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Show Here's the one that got away from tight end Dirk Lopour. The second quarter toss was intended for Record photo by Brucr L Lopour, wide open near the goal line. The Redmen lost the state playoff game 7-6 in overtime. Redmen defenders Danny Bulloch (70), Burke Jones (78) and Kyle Kingsford (10) were familiar faces to Cyprus star running back Gilbert V'asquez during CHS photo by An Bohman Saturday's state playoff game. The Redmen defense held Vasquez to 56 yards on 17 carries, and the Cyprus team to a total of 91 yards. Cardiac kid9 arrested; lose 76 .in OT call by Coach Bill Hunter. Todd Thomas's kick was flawless, ending the game, and Cedar's season. By LEE VV AKMC K Record Editor It had to happen sooner or later--but why Saturday in the state playoffs? There's a universal sports law that says the scales of "breaks," after tipping lor a while in your favor, will sooner or later plunge in the other direction. It did that with a vengeance Saturday afternoon, when Magna's Cyprus High School edged Cedar in overtime, 7-6, ending both the Redmen's unbeaten skein, and their season. All of a sudden, the passes dropped by other teams' receivers were being dropped by Cedar's. The promising drives ending with turnovers or the "big" defensive play were suddenly Cedar's. When the Redmen went to the well for their "big play" they repeatedly came up empty. The team of destiny this blustery, afternoon was Cyprus, not Cedar. It was sad, to be sure, but Cedar was tasting the medicine it had dished out to several other teams this year. It was a game Cedar dominated statistically. They held much-heralded Pirate running back Gilbert Vasquez to just 56 yards, his leanest output of the season. More remarkably, Vasquez's yardage, receiving and running, accounted ac-counted for 72 percent of his team's offensive output. This game did belong to an inspired Cedar defense, which turned in by far its finest performance of the year. When Cyprus tried to run outside, excellent pursuit by ends and linebackers usually held the Pirates to less than three yards. When, frustrated, the Pirates tried to ram it up the middle, they encountered even less success, with the exception of two successful draws. When they turned to the pass, chances are they would get hit with one nf the live Cedar sacks, two interceptions or nine of 15 incompleted passes. Cedar's only mistake, in overtime, came on a play they had seen very little of all game-a Pirate back coming out of the backlield to make a catch. The game-tying catch was the only by a Cyprus back all game. All in all, it was the type of game the Redmen defense should have won for the team, and indeed had won several times this season. If the whole team cannot advance now in the playoffs, then the defensive unit should certainly be given an honorary berth-they played t that brilliantly. Cedar's offense, on the other hand, had its problems. On the opening kickol'f, Cedar's Rusty Beatty had his knee touch the ground just after he received the kick, giving the Redmen the ball on their own 5. After an unsuccessful series of downs, David Carter found himself punting into a stiff wind from the end zone. The Pirates took over on the Cedar 25. The defense forced a fumble one play later, ending Cyprus's deepest posession in Cedar territory. The Redmen got their first big opportunity op-portunity with eight minutes left in the second quarter, when Cyprus fumbled away a snap on its own 15. Carter was sacked for a seven-yard loss, then attempted at-tempted a pass in the end zone, falling incomplete. On third down, the Redmen streaked three receivers toward the end zone. Wide open down the middle was tight end Dirk Lopour. Carter's perfect pass to Lopour was dropped right at the goal line, and a sure six went up in smoke. The Redmen penetrated Pirate territory once more in the half, getting to the 23-yard line before losing the ball on a fumble. The second half went similarly. On their first posession, Cedar took the ball against the wind to the Pirate 17 before incompleted p passes and a big sack ended the threat. Cyprus 7 Cedar 6 (OT) Cyprus 0 0 0 0 77 Cedar 0 0 0 0 66 Cedar Carter 3 run (Overtime), kick blocked Cyprus Vasquez 10 pass from Rupp (Overtime), (Over-time), Thomas kick Cyprus Cedar Offensive plays 46 64 First downs 6 12 Rushes-yards 31-39 47-1 38 Passes 15 6 2 17-5-1 Passing yards 52 51 Total yards 91 189 Return yards 0 48 Fumbles-lost 4 2 3-1 Penalties-yards 4-30 4-47 Punts average 7-36.4 7-30.2 Quarterback sacks 5-40 5-36 Posession 21:24 26:36 Cedar drove three more times into Cyprus territory, but came up empty each time. Cyprus got inside the Cedar 40 twice in the second half, but were quickly shut down each time. One of the more interesting twists in the second half involved Neil Bladen of Cedar and Jeff Sorenson of Cyprus. Bladen tried to haul down a Carter pass, but it was deflected and Sorenson scooped up the ball before it hit the ground. That ended a promising Cedar drive. Four minutes later, Cyprus was driving, when quarterback Dennis Rupp's pass intended for Sorenson was tipped. The interceptor, once more getting t the ball before it hit the ground? Bladen. The game ended, and three minutes later, Cedar was given first crack to move the ball 10 yards in four plays. Carter's number was called all three times, with a sweep-left going the final three lor the score. Dave Lopour, who normally kicks, had been injured earlier in the game, but Coach Dave Jenson still elected to go for the single point with Kyle Kingsford kicking. Cyprus's Steve Whitworth broke in unblocked and got a piece of the kick which appeared to be on target, and it dropped short. Cyprus then came back, hitting Vasquez on the first play on a brilliant INDIVIDUAL LEADERS Rushing Cyprus, Vasquez 17 rushes-56 yards, Disera 4 10, Strasberg 11, Dilley 3 13, Rupp 6- -15. Cedar, Alger 18-75, Carter 28-59 (1 TD), Bladen 1-4. Passing Cyprus, Rupp 5 completions, 13 attempts, at-tempts, 2 interceptions, 44 yards (1 TD), Dilley 12 0, 8 yards. Cedar, Carter 5-17-1, 51 yards. Receiving Cyprus, Sorenson 3 catches-26 yards, Whitworth 2 15, Vasquez 1 10 (1 TD). Cedar, Kingsford 2-19, Alger 2 18, Dirk Lopour 1-14. |