Cooper quarterback Zack Kostopoulos threw three touchdown passes to three different receivers Friday, Oct. 2, powering the Jaguars past Dixie Heights 25-13 in a Class 5A, District 5 game that doubled as Cooper's homecoming.
The win moved Cooper to 5-2 overall and 2-0 in district play. Dixie Heights dropped to 2-5 and 1-1. Both teams entered the game tied atop the district standings after Week 6 wins on Sept. 26, and the matchup carried district-title implications.
Kostopoulos completed 20 of 29 passes for 205 yards with no interceptions. His scoring strikes all came in the second quarter: a 6-yard pass to Carson Clark, a 33-yard connection with Kaiden Savage and a 12-yard throw to Lincoln Maxey. The 18-point second quarter erased a 6-0 Dixie Heights lead and put Cooper ahead 18-6 at halftime.
Savage's touchdown was the highlight of the night, first reported by Link NKY. He tipped the ball to himself while parallel to the ground and hauled it in for the 33-yard score. He finished with five catches for 80 yards.
"I saw it in the air … I've just gotta go make a play on the ball. That's my job as a receiver …" Savage said after the game.
Cooper coach Adam Begley, in his first year leading the program after working in the Jaguars’ youth, middle-school, freshman and varsity systems since 2014, said the game plan was straightforward. He told Link NKY the Jaguars aimed to take what the Colonels' defense gave them. LINK nky reported Cooper ran 56 plays for 335 yards, though its published rushing and passing totals add up to 340. Running back Corey Freihofer added 23 carries for 121 yards and scored a 2-yard touchdown with 1:59 left in the fourth quarter.
Dixie Heights leaned heavily on senior running back Levi Gilliland, who carried 30 times for 146 yards and both Colonels touchdowns on 1-yard plunges. But the rest of the offense managed just 58 yards. Quarterback Brycen Schatzman completed 4 of 12 passes for 44 yards and threw an interception.
Colonels coach Pat Burke said the team tried to get Schatzman out of the pocket for higher-percentage throws but couldn't make it work.
Gilliland entered the game having rushed for 628 yards on the season through six games, including 443 yards and five touchdowns over the two weeks prior. After the Colonels' 49-12 win over Scott on Sept. 26, Burke called Gilliland "tough as nails" and praised him as the team's captain and leader.
Cooper has a bye in Week 8. Dixie Heights travels to Conner on Thursday, Oct. 8, in Hebron. The first round of the KHSAA (Kentucky High School Athletic Association) playoffs begins Nov. 6.
