Bassett's David Cook breaks school passing record
Each week of the football season this fall, David Cook has one-upped himself.
The Bassett High School quarterback had three touchdowns in Week 1, and five touchdowns against Gretna in Week 2.
In Week 3, he had six total touchdowns, four passing and two rushing, and 314 total yards of offense.
On Friday, he had his best week of the year at the perfect time.
Bassett quarterback David Cook prepares for a play during Friday’s win over William Byrd at BHS. Cook threw for 415 yards, a school record, in the win.
In a 44-35 win over William Byrd, Cook broke a BHS record, throwing for 415 yards on 15-of-23 passing. He once again finished the night with five total touchdowns, including four in the air on passes of 80, 63, 51, and 44 yards.
The junior added a 3 yard rushing touchdown in the third quarter, and had 83 yards rushing on 11 carries. He left the stadium accounting for 498 total yards of offense.
“I told everybody in the preseason, David Cook a year older is scary,” Bassett coach Brandon Johnson said following the win. “David Cook as a junior is scary to anybody.”
Cook came up the biggest for the Bengals on a drive that didn’t even finish with a touchdown.
The junior fumbled a snap late in the fourth, and Byrd’s Mason Hershel recovered it and ran 68 yards down to the 3-yard-line. On the next play, the Terriers scored to get with six, 41-35, with 9:16 left on the clock.
Instead of letting the Terriers continue to take the momentum, Bassett and Cook responded by putting together a long drive that took more than seven minutes off the clock and got them into the red zone. The drive eventually ended with a field goal that sealed the win.
Bassett quarterback David Cook throws a pass during a win over William Byrd earlier this month. Cook and the Bengals will be back at home on Friday for a Piedmont District game against Tunstall.
“That’s what he done. He just calmed everybody down,” Johnson said of his QB. “He could’ve fell by the wayside after the fumble. He could have easily tucked it in after the fumble. And I feel like a young David may have. But David Cook as a junior didn’t, and that’s the way he’s leading our offense right now.
“That last drive offensively, that’s just David calming down the huddle and saying, ‘Hey fellas, let’s go win the game. Let’s take time off the clock and let’s go win the game.’ And we trust him with that.”
Cooks first two touchdowns came on Bassett’s first plays of offense.
On the first play of the game, Cook found Ja Varus Faulkner for an 80 yard touchdown and an early 7-0 lead.
After the Terriers evened the score on their first possession, the Bengals got the ball back and Cook found Keelan Price-Kent on the first play of the drive, this time for a 63 yard score and a 14-7 lead.
“I’ve been there all week on film. I’ve just been pointing out their weaknesses and their weaknesses were their safeties and their corners, and we took advantage of it,” Cook said.
Cook now has 19 total touchdowns through four games this season. He’s passed for 936 yards and rushed for 335.
Friday’s win was Byrd’s first loss of the year and was the most points they’ve given up this season. The previous high was 13 points.
“It definitely gives us a lot of confidence going into next week and further on,” Cook said of the win.
The Bengals (2-2) will open Piedmont District play next Friday on the road at Mecklenburg County. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.
Cara Cooper is the sports editor for the Martinsville Bulletin. She can be reached at cara.cooper@martinsvillebulletin.com.
