Photos by Joe Garcia, PressPassSports.com

AMARILLO — Visiting Dick Bivins Stadium on Thursday with a chance to lock up a share of the District 2-5A Division II championship and clinch the league’s top playoff spot, the Cooper football team saw five turnovers doom those hopes in a 52-28 loss to Amarillo Palo Duro.

The Cougars outgained the Dons 443-319, but a trio of lost of fumbles and a pair of interceptions proved too much to overcome against a Palo Duro squad that has won nine straight games since dropping its opener to Amarillo Tascosa.

Aided by Cooper’s miscues, the Dons built a 21-0 lead by the 10:32 mark of the second quarter. And after the Cougars rallied back to pull within seven at halftime and again in the third quarter, Palo Duro responded with 24 unanswered points to put the game away and lock up its first outright district title since 2001.