*Excerpts from GoFridayNight.com

(Abilene, TX) John Patrick was listed as a junior tight-end, but he played mostly half back for approximately 50 seconds in the fourth quarter and was a part of three game deciding plays.

Patrick caught a seven-yard touchdown pass from Clayton Nicholas with 11 seconds left in the game to lift the Cooper Cougars to a 35-31 victory over Westlake on Friday night at Shotwell Stadium.

“It’s unbelievable, a great feeling,” said Patrick, a junior tight end who played on the junior varsity last season. “As soon as I caught it, a lot was rushing through my head. I didn’t know what I was doing. I just got in the end zone.”

Patrick’s touchdown capped an eight-play, 67-yard drive in the final 1:32 of the game. The junior tight end caught three passes on the play to spark the drive, including a 25-yarder from Khole Jackson to get the Coogs (2-0) down to the Westlake 8-yard line.

Previously, the Chaps found themselves in a similar situation, down by four with 2:35 left on the clock, but a 59 yard reception by Collin Shaw followed by a horse collar tackle gave Westlake a first and goal inside the five yard line. Guilbeau ran in for the score as Westlake took a three point lead with 1:35 to play in the game.

Westlake had no answer for Cougar running back Davon Riddick. The senior ran for 203 yards and three touchdowns on 27 carries, much of it coming after fellow running back Alford Cooper was hurt on the Cooper's first drive of the game.

Jackson, who had eight catches for 81 yards, joined Riddick in the backfield after Cooper’s loss. He ran for 37 yards on five carries, and he also threw a big completion on the game-winning drive.

The game was tied 14 at the half. Riddick ran 1-yard for a touchdown for the game’s first score, and Jackson returned a punt 64 yards to put Cooper up 14-0 late in the first quarter.

But Westlake (0-2) rallied to tie with a pair of touchdowns in the second quarter. Van Gramann ran three yards for a score, and Guilbeau tossed a 19-yard touchdown catch to Collin Shaw just 43 seconds before the half.

The Chaps took their first lead on a 46-yard touchdown pass from Guilbeau to Shaw early in the third quarter.

Riddick later ran 21 yards for his second touchdown of the night, helping Cooper tie the game at 21 with 3:45 left in the third quarter.

After driving inside the Cooper 10, Westlake had to settle for a 25-yard field goal by Buckley Willis at the 5:02 mark of the fourth quarter, making it 24-21 Chaps.

It appeared the Cougars had pulled out the victory when Riddick responded with a 1-yard touchdown plunge with 2:39 remaining.

But Westlake, needing to cover 76 yards in 2:35, answered quickly. Guilbeau threw a 59-yard pass to Shaw. Two plays later, Guilbeau scored from four yards out.

And come back Cooper did, driving 67 yards for the game-winning score.

Guilbeau completed 20 of 32 passes for 262 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran for 76 yards and a score. Van Gramman was a solid play call in the first half and racked up 63 yards and his first touchdown run of the season. Yet, Collin Shaw shined catching six passes for 148 yards and two touchdowns.

Despite the defense's inability to stop the Cooper rushing attack with Riddick, the Chaps still had four takeaways including a late interception by Campbell McCrea.

Westlake hits the road again next week when they head to College Station to take on A&M Consolidated.