ROLESVILLE, N.C. — In a game featuring the No. 1 junior in the nation and the No. 1 team in the state, it was a No. 10 that stole the show.

With four catches for 200 yards and two scores, Hudson Cooper’s breakout performance at wide receiver helped No. 7 Grimsley take down No. 1 Rolesville by a 35-20 score on Friday.

How much of a breakout?

He had never had a varsity catch before.

“They had no film on me since this was the first game I caught a pass,” Cooper said. “I was able to beat them on the seam balls.”

Cooper had receptions of 52 and 82 yards for touchdowns. The 82-yard one happened with 4:26 left in the third quarter to make it a three-score game, 35-13.

It was a unique game for Grimsley. Aside from quarterback Faizon Brandon — the Tennessee recruit who is ranked No. 1 in the nation — the only Whirlies to a catch or carry were Cooper, running back Mitchell Summers (31 carries, 123 yards, 2 TDs), and receiver Kaden Catoe (2 receptions, 35 yards).

Rolesville trailed Grimsley by a 21-13 score at halftime. The Rams were plagued by penalties and Grimsley was ready to pounce on a few crucial turnovers.

The Whirlies (2-0) had the lone first-quarter score as safety Jasiah Henry stepped in front of a slant and ran it back 66 yards to go up 7-0.

In the second quarter, Rolesville (1-1) got on the board with a 2-yard run by Amir Brown to tie it up, 7-7, but Faizon Brandon’s 52-yard strike to Hudson Cooper made it 14-7 Grimsley. About three minutes later, Brown had his second rushing score of the game, this time from 1-yard out, but the extra point was no good.

That allowed Grimsley to widen its lead to eight when Summers scored on a 3-yard run with 26.8 seconds left before halftime (he added his second with 9:04 left in the third quarter). That final drive, which started at the 33, was set up by a low snap on a Rolesville punt with less than a minute before the first half. The drive was extended by a roughing the passer penalty and an unsportsmanlike penalty on the same would-be third-down stop.

Rolesville had a few chances to try and pull off a miracle, but Grimsley defensive end Bryce Davis, a Duke recruit, had two of his three sacks on the final drive of the game.

The Grimsley defense had three interceptions. Hussey had two and Kosci Barnes had the other.

FINAL STATS

Passing: Rolesville — Braden Atkinson (12-25 passing, 197 yards, 1 TD, 3 INTs). Grimsley — Faizon Brandon (6-of-12 passing, 235 yards, 2 TDs)
Rushing: Rolesville — Amir Brown (13 carries, 98 yards, 2 TDs); Devon Thomas (10 carries, 36 yards); Braden Atkinson (6 carries, -3 yards); Xavier Lewis (1 carry, 1 yard), Johnathan Dunn (1 carry, 1 yard), Riley Daniels (1 carry, -12 yards); Trenten Pressley (1 carry, 1 yard). Grimsley — Mitchell Summers (31 carries, 123 yards, 2 TDs); Faizon Brandon (6 carries, -11 yards)
Receiving: Rolesville — Gavin Waddell (4 receptions, 64 yards); Anthony Roberts (3 receptions, 93 yards); Amir Brown (2 receptions, 24 yards); Jaedon Alford (2 catches, 12 yards); Davis Brown (1 receptions, 4 yards, 1 TD). Grimsley — Hudson Cooper (4 receptions, 200 yards, 2 TDs).

SCORING SUMMARY

1Q
GRIM — Henry 66-yard INT return, XP good (7-0, 3:07)
2Q
ROL — Brown 2-yard run, XP good (7-7, 10:00)
GRIM — Brandon to Cooper 52-yard pass, XP good (14-7, 7:58)
ROL — Brown 1-yard run, XP no good (14-13, 4:46)
GRIM — Summers 3-yard run, XP good (21-13, 26.8)
3Q
GRIM — Summers 1-yard run, XP good (28-13, 9:04)
GRIM — Brandon to Cooper 82-yard pass, XP good (35-13, 4:26)
4Q
ROL — Atkinson to Brown 4-yard pass, XP good (35-20, 5:04)

Source: highschoolot.com