UPPER SANDUSKY — Parents, teammates, coaches, and many others went through a terrible thing this past week when 17-year-old senior Kooper McCabe passed away unexpectedly. The happening was something that no parents should ever have to go through.
Kooper’s brothers on the field got the job done in their week 3 game against Upper Sandusky. The Tigers stifled the Rams 28-7 behind a complete effort.
“Our kids lost a brother on Tuesday and it was a tough, tough week at school,” Galion head coach Matt Dick said. “The fact that our kids are still upright is a win.”
“I know a lot of them are hurting. Tonight before we got on the bus, Kooper McCabe’s parents, mom, dad, and sister were all there.”
Galion struck first when Braxton Prosser found Gabe Ivy on a crossing route that went 51-yards for the score.
Prosser added his second touchdown in as many quarters when the sophomore broke free on a fourth down play. The do-it-all athlete went up the left 26-yards to give the Tigers a 14-0 lead.
In the game, Prosser was 9-for-23 passing, adding a touchdown.
Upper Sandusky made it 14-7 when Kaden Holman found a receiver on a 26-yard fade route.
Holman was 19-for-30 passing-wise for 269 yards.
The Rams threatened to score before the half, but the Tigers’ defense held strong in their own red zone.
In the third quarter, we watched a defensive battle take place. Galion started the fourth quarter with a fumble recovery at the Rams’ 14-yard line.
“We got some really good d-lineman. We thought it would be a strength all year and tonight we got to see it a little bit,” Dick explained.
Ivy extended the lead to 21-7, after punching it in from 3-yards out. Again, Ivy struck with under three minutes left from 89-yards out. The junior broke a pair of tackles, then showed his track speed.
On the evening, Ivy carried the ball 13 times and totaled 122 yards on the ground. Elijah Chafin caught six passes for 51 yards.
Galion won the turnover edge 5-1, over Upper Sandusky. Senior Landon Kurtzman recorded three strip-sacks.
Jackson Hart nailed an onside kick to give the Tigers a chance to run the clock out.
Next week the Tigers will host Marion Harding (0-3) to open up Mid Ohio Athletic Conference play. The Presidents are coming off a 28-21 loss to Newark.
