Nascier Borden ran for two touchdowns to lead Cooper, a beneficiary of great field position, to a 54-14 victory over Park Center on Friday at Pride Stadium in Brooklyn Park.

Borden scored on runs of 13 and 34 yards and had a long of 55 yards that got the Eagles away from their own goal line.

“I give it all to my linemen and receivers for blocking for me,” Borden said. “They blocked good and I just ran behind them.”

Field position played a huge role in the outcome of the game. The Hawks started on their own side of midfield on just two of eight drives in the first half while the Pirates started inside their own 30-yard line on six of seven possessions.

The Hawks turned the good field position into a 35-0 lead at halftime. Trashawn McMillan ran in a 26-yard touchdown and connected with Pedro Amoussou on a 35-yard touchdown pass. Amoussou also returned a punt 71 yards for a touchdown.

“The biggest thing is I want my players playing fast,” Cooper coach Willie Howard said. “If we can play fast, then we will be able to make up for our mistakes.” 

The Pirates made big plays but, hampered by penalties and negative plays, weren’t able to get inside the Hawks 30-yard line until the middle of the third quarter.

The Pirates got second-half touchdowns on a four-yard run by Shontez Hester and a 21-yard scoring run by Eric Phillips.

The Hawks’ Sherrod Russell added touchdown runs of 11 yards and 14 yards in the third quarter.