CLOSER LOOK: Beaumont’s Christopher Cooper
Take a closer look at Beaumont sophomore Christopher Cooper and you’ll see a kid so passionate about football that he had tears in his eyes following Week 8.
Cooper battled forces greater than he or his teammates could withstand, scoring the only touchdown for the Cougars (6-2 overall, 2-1 Citrus Belt League), who suffered its second loss of 2021 to San Bernardino Cajon, this time 54-6 on Friday, Oct. 15.
The 6-foot-3, 195-pound quarterback had his worst night of the season, completing just 6 of 18 pass attempts for 46 yards and two interceptions as Beaumont struggled against the rugged winds gusting at 40-to-60 mph throughout the game. He did run for the Cougars’ only touchdown on a 1-yard sneak in the second quarter.
Cooper entered the game as the CIF-Southern Section leader in passing completions (161) and yards (2,362) but has fallen off his perch following the stifled performance. He’s still tied for the lead in TDs (30), which he shares with three others currently.
We caught up with him after Beaumont’s loss Cajon. He was composed despite the off night.
InlandFieldhouse.com: What was more difficult – Cajon’s defense or the crazy wind?
Christopher Cooper: “Just the pass rush tonight. The whole time there was no time. They were just bigger, faster, stronger. We knew this was coming but it is what it is.”
IF: Does this put a dent in what your team is trying to do going forward?
CC: “No. Actually, I think this is going to pick us up. We’re going to be down now but I guarantee everyone is going to be in the wait room – everyone is going to go crazy in the weight room! – and there won’t be any days off. No days off! No practices off! No fast food. Those kinds of changes. It just sucks to feel like this.”
IF: How does this team turn the page?
CC: “‘Next-game’ mentality. Win or lose this game Monday morning comes and you have to forget about last Friday. Win or lose. Lose by 50 (or) win by 100. I doesn’t matter. You should forget ones like this and move on to the next one.”
IF: With the success that you’ve had to this point in the season, do you or the team feel the pressure from increased attention?
CC: “Nah. We want to create some (pressure) and take that attention and turn in into a positive. There’s nothing you can do about the target. You just deal with it.”
INLAND FIELDHOUSE 