LA GRANGE — Leopards football started the season with a win as they defeated Cameron Yoe High School in overtime by a final score of 52-49 Aug. 30 at Leopards Stadium. La Grange
had a big lead for most of the game until Cameron Yoe fought back and tied it at 49, mostly due to their run game. La Grange was able to make a stop on defense in the first overtime and kick a game-winning field goal to ultimately win the game. "You wanna win your home opener," said second-year La Grange head football coach Kyle Cooper. "I think it gives us confidence, especially to win in that fashion. We almost gave it away and for them to battle back says
a lot. We'll just spring it into next week and the rest of the season."
La Grange kicker Taylor Cook
called game on a 28-yard field goal in the first overtime to win
the game and start the season 1-0. "I was really, really nervous," Cook said. "But I just tried to keep my emotions under control and I just stayed calm and did what I do in practice." Cameron Yoe scored first as they took a run around the right edge for a touchdown at the 11:03 mark in the first quarter after an interception. La Grange responded as they recovered a fumble and senior quarterback Clayton Cooper ran for a 21-yard touchdown with 3:41 to go to tie it at seven. This was followed by a screen pass for 66 yards and a touchdown from the Leopards to surge ahead 14-7 at the end of the first quarter.
About midway through the second quarter, Cameron Yoe made it 14-13 on another short run around the edge, but went for two and didn't convert. Cooper then took a 78-yard touchdown run on the very next drive, putting it at 21-13, then the Yoe- men answered right back with a 30-yard touchdown catch. La Grange followed it with a kick return touchdown for 99 yards and a 28-20 scoreboard with 3:52 to play. The score would remain the same going into halftime.
The Leopards stretched their lead early in the third quarter as they recovered another fumble, moved the ball down field with their passing game, and punched it in the end zone with a oneyard run by Cooper at the 10:03 mark to put the score at 35-20. La Grange then made an intercep tion and ran for a 22-yard touch-
down from Dwodney Thompson
with just under seven minutes to play. Cameron Yoe didn't back
down and battled back with their run game, finishing the drive with a six-yard touchdown and a 42-27 scoreboard at the end of the third quarter.
Cameron Yoe scored again
with 7:50 to go in the fourth quarter on a 44-yarder down
the La Grange sideline to climb within one score and make it 4234. The Leopards were forced to punt on their next drive and the Yoemen took advantage with a 28-yard touchdown on a quarterback keeper and a two-part conversion with a run on the out- side toward their own sideline to tie it at 42. With 1:16 to go in the game, Thompson scored on a 84-yard touchdown to regain the lead, then Cameron Yoe quickly responded with a deep pass down the field on their next drive and a touchdown pass for seven yards with 10 seconds to go in order to put it at 49-49.
In overtime, Cameron Yoe ran the ball near the goal line, but La Grange was able to stop them on defense and force a field goal, which they missed and gave La Grange a chance to win. Camer- on Yoe made a stop on defense themselves, but Cook made the 28-yard field goal for the Leopards in walk-off fashion to help his team win a 52-49 thriller.
