The NKyTribune is featuring players on each of the 21 high school football teams in Boone, Campbell and Kenton counties leading up to the first games of the 2023 season on Friday, Aug. 18. We will then provide focused coverage of local teams throughout the regular season and into the playoffs.
By Blake Lehmann
NKyTribune sports reporter
Cooper football coach Randy Borchers has given high praise to senior middle linebacker Jack Lonaker, and for good reason. He put up an impressive sophomore season in 2021 by making 142 tackles. Last year, he led Northern Kentucky in that category with 148 in 11 games for an average of 13.5 that was sixth in the state.
“He is probably one of the best football players to come through Cooper,” Borchers said. “He is a young man that will go 100 percent all the time and do whatever he can to help his team be successful.”
Cooper senior linebacker Jack Lonaker has made 290 tackles over the last two seasons.(Photo provided)
The 6-foot, 228-pound senior said he wasn’t surprised to surpass the lofty bar he set as a sophomore. He never rests on the laurels of past accomplishments and always looks to improve in order to help his team year after year.
“I thought that if I don’t get past that (sophomore) year, or at least match it, I’d feel kind of disappointed,” Lonaker said. “I feel that as I get older, I should be improving and improving, and I never want to stall out.”
Lonaker will remain at middle linebacker, a position he said compliments his aggressive style of play and instills poise in how he approaches the game.
“Just compiling that with (weight) lifting and becoming more confident in how I play, it all ties together,” he said.
This season, Lonaker will be a defensive captain who relays signals from the sidelines to the front line, which includes junior defensive end Austin Alexander, one of the state’s top college prospects.
Alexander was the team’s second leading tackler last season with 85 while also tallying 11 quarterback sacks. He’s another reason expectations are high for the Jags’ defense, and Lonaker wants to meet them.
“I think we’re going to be one of the best defenses around,” he said. “We’re going to be very aggressive, upbeat and fast-paced, flying around and making plays. There’s no spot on defense where we’re thin. Everyone’s very solid at their position.”
Jack Lonaker
Lonaker, who has a 3.6 grade-point average and scored 27 on the ACT, has gained attention from college recruiters with his impressive tackle totals over the past two seasons. He has already received offers from Thomas More and Mount Saint Joseph.
Lonaker also scored seven touchdowns the last couple of seasons at tight end and fullback. He’ll have a role once again in the offense that has two-year starter Cam O’Hara at quarterback with leading receivers Alexander and Isiah Johnson also returning from last year’s 6-5 season.
Cooper added a new weapon in transfer student Michael Mulvihill, who was the starting quarterback for Blanchester High School in Ohio last season. He’s listed as a running back and defensive lineman on the preseason roster.
“We’re very young, but I think we have a lot of length and athleticism, and a lot of playmakers on that side of the ball for sure,” Lonaker said.
With the statewide realignment this season, Cooper will be in a new Class 5A district that includes Boone County, Conner, Dixie Heights, Highlands and Scott. One former district opponent that’s no longer on the schedule is Covington Catholic, a team that beat the Jags by slim margins the last two years.
“We’ve seen Dixie before and we’ve scrimmaged Scott, so we’re going to be seeing some teams that we’ve seen over the years, but now these games have higher stakes to them,” Lonaker said. “Some of us are kind of disappointed to not get another crack at CovCath, but coach Borchers has put us in a good spot. I don’t think we have any ‘gimme’ games. Every game we’re going to have to play good ball.”
COOPER JAGUARS
2022 SEASON: 6-5 record, lost in first round of Class 5A playoffs.
DISTRICT: Class 5A, District 6 with Boone County, Conner, Dixie Heights, Highlands, Scott.
HEAD COACH: Randy Borchers (91-101 in 17 seasons overall, 84-87 in 15 seasons at Cooper).
2023 SCHEDULE
Aug. 18 – at Bardstown, 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 25 – LEXINGTON HENRY CLAY, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 1 – at Ryle, 7 p.m.
Sept. 8 – CAMPBELL COUNTY, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 15 – at Great Crossing, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 22 – HIGHLANDS, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 29 – at Conner, 7 p.m.
Oct. 5 – at Scott, 7 p.m.
Oct. 13 – BOONE COUNTY, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 20 – DIXIE HEIGHTS, 7:30 p.m.
OTHER 2023 PREP FOOTBALL PREVIEWS
