The picture of Josh Calfee sitting on the Cougar bench as the second half began illustrates the story of this game better than any words. Injuries both before and during the game, some mental lapses at key points, and a good night for the Patriot's Reggie Jones spelled defeat for the Cougars - both for this game, and for playoff hopes.

The Cougars took over after the opening kickoff at their own 36. Antoine Meadows was stopped for no gain on 3rd-and-2. Paul Taylor punted on the next play. The kick was downed at the PH 3 by Alan Wheeling.

The Patriots went 97 yards in 11 plays for a score. The key play of the drive was a 51-yard run by Jones on 3rd-and-9 from the Patriot 19. Jones also converted on 3rd-and-5 from the Cougar 25, gaining yardage down to the 17. A 16-yard screen pass from QB Maurice Robinson to Jermaine Myers moved the ball to the Cougar 1 for 1st-and-goal. Antonio Dudley took it in on the next play. The PAT was good. PH led 7-0.

Wheeling returned the kickoff 28 yards to the PC 38. Calfee converted on two third-down plays before the Cougars faced 4th-and-11 at the PH 40. Taylor's attempted coffin-corner kick on 4th down went into the endzone before it could be downed. PH took possession at its own 20.

PH ran three plays to face 4th-and-10. Alan Wheeling took the punt at the 50, and returned to the Patriot 42.

It took the Cougars only one play to score. QB Travis Roop got great protection from the offensive line, giving him time to throw deep to Frank Cobbs over the middle. Cobbs out-jumped the defender at the 2, and made his way into the endzone. Taylor's PAT tied the game at 7-all with 10:35 remaining in the first half. The play brought back to mind the exciting aerial strike from Roop to Cobbs in 1998's high-scoring shootout with Lee County.

Cobbs had been thought to be unable to catch passes since his return from a right shoulder injury. He still wears a brace that limits the mobility of his arm.
       
Mike Alderman looked like he was doing pushups in celebration after the PAT. It then became apparent that he was trying to stand to leave the field, but could not after sustaining a knee injury. He had to be helped off the field by the team doctor and a trainer. Unfortunately for the Cougars, Alderman is expected to be out for the season.

The Patriots gained possession at their own 27 after the kickoff. They gained two first downs before facing 4th-and-4 at the Cougar 41. Tony Robinson punted to the Cougar 9. Wheeling returned the kick to the 15.

Calfee gained 3 yards on 2nd-and-2 from the PC 39. He limped off the field after the play. On 2nd-and-5 from the Cougar 47, Roop faked a handoff and rolled right. He found Josh Bowling open on the right side, who made a diving catch at the PH 44. However, the Cougars were penalized for having an ineligible man downfield. This made it 2nd-and-10 from the Cougar 42. On 4th-and-4 from the 48, Taylor's punt was downed at the PH 22 by the Cougars' Joseph White.

Defending the run outside the ends has been a problem for the Cougars all season long. Tonight's game was no different. On 3rd-and-4 from the PH 28, Jones took the handoff, and outran the Cougar secondary down the left side. Robinson's PAT made the score Patriots 14, Cougars 7 with 1:55 left before halftime.

David Hale returned the kickoff 14 yards to the PC 41. Calfee's 27-yard run on 3rd-and-15 from the 36 got the ball to the PH 37. With only 22 seconds to go in the half, Roop overthrew a closely guarded Bowling. The pass was intercepted by Maurice Robinson at the 1. PH then ran out the clock to end the half.

Calfee did not play even one down in the second half. Without him, the Cougars had to rely on Hale - who was playing with a wired-up broken jaw. "The doctor preferred that I not play, but he would not say I couldn't. I have a metal plate in my jaw, and they gave me a special mouthpiece to wear. It is difficult to breathe." He also reported that he didn't have to practice or play in windy conditions.

The Patriots returned the second-half kickoff to their own 34. Ten plays and 66 yards later, they hit paydirt. On 2nd-and-goal from the 5, Maurice Robinson faked a handoff, and threw to the open Tim Gardner for the score. PH lined up for a PAT attempt. PC was penalized for being offside. The Patriots, with the ball on the 1-1/2 yard line, decided to go for two. Jones carried left into the endzone. The Patriots led 22-7 with 7:16 left in the third quarter.

Roop took the squib kickoff from the PC 18 up to the 26. The Cougars gained one first down before facing 4th-and-2 at their own 45. Coach Hicks decided not to gamble yet. Taylor's punt was returned from the 6 to the PH 12 by Dujuan Johnson.

The Patriots gained two first downs, then were faced with 4th-and-3 from the 50. On the first play of the 4th quarter, Tony Robinson punted for PH. His squib kick went left, and bounced out-of-bounds at the PC 18.

Eleven plays and 82 yards later, the Cougars had pulled to within 9 points. Roop ran the QB sneak for 5 yards on 4th-and-1 from the PC 49. Both Frank and his younger sibling Greg Cobbs had good runs in this drive. On 2nd-and-goal from the 7, Meadows gained two yards. In a scene all too familiar to the Cougars both in this game and in this season, Meadows was injured on the play. He had to be helped off of the field. On 4th-and-goal from the 1, Greg Cobbs bulled his way into the endzone with a strong second effort.

The Cougars were called for excessive celebration after the TD. The penalty was assessed on the PAT instead of the kickoff. This 15-yard setback made the decision to kick instead of maybe going for two rather automatic. Taylor's kick was ruled wide. PC thus trailed by more than one score at 22-13. The clock read 7:05 to go.

Myers returned the kickoff 15 yards to the PH 22. Jones gained 3 yards on first down. He carried again on second down, gaining 4 yards. On 3rd-and-3 from the 29, he was held to a one-yard gain. PH now had a 4th-and-2 at the 30. The Patriots' offense stayed on the field as if they were going to go for it, even this deep in their own territory. One had to wonder what was going through the mind of PH Coach Jeff Johnson.

Football is not only a physical game. It is also a contest of mental alertness and discipline. Jeff King jumped offside, giving PH a first down, and effectively ending the game. It was only at this point that it dawned on the fans that Johnson never intended for his team to snap the ball. He would have taken either the delay-of-game penalty, or a timeout. Then, the Patriots would have punted. Johnson offered the lure, and the Cougars bit. This shrewd coaching move paid off handsomely.

Myers ran for 14 yards on 3rd-and-2 from the Patriot 43. On 3rd-and-6 from the Cougar 40, Myers gained just enough yardage to move the chains. The Patriots ran two more plays before time expired.

The Cougars limped out of Victory Stadium in defeat for the second consecutive game.

"These men weren't out played. I don't feel I was out coached. We were out-numbered tonight. We have 8 or 10 players injured," said Coach Hicks after the game. "We're going to come back Monday for a light practice and enjoy it. The players have given everything they've got. We have a Homecoming game to play next week," he added.