COPPERHILL, Tenn. – Copper Basin’s season-opening high school football game last week suggested that the Cougars have been stewing since Nov. 13, 2009. That’s when their season ended with a Class 1A second-round state-playoff loss at Harriman.
It looks like they used those nine months wisely.
Hosting Whitwell last Friday in a game many thought would be competitive, the Cougars won 42-6 against a team that beat them 28-6 in last year’s opener and had starters returning to 15 of 22 spots.
The Cougars weren’t hurt badly by graduation, either, but they may be next year. Nine of their 12 seniors are three-year starters, the others are four-year starters and all were key components in the opening romp.
“That definitely helps our confidence,” Copper Basin coach Patrick Daly said. “One of our main goals was to win the first game and get the season started right.”