It was his fourth game at a new position, and the ball kept coming Ben Cooney’s way.
A running back all through youth football and again in his first two years at Benet, the unassuming junior intercepted not one, not two, but three passes in a victory over St. Viator on Sept. 16, and he was swarmed with congratulations on the sideline.
One Redwing, the leader of the group, took a different approach.
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“Coach (Pat New) was making fun of me a little bit,” Cooney said. “He said, ‘Guess what the (Benet) record is for most interceptions in a game? Four.’ It is his record.”
Cooney, fellow cornerback Erik Jones (five interceptions, two returned for touchdowns) and safeties Danny O’Malley and Alec McEachern (four each) are picking off passes like it’s 1986, when New had eight of Benet’s team-record 34 interceptions and the Redwings won their first 11 games before bowing out in the Class 4A quarterfinals.
Cooney has matched New’s eight picks, and more importantly, the 2016 team has advanced further in the playoffs.
Benet (10-2) will host an undefeated, ultra-talented East St. Louis squad featuring receiver Jeff Thomas, whose long list of suitors includes Alabama, Ohio State and Michigan, and Missouri-committed quarterback Reyondous Estes in the Class 7A semifinals at 2 p.m. Saturday at Benedictine University.
“They’ve got a really good quarterback and obviously a really good receiver, a few good receivers,” Cooney said. “It is really exciting. It is the biggest challenge for us this year.”
New said he gets a hard time from his offensive coaches because of his penchant for putting his best athletes on defense, and that certainly is true in the defensive backfield.
New also prefers playing seniors because “that extra year of growth translates into success,” but the 5-foot-10, 150-pound Cooney’s athletic ability forced his hand.
The more big runs Cooney ripped off on the sophomore level, the more New saw a promising corner.
“I’m a big believer in putting your two best athletes on the field at corner,” New said. “They have to shut guys down. If you are a great running back in junior high, my thought is put him at corner.”
Cooney got a taste of the position in practice as a postseason call-up last year, which helped him prepare mentally as well as physically for the switch.
“I was fine with it,” he said. “Last year I got brought up for the playoffs and Coach told me to go work with the corners. I liked it. I think it is a good position for me. I was happy to help the team out any way I could.”
Cooney is two interceptions shy of the team’s season record. He’s not alone in second, but anything New catches on Saturday won’t add to his total.
“He’s been giving me a hard time about that too,” Cooney said.
Mike Helfgot is a freelance reporter for the baiduhai.