Copper Basin’s big play offense loaded the scoreboard with 52 points Friday night to defeat the Lookout Valley Yellowjackets and earn the top spot in 1A, Region 3 football standings.
Meanwhile, the Cougar defense continued to swarm the ball, holding the visitors to 3 points.
The Cougars struck early, a score set up when Larry Dye recovered a fumble on the opening kickoff on Lookout Valley’s 30 yard line.
Basin’s air show took off as Bryson Grabowski hit Chance Bailey for a first down 17 yards away from the goal line.
Bailey covered those 17 yards on the ground and Grabowski went around the right side to add a two point conversion. With less than a minute and a half off the clock, the Cougars led 8-0.
Basin’s defense held Lookout Valley to four-and-out after the kickoff, which saw the Jackets start at midfield when the Cougars couldn’t recover the onside kick.
The Cougars lined up at their own 43 yard line, and Bailey broke loose all the way to the visitors’ three before being caught just before the goal line.
Two plays later he added another six points.
Grabowski hit Tim Jabaley for the two point conversion and a 16-0 lead.
Lookout Valley went three and out on their next possession, but would come back to score on a 27-yard field goal before the Cougars got on the board again. At the 9:06 mark, the score stood at 16-3.
The rest of the half, and the game, belonged to Copper Basin.
Chase Mickens took the kickoff after the field goal all the way from the 5 to the Cougars’ 43 yard line, but saw ten yards erased by a penalty.
But the setback only lasted seconds as Grabowski hit Dawson Worthy with a touchdown pass that covered 67 yards on the next play.
Bailey added the two point conversion and Basin led 24-3.
The Cougars’ next six points were set up when Addison Hook recovered a Lookout Valley fumble at the Cougars’ 33.
Grabowski’s touchdown run would cover a little less than ten yards, then a Grabowski-to-Mickens pass added the two point conversion, giving Copper Basin a 32-3 lead with 2:24 left in the half.
But the Cougar scoring machine wasn’t finished.
Basin’s defense put an immediate halt on Lookout Valley and the Cougars took over with 1:30 on the clock.
Grabowski hit Worthy on a scoring strike, then Bailey added the two-point conversion to put the Cougars on top 40-3 at halftime.
Copper Basin received the kickoff to start the second half and began a drive at their own 36 that ended when Bailey broke loose around the right side on a 39-yard touchdown run.
The Cougar lead held at 46-3 when the two point attempt came up short.
Sebastian Balilies put the Cougars’ next six points on the board, crossing the goal line from three yards out for Basin’s final touchdown.
When the point after try failed, the score stood at 52-3.
But the big plays continued as Gage Pero recovered the onside kick for Copper Basin at the 45. Lookout Valley got the ball back and charged down the field only to again be stopped by the Basin defense.
The 52-3 win left Copper Basin on top in the 1A, Region 3 standings with a 3-0 record. The Cougars are 6-1 overall.
Powerhouse South Pittsburg was idle Friday night, but also has a perfect record, 1-0, in the region. In their meeting with Lookout Valley, the Pirates put 69 points on the board while the Yellowjackets tallied six points.
The Copper Basin Cougars and South Pittsburg Pirates will meet November 1, at Copper Basin in a game that is shaping up to decide this year’s district title.