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12/31/2022 08:05 AMCooper Torrey has worn a lot of different hats on the football field for Notre Dame-West Haven (ND-WH) the last two seasons. But most importantly and rewarding, he concluded his gridiron career with the additional moniker of state champion.
The Branford resident and Green Knights’ senior played on special teams as a junior last fall and a little bit on offense at the tight end slot at the end of that season. This past summer, Cooper was afforded an opportunity to compete for a starting linebacker spot. He won that job late in training camp and never looked back. Cooper was a pivotal part of ND-WH winning its first state crown since 2009 after defeating Berlin 35-8 for the title on Dec. 10, as he led the team in total tackles (103) and tackles for a loss of yardage (with 14).
“Winning states was a big deal for us as a team and important to us as a group,” says Cooper, whose Green Knights completed a title turnaround after a 3-7 campaign in 2021. “We had high expectations last year that we did not fulfill. Coming into this year, we did not put ourselves on a pedestal. We worked through tough losses and won big games.”
Earning the starting middle linebacker spot further showcased Cooper’s physical durability, overcoming a foot injury in the spring. As he learned throughout his journey, it was a terrific transition as he went from playing in front of the QB on the line of scrimmage to being the defensive signal caller.
“This summer was stressful; I was expected to take the spot, but I was cleared right before the season started. I ended up performing strongly in camp,” Cooper says, as he also nabbed four sacks this season. “In going from offense to defense, it is more strategy-based on offense with the quarterback at the helm. I took my teammates’ advice to lead the defense and be the QB of it.”
Moving into the starting spotlight was certainly a mental challenge for Cooper, though he quickly overcame any hurdles by realizing any anxiety or uncertainty in a position like this is actually a positive.
“There is a lot more pressure on you when you start and play a lot more,” says Cooper. “After a few games in, I realized pressure is a privilege. I enjoyed that pressure of starting and made the most of it.”
As a senior in a crucial leadership role for Cooper, he recollects it was not any solo effort by an individual final-year member, it was a collective effort in guiding the underclassmen to the promised land of championship glory.
“All of the seniors bought in,” Cooper says. “They were ready to jump in, and it was a next-man-up mentality. We all knew what we wanted to do at the end of the year. The seniors really kept everyone focused.”
Green Knights’ football Head Coach Joe DeCaprio noted that Cooper craved film sessions, a sign of his total dedication off the turf that was complemented by his heart, passion, guidance, and big-play ability on it.
“Cooper is the most cerebral linebacker that I have coached in my 18 years at ND-WH. Cooper became a film junkie, learned all the calls and, most importantly, learned what we were trying to accomplish with each defensive game plan,” says DeCaprio. “Most of his free periods, he would be with our defensive coordinator Tim Furtak going over our game plan. On the field, he regularly got us all lined up, made the front call and the coverage. He was a master at communicating with the players, making sure everyone understood their assignment. He went from a kid that had a small role as a junior to the leader of one of the best defenses in the state. Cooper also made the most important defensive play of the season when he intercepted the Law quarterback in the end zone to seal the game and put us in the championship [in the Class M State Playoff semifinal].”
As he aims to finish his ND-WH career with another state crown in lacrosse, Cooper expressed that his tenure on the gridiron was a true band of brothers that would do anything to aid the man next to them.
“Playing football for Notre Dame has been everything to me,” Cooper says. “The team was like a second family to me; we would always pick each other up if someone was having a bad day. Everyone loved each other. The coaches cared about us, and we wanted to make them proud. I still have a lacrosse season ahead, and we went to the state finals last year, so we hope to win it this season.”