The Atascadero football team finds themselves as the lone undefeated team through week five of high school football sitting at 5-0 and atop the Ocean League standings. Helping lead the defending Central Section and State CIF champions is their senior quarterback Kane Cooks who would describe this year’s group as much of the same from last year but still different enough to be different.
“We have a couple of guys rotating in who are able to run the ball and open stuff up in the pass game and open stuff up for read options and stuff for me," Cooks explained. "We're kind of continuing the same scheme.”
Cooks impact on the offense makes him a deadly weapon through the air or on the ground averaging 106 rushing yards per game while racking up 14 total touchdowns this season. However, he impacts the game in other ways, even on special teams. In their 21-20 win over SLO last Friday, Cooks stepped in as punter and also blocked the game tying PAT.
“As long as I can remember I've played all around the field," Cooks explained. "I had a couple of messed up punts, but I think I made up for it with that block.”
Cooks is the younger brother of standout running back Trey Cooks, now at West Hills College in Coalinga, who led the offense last year as a senior but should little borther continue his own stellar senior year, he could have bragging rights when it’s all said and done.
“I talked to my dad about it before trying to beat his rushing touchdown record for his career. I've got yards per carry already over him, but hopefully if I can beat his touchdown record, that'll give me some bragging rights then obviously, another championship.”
Cooks and the Greyhounds look to continue their undefeated play against another undefeated team from out of town, Oakland High School on Friday, Sept. 29.
