Author: Daniel Youngblood

by Daniel Youngblood

SIX-MAN REWIND: Nine area teams stay alive with strong second-round playoff efforts

Nine teams from the Big Country Preps coverage area survived the second round of the playoffs, setting up a huge slate of games this week in the region championship round.

But before we discuss state quarterfinal matchups later this week, it’s time to take a look at how we got here in this week’s “Six-Man Lookahead” column.

As you might expect the cream rose to the top, with Water Valley, Robert Lee, Gordon, May, Jayton, Benjamin, Strawn, Three Way and Richland Springs all earning games after Thanksgiving with a shot at the state semifinals on the line. We hope you enjoy this look back at the performances that helped them lock down those opportunities.

Continue reading “SIX-MAN REWIND: Nine area teams stay alive with strong second-round playoff efforts” →

by Daniel Youngblood

WEEK 14 FAN POLLS … Pick this week’s 11-man and six-man winners!

Each week here at Big Country Preps, we offer fans the chance to pick the winners of all games involving our local and area football teams. The results of these weekly polls, which will close at 5 p.m. each Thursday, will be included in our weekly Pick ‘Em Panel.

Here are the games for Week 14:

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Rough start, mistakes doom Cooper’s upset hopes in 77-35 area-round loss to Argyle

GODLEY — Heading into its Region I-5A Division II area-round matchup with state-ranked Argyle, the Cooper football team knew its margin for error would be narrow if it hoped to advance past the Eagles and into the third round of the playoffs for the first time since 2019. 

So when the Cougars found themselves down 14-0 just 32 seconds in, it became clear pretty quickly that they might be in for a long night.

That disastrous start set the course for a 77-35 loss at Wildcat Stadium, ending Cooper’s best season in five years at 7-5. And though neither the process nor the outcome matched that which he and his players were hoping for Friday night, coach Aaron Roan left the stadium proud of how his team continued to fight no matter how deep the hole got — a hallmark of a 2025 squad that handled adversity and itself well all season.

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by Daniel Youngblood

SIX-MAN LOOKAHEAD: Playoffs heat up with bevy of intriguing area-round games

After a week full of blowouts in the bi-district round of the six-man playoffs, the area-round should prove to be much more competitive.

This week’s area slate is chock full of excellent games, with marquee matchups as far as the eye can see.

As we do every week here in this column, it’s time to break down the biggest games of the week in our “Six-Man Lookahead.” We hope you enjoy this preview of the week’s action. 

Continue reading “SIX-MAN LOOKAHEAD: Playoffs heat up with bevy of intriguing area-round games” →

by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Wall dominant in every phase in 50-0 area-round win over Childress

SNYDER — After seeing last season end in heartbreaking fashion with an emotional loss to Gunter in the state semifinals, the Wall football team has made it no secret that it plans to earn a rematch with the Tigers in the same round on its way to Arlington this season. 

If there were any worries that such a mission-focused approach might lead to overlooking earlier steps in the process, the Hawks did a pretty good job of allaying those Thursday in a 50-0 area-round win over Childress at Grant Teaff Tiger Stadium.

In scoring on every possession but one in the first half, Wall built a 33-0 lead by the halftime break and never let down after, securing its second consecutive shutout and sixth of the season to earn a Region I-3A Division II semifinals date with Slaton at 1 p.m. next Friday in Sweetwater.

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by Daniel Youngblood

Big Country Preps’ Pick ‘Em Panel (Week 13)

Each week here at Big Country Preps, we’ll post our picks for all of that week’s 11-man games, in addition to the results of our weekly fan polls for each matchup.

For those interested in voting, polls go up on Sunday night each week and close Thursday evening.

Disagree with our picks or the fan poll consensus? Let us know in the comments section below.

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by Daniel Youngblood

SIX-MAN REWIND: Bi-district round yields lopsided results across Big Country Preps coverage area

The first week of the playoffs is in the books, and that’s a good thing for those who enjoy competitive games.

The area’s bi-district round was marked by excellent performances — both team and individual — but it largely rendered lopsided results, as all but three games involving Big Country Preps squads ended by mercy rule.

It’s time now to take a look at the teams that are still standing and the individual performances that have them in that position in this week’s “Big Country Rewind.” We hope you enjoy this look back at Week 12.

Continue reading “SIX-MAN REWIND: Bi-district round yields lopsided results across Big Country Preps coverage area” →

by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Cooper rallies from three-score halftime deficit to beat El Paso Chapin in 42-35 thriller

Trailing 24-7 at halftime and struggling to contain El Paso Chapin quarterback Daveon Singleton, the Cooper football team found itself in a deep hole Friday in its Region I-5A Division II bi-district game at Shotwell Stadium.

But it wasn’t deep enough to bury a Cougars team that has stood tall in the face of adversity all season long.

Using a big special teams to play to turn the momentum on the opening kickoff of the second half, Cooper outscored the Huskies 35-11 over the final two quarters to rally for a dramatic 42-35 win, advancing to the area round of the playoffs to take on fifth-ranked Argyle next week.

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by Daniel Youngblood

SIX-MAN LOOKAHEAD: Playoffs open with strong slate of area matchups

We’ve reached Week 12 and with it comes the start of the high school football playoffs. While a handful of area teams kicked off their postseason runs on Thursday, most of the Big Country’s most competitive matchups are still to come.

As we did in the regular season, we’ll continue to preview each week’s top matchups through the playoffs here in our “Big Country Lookahead” column. 

We’ve got plenty to talk about, so let’s go ahead and dive in. And be sure to check out our Six-Man/Class 1A Central page for results as these games go final.

Continue reading “SIX-MAN LOOKAHEAD: Playoffs open with strong slate of area matchups” →

by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Henry sets career touchdowns record as Eagles cruise past El Paso Bel Air in bi-district romp

The Abilene High football team kicked off its playoff run in dominant fashion Thursday, scoring early and often in an 84-25 bi-district win over El Paso Bel Air at Shotwell Stadium.

Do-it-all senior Brayden Henry led the way, accounting for six total touchdowns — three rushing, one punt return, one passing and one receiving — to pass Abram Smith for the school record in career touchdowns responsible for. But it was complete team effort for the Eagles, as eight players had a hand in at least one touchdown, and virtually everyone on the roster got a chance to play and contribute.

With the victory, AHS’ seventh in a row, coach Mike Fullen’s squad earned a Region I-5A Division I area-round matchup next week with fourth-ranked Denton Ryan, which routed Fort Worth Chisholm Trail 59-7 in its first-round game on Thursday.

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by Daniel Youngblood

Big Country Preps Boys Basketball Position Rankings: Posts

After highlighting the Big Country’s top guards and forwards the past two nights, we now take a look at the area’s best big men.

For the final installment in our three-part boys basketball position rankings series, we rank the Big Country’s top 10 post players for the 2025-26 season with several others to watch.

We hope you’ve enjoyed reading through our rankings, and make sure to check back for all our boys and girls basketball coverage this season.

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by Daniel Youngblood

Big Country Preps’ Pick ‘Em Panel (Week 12)

Each week here at Big Country Preps, we’ll post our picks for all of that week’s 11-man games, in addition to the results of our weekly fan polls for each matchup.

For those interested in voting, polls go up on Sunday night each week and close Thursday evening.

Disagree with our picks or the fan poll consensus? Let us know in the comments section below.

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by Daniel Youngblood

Big Country Preps Boys Basketball Position Rankings: Forwards

After kicking off our boys basketball position rankings series on Tuesday with the guards, we now shift our attention to the forwards.

For the second installment in our three-part series, we rank the area’s top-10 players at that position for 2025-26 with a list of others to watch.

We hope you enjoy our list.

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by Daniel Youngblood

SIGNING DAY: Wylie trio, Abilene High pair make their college decisions official at local ceremonies

Five local athletes put pen to paper at local Signing Day ceremonies on Wednesday, making their college decisions official in front of friends, family and the coaches who helped make their special day possible.

At Wylie, baseball players Colby Garrett and Hudson Tuley signed with Ranger College and McLennan Community College, respectively, while softball player Olivia Volz signed to continue her athletic and academic career at Cisco College.

And over at Abilene High, softball pitcher Avah Reyes gave her signature to Odessa College, while soccer player Rheauna De La Garza signed to play at Seminole State College in Seminole, Okla.

Continue reading “SIGNING DAY: Wylie trio, Abilene High pair make their college decisions official at local ceremonies” →

by Daniel Youngblood

Big Country Preps Boys Basketball Position Rankings: Guards

With boys basketball season set to begin later this week, it’s time to shine a spotlight on some of the players you’ll be reading about throughout the 2025-26 season.

For the first installment in a three-part series that will cover all positions on the area boys basketball scene, we’ll be taking a look at the Big Country’s top guards, ranking our top 10 with a list of others to watch this winter.

We hope you enjoy reading through our list.

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by Daniel Youngblood

SIX-MAN REWIND: Final week of regular season delivers thrilling results in slate’s top, most important matchups

Week 11 is in the books and the regular season is officially over. But some of the season’s best six-man drama was saved for last, as we have a number of thrilling games to talk about.

Chief among those was our “Big Country Lookahead” Game of the Week, which saw Hermleigh edge Westbrook in District 7-1A Division I action. But that was one of several thrillers that took place in the area.

Without further ado, let’s dive into all of last week’s action in this week’s “Big Country Rewind” column. And make sure you check out our Six-Man/Class 1A Central page when you’ve finished reading for more information on your favorite team(s).

Continue reading “SIX-MAN REWIND: Final week of regular season delivers thrilling results in slate’s top, most important matchups” →

by Daniel Youngblood

DISTRICT 2-5A DIV. I WEEK 11 REPORT: Amarillo High sneaks into playoffs after forfeiting six wins; Monterey, LHS earn wins

Photo by Roy Wheeler, PressPassSports.com

Amarillo High 63, Amarillo Tascosa 21 — After having all but one of its wins wiped out for the use of an ineligible player, the Sandies entered Friday needing a win over the Rebels and some help after to earn a spot in the playoffs. Amarillo High got both, routing Tascosa and then winning a three-way coin toss over Amarillo Caprock and Lubbock High for the district’s fourth-playoff spot.

The Sandies (2-8, 2-4) put up 551 yards of offense in the win, getting 368 yards and seven touchdowns passing from Jett Lopez and a huge game running and catching the ball from Jude Dunavin (13-174, 2 TDs rushing; 5-119, 1 TD receiving). Austin Sluder (8-184, 5 TDs) also had a big game catching the ball for AHS.

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by Daniel Youngblood

DISTRICT 2-5A DIV. II WEEK 11 REPORT: Wylie routs Plainview to close season, Palo Duro takes top spot over Cooper

Wylie 70, Plainview 52 — Julius Laine ran for 300 yards and five touchdowns as WHS scored on 10 of its 11 possessions in a shootout win over Plainview.

Coach Clay Martin’s Bulldogs (5-5, 3-3), who finished with 615 yards of total offense, forced three consecutive turnovers to start the second half to turn a 31-28 halftime deficit into a 56-31 lead by the start of the fourth quarter. In addition to Laine’s big game, Wylie got big games from quarterback Jadin Karleskint (11-15-0—139, 3 TDs passing; 9-99, 1 TD rushing) and receiver Dylan Regala (5-76, 2 TDs; 1 interception defensively).

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Justin-Hollingsworth
by Daniel Youngblood

DISTRICT 8-2A DIV. II WEEK 11 REPORT: Santo can’t keep pace with Collinsville; Lindsay, Muenster roll

Collinsville 40, Santo 13 — Justin Hollingsworth scored a touchdown late in the first quarter to give the Wildcats an early lead, but the Pirates closed the first half with 34 unanswered points to take control on their way to a comfortable win.

Collinsville had four passing touchdowns and a fumble return score in the second quarter to go to halftime up 34-7 and tacked on another passing TD in the third quarter, before Santo closed out the scoring with another rushing score by Hollingsworth.

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by Daniel Youngblood

DISTRICT 6-2A DIV. II WEEK 11 REPORT: Haskell cruises past Electra; Windthorst takes down Petrolia for title

Haskell 46, Electra 20 — Facing off with Electra with the district’s No. 3 playoff seed on the line, the Indians had little trouble with the Tigers, dominating from the start in a blowout win.

Haskell (6-4, 4-2) stretched an 8-6 first-quarter lead to 32-6 by halftime and coasted from there to the four-touchdown victory.

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by Daniel Youngblood

DISTRICT 3-2A DIV. I WEEK 11 REPORT: Colorado City upsets Sonora for first win; Forsan blasts Reagan County

Colorado City 42, Sonora 12 — Ace Mejia threw for 200 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 79 yards and two more scores to lead the Wolves to what may have been the upset of the year over the Broncos.

Gavin Harbour (11-57), Joel Hernandez (3-54, 1 TD) and Mikell Martinez (3-24, 1 TD) also contributed to a 212-yard rushing effort for Colorado City (1-9, 0-5), which got quality receiving days from Jadon Reyna (3-61, 1 TD), Aidan Casares (3-59) and Davin Lara (4-48, 1 TD).

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by Daniel Youngblood

DISTRICT 5-2A DIV. I WEEK 11 REPORT: Hamilton steals one from De Leon; Bangs, Hico pick up wins

Hamilton 27, De Leon 26 — The Bearcats had the Bulldogs on the ropes in this district championship matchup, leading 26-21 with four minutes remaining and the ball inside the HHS 5-yard line. But a fumble at the 1 ended that threat, and the Bulldogs drove the length of the field to score the winning touchdown with 22 seconds remaining.

De Leon, which got four passing touchdowns from Heston Jobe and a pair of receiving scores from Jake Cooper, took a 12-7 lead into halftime and rallied from a 14-12 deficit to take a 26-14 lead with five minutes remaining in the third quarter. But the Bearcats couldn’t close Hamilton out in falling to 7-3 overall and 4-1 in league play.

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by Daniel Youngblood

DISTRICT 5-3A DIV. II WEEK 11 REPORT: Clifton slips past Brady; Early, Tolar earn convincing wins

Clifton 7, Brady 6 — The Cubs finished with just 117 total yards and one touchdown, but it was enough claim a defensive win over the Bulldogs and the district’s No. 2 playoff seed.

Clifton (8-2, 4-1), which held Brady to 166 yards of offense, got a 43-yard touchdown pass from Carter Ritz to Judd New late in the first half and made that hold up thanks to some key defensive plays late in the game.

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by Daniel Youngblood

DISTRICT 3-4A DIV. I WEEK 11 REPORT: Big Spring claims No. 3 seed with win at Pecos; Andrews edges Lake View

Big Spring 34, Pecos 21 — Marcos Rios threw a pair of touchdown passes, Xander Garza had a TD run and Jacobi Lozano returned a punt 49 yards for a score to lead the Steers to a two-touchdown victory over the Eagles for the district’s No. 3 playoff seed

Sebastian Torres Barrera also put his stamp on the win for Big Spring (5-4, 1-2), nailing a pair of field goals to keep his team playing from ahead for most of the game. After falling behind 7-0 early, the Steers went to halftime up 17-7 and increased that advantage to 24-7 early in the third quarter on a TD pass from Rios to Kaine Valenzuela.

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by Daniel Youngblood

DISTRICT 3-4A DIV. II WEEK 11 REPORT: Graham holds off Eagle Mountain for No. 2 seed; Mineral Wells, Brock roll

Graham 20, Saginaw Eagle Mountain 18 — A 213-yard rushing and a big defensive play by Jordan Alexander were enough to fuel the Steers to a thrilling win over the Knights in a matchup for the district’s No. 2 playoff seed.

Jace Gill passed for 110 yards and ran for 108, while Colt Taylor (13-54) and Dylan Cox (7-30) had rushing touchdowns to lead Graham offensively. And Alexander had a pick-six on the other side of the football to help the Steers improve to 7-3 overall and 4-1 in league play.

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by Daniel Youngblood

DISTRICT 1-4A DIV. II WEEK 11 REPORT: Greenwood routs Snyder to cap 10-0 regular season; Seminole cruises

Midland Greenwood 67, Snyder 35 — Lincoln Madrid passed for 166 yards and four touchdowns, and Jackson Audus ran for 105 yards and two scores to help the Rangers complete a perfect regular season with a comfortable win over the Tigers.

Dylan Payton (3-130, 3 TDs receiving; 85 yard kickoff return touchdown) and Nathaniel Romero (6-94, 1 TD rushing) also had big games for Greenwood (10-0, 4-0), which led 38-7 by the end of the first quarter and 48-14 by halftime.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Laine’s career night, opportunistic defense fuel Wylie to wild Senior Night win over Plainview

Entering their District 2-5A Division I finale needing a win over Plainview and some help from last-place Wichita Falls Legacy, the Wylie Bulldogs went into Friday knowing their odds of reaching the playoffs for a fourth straight year were slim.

But coach Clay Martin and his squad were determined to make sure they handled their half of the equation anyway.

Controlling the only the outcome they could control, the homestanding Bulldogs outlasted their visiting counterparts for a wild 70-52 Senior Night win, giving those in purple something to celebrate on a bittersweet night at Hugh Sandifer Stadium. And while it wasn’t enough to earn his team an 11th game due to Wichita Falls Memorial’s 63-20 win over Legacy, Martin said the effort was certainly one to be proud of.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME REPORT: Mistakes doom Cooper in 52-28 road loss to Amarillo Palo Duro

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.

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by Daniel Youngblood

SIX-MAN LOOKAHEAD: Winner-take-all clash between Hermleigh, Westbrook headlines strong Week 11 slate

We’ve reached the final week of the regular season, and there are still district races and playoff spots to be decided.

That means we’ll see a number of games this week with postseason urgency, including our headlining matchup from District 7-1A Division I between Hermleigh and Westbrook.  

As we do this time every week, it’s time to take a peak at all of this week’s biggest and most meaningful matchups in our “Six-Man Lookahead” column. We hope you enjoy this preview of Week 11 action and encourage you to check out our Six-Man/Class 1A Central page for more information on your favorite team(s).

Continue reading “SIX-MAN LOOKAHEAD: Winner-take-all clash between Hermleigh, Westbrook headlines strong Week 11 slate” →

by Daniel Youngblood

Big Country Preps Girls Basketball Position Rankings: Posts

After focusing on the top guards and forwards the Big Country has to offer the past two nights, it’s time to shift our attention to the paint.

For the final installment in our three-part position rankings series, we list our top-10 post players for the 2025-26 season with some others to watch.

We hope you’ve enjoyed reading through these rankings, and make sure to come back next week when we’ll feature the top boys basketball players in the Big Country.

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by Daniel Youngblood

Big Country Preps’ Pick ‘Em Panel (Week 11)

Each week here at Big Country Preps, we’ll post our picks for all of that week’s 11-man games, in addition to the results of our weekly fan polls for each matchup.

For those interested in voting, polls go up on Sunday night each week and close Thursday evening.

Disagree with our picks or the fan poll consensus? Let us know in the comments section below.

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by Daniel Youngblood

Big Country Preps Girls Basketball Position Rankings: Forwards

After kicking off our girls basketball position rankings series with the guards on Tuesday, we now turn our attention to the forwards.

For the second installment in our three-part series, we rank the area’s top 10 players at that position with some others to watch for in 2025-26.

We hope you enjoy our list.

Continue reading “Big Country Preps Girls Basketball Position Rankings: Forwards” →

by Daniel Youngblood

Big Country Preps Girls Basketball Position Rankings: Guards

With the girls basketball season getting underway this week, it’s time to take a look at the local and area players who will be making the biggest impact for their teams over the next few months.

For the first installment in a three-part series that will cover all positions, we’ll be focusing on the Big Country’s top guards, ranking our top 10 with a list of others to watch for the 2025-26 season.

We hope you enjoy reading through our selections.

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by Daniel Youngblood

SIX-MAN REWIND: Ira, Hermleigh deliver instant classic to headline exciting slate of games

Week 10 yielded some of the most competitive games of the year, including a thriller between Ira and Hermleigh in one of our two featured matchups.

That was one of many contests that helped add clarity to area district races as we approach the final week of the regular season.

Let’s dive in now and take a look at some of the other top results and performances that happened last week in our “Six-Man Rewind” column. We hope you enjoy this review of Week 10 action and encourage you to check out our Six-Man/Class 1A Central page for updated standings, results and upcoming matchups.

Continue reading “SIX-MAN REWIND: Ira, Hermleigh deliver instant classic to headline exciting slate of games” →

by Daniel Youngblood

DISTRICT 2-5A DIV. I WEEK 10 REPORT: Abilene High tops Monterey to claim outright title; Tascosa, Amarillo High roll

Abilene High 42, Lubbock Monterey 34 — Brayden Henry passed for 183 yards and two touchdowns, ran for 62 yards and two more scores and had a hand in a pair of two-point conversions to help the Eagles clinch the outright district title with a hard-fought win over the Plainsmen.

AHS also got strong production from M’Aujehl Aboso (5-76, 1 TD receiving; 4-38, 1 TD rushing) and Ethan Joyner (14-81 rushing, 2-13 receiving) in closing its regular season at 8-2 overall and 6-0 in league play.

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by Daniel Youngblood

DISTRICT 2-5A DIV. II WEEK 10 REPORT: Lubbock Cooper tops Wylie; Palo Duro, Memorial cruise to wins

Photo by Riley Smith, HubCityPreps.com

Lubbock Cooper 42, Wylie 35 — Chamayne Johnson ran for 141 yards and a touchdown and received for 25 yards and another score, while Cade Gant received for 121 yards and two scores to lead the Pirates to a big win over the Bulldogs.

Cooper (6-4, 3-3), which locked up a playoff spot with the win, overcame second-half deficits of 9-14 and 25-20 to build a 35-25 fourth-quarter lead. And after Wylie tied the game with 10 unanswered points, the Pirates got a touchdown pass from Ryan Rodriguez to Reed Watters with just over six minutes remaining for what proved to be the winning points.

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