quarter, the Tigers drove 83 yards in 10 plays, scoring on a 1-yard run from Warner with 4.8 seconds left until halftime.

A 25-yard run from Cooper on a reverse and a 23-yard pass from Warner to McCain were the big plays in the drive.

For Harriman (3-2), Friday’s loss was disappointing, but is meaningless in the Blue Devils’ quest for a Region 2-A title. The Devils are still 1-0 in region play with a huge game at Coalfield on tap for this Friday.

“We have to rebound,” Harriman head coach Travis Tapp said. “The Rockwood game is such a big game, and tonight was a great game. We just came out on the wrong end. We moved the ball, but we didn’t come up with points. That came back to haunt us.

“But we can’t sit and mope around over this game. We’ve got the number five team in the state in class A next week. We’ve got to come in Monday and work hard. It’s all district games from now on for us.”

Harriman ended the game with 302 yards of total offense, all coming on the ground.

Greene led the charge with 191 yards rushing and 2 TDs on 29 carries.

Rockwood improves to 4-2 overall with the win, and now the Tigers get a bye week after three straight emotional games against Kingston, Grace Christian and Harriman.

“It’s coming at a good time for us. We’re beat up,” Webb said. “Our ice machine won’t be full for a few days. We’ll rest up, but we’ll need to stay sharp and focused.”

Rockwood ended the game with 312 yards of offense. The Tigers’ offense was spread out.

Jayden Woods (16-73), McCain (11-67) and John Heilmann (7-70) were all solid on the ground with Warner adding 96 yards through the air. Cooper had 66 yards receiving and 25 rushing to go along with his 48-yard kick return.

Rockwood Statistics

Offense - #7 Austin Cooper

Defense - #55 Jacob Wilson

and Plays of the Week.

Rockwood Sports Network Pre Game Locker, Post Game Huddle  and Rockwood Vs. Harriman Game 9/25/15

9/25/2015

Rockwood Sports Network Plays of the Week Rockwood Vs. Harriman

9/25/2015

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