Coop's turn

By: 
Phillip Harnden (phillip@glenrockind.com)
“Those guys are my friends and they take a beating for me to get through and gain some yards. Sometimes I even run into them myself. But they are the reason we can move forward.” - Cooper Fargen

It’s halfway through the season and any doubt over the Herders’ potential has been erased by their 4-0 winning streak.

There is also no doubt about the yardage chewed up by the Herder running game, which is also giving Garrett Schwindt a lot of attention. Both in the media, but also on the field.

The opposition knows that they have to stop Schwindt. But with all the pressure on Schwindt, Cooper Fargen was able to show what he’s made of.

Fargen has been right on Schwindt’s heels for yardage all season. A few of the games Fargen has even had more yards per run, but had fewer runs, and therefore, less total yardage than Schwindt.

Sometimes being number two can be a good thing. Especially when your opposition is concentrating heavily on the number one guy.

That’s what happened for Fargen on Friday against Big Horn. Fargen became the not-so-secret weapon; the underestimated warrior.

Fargen was able to break the mold and lead the Herders in yards at 182 and two of the five touchdowns.

But the senior plays both sides of the ball and was able to put one of Big Horn’s extra point kicks on the ground with a well-timed leap and tiger-like swat at the ball.

“We had a bad injury last year on an extra point block and I had just told Garrett (Schwindt) to be careful, when I noticed a new player on the line in front of me that I didn’t recognize,” Fargen said. “Even though it may be a bit hypocritical after telling others to play it safe, I decided I was going to go for it. I am just glad it hit me in the arms and not someplace lower.” 

It was certainly Fargen’s game to shine, and this wasn’t just another Friday night on the field. In addition to being the Homecoming game, it was also a pivotal game in the run up to playoffs.

Big Horn is undeniably the 2A Southeast’s biggest competition for the Herders this year, and finishing them off so decisively leaves no argument about Glenrock being the division’s powerhouse team.

Through all of this, Fargen stepped up through the pressure and delivered.

“I couldn’t have gained those yards without my line,” Fargen said. “Those guys are my friends and they take a beating for me to get through and gain some yards. Sometimes I even run into them myself. But they are the reason we can move forward.”

Fargen is the epitome of Americana. He was on the field last fall when the Herders came so close to a state championship. He finished 6th at state for wrestling last year. And he pursues academic extra-curicular endeavors like Boys State this past summer.

Friday’s game was a decisive victory over Big Horn, but it was certainly a team effort. 

Schwindt had 137 yards in 21 carries with two touchdowns. Senior Steven Turk ran eight plays for 55 yards and one touchdown.

The team had 369 yards total.

The Herder line dug in to stop a couple Big Horn advances that were within 10 yards of scoring. The defense showed their resolve when a Big Horn touchdown looked imminent.

Early in the second half Elias Orozco was able to snag an interception that brought a deafening roar from the fans.

Big Horn’s screen pass didn’t fool Josh Burrus or Orozco, and Burrus swiped the ball out of the air mid-flight. Orozco snatched it up before it hit the ground for a nearly-impossible-to -grab interception.

The Herders will be in Burns this Friday to take on the Broncs.

Burns is sitting at 2-3 for the season and has only faced one of the top five teams in the division.

Glenrock should have no problem pulling out their 6th win. But they will still have to show up and play the game to get the victory.

The Herders will be at home again on Oct. 21 against Moorcroft.

Category:

Glenrock Independent

Physical Address:506 W. Birch, Glenrock, WY 82637 Mailing Address: PO Box 109, Douglas, WY 82633 Phone: (307) 436-2211

The Glenrock Independent is located in the Bronco Building

Office hours: Monday, Wednesday, Friday - 10:00 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday - 9:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Subscriber Login