Category: Cooper Cougars

by Brandon McAuliffe

AISD TOURNAMENT ROUNDUP: Local, area teams have solid showing on opening day of action

On the opening day of the Abilene ISD Invitational Tournament, Abilene High and Cooper both picked up a pair of wins while Wylie split its two games as offenses took advantage of a howling wind that was blowing out at all three ballparks during nearly all of the dozen games that were played on Thursday.

In addition to the success of the three local schools, Wall picked up wins over Arlington Sam Houston and Copperas Cove with Brock and Brownwood going a combined 1-3 — the lone win coming by Brock against Wylie.

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Hoops
by Evan Ren

FINAL Big Country Boys Basketball Statistical Leaders for 2026: Scoring, rebounding, assists, steals, FT Pct., pass deflections and blocks

Below are the current season statistical leaders for Big Country boys basketball through Feb. 19.  With the end of the regular season, this will be the FINAL boys basketball leaders we post this year. 

This database has been continually updated for our subscribers throughout the regular season, using only those statistics submitted by area coaches.

Is your favorite team missing? If so, please pass along a friendly reminder to your coach to check his email for our weekly stats request. We’ll be happy to add them to our database after they arrive. 

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Abilene High boys rally past Cooper on Senior Night to take winning streak into playoffs

The Abilene High boys basketball team began and ended its Senior Night in celebratory fashion Tuesday at Eagle Gym, overcoming a sluggish start and a spirited Cooper squad in between to earn a 60-44 win over its crosstown rival in its regular-season finale.

The Eagles, who had already locked up their first district championship since 2016, found themselves trailing for most of the first three quarters Tuesday. But a 29-8 run over the game’s final 11 minutes turned a potentially tenuous situation into a comfortable win, allowing coach Justin Reese to close the game with several senior reserves on the court.

The victory improved AHS to 20-11 on the season and closed out a 7-1 run through District 4-5A, making winners out of seniors Brooks Reese, Trae Shaw, Myles Osborne, Payton Shawver, Luke Jackson, Jeremiah Collins, Brenner Paul and Dylan Bardin in their final game on their home floor.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Wylie holds off Cooper rally to clinch playoff spot, end Cougars’ postseason push

Trailing Cooper by a point in the final minute on Friday, the Wylie boys basketball team closed the game on a 5-0 run to grind out a crucial 51-47 victory at Cougar Gym.

It was the second consecutive road win for the Bulldogs in which they faced a deficit in the closing minutes, clinching a playoff spot for coach Gregg Ruffin’s team while eliminating the Cougars from postseason contention.

Wylie led 33-22 at halftime only to see Cooper snag the momentum — and, eventually, the lead on Jabari Collier-Gard’s 3-pointer with 1:30 to play. But a 5-of-6 tally from the free-throw line and a couple of key stops in the final 43 seconds were enough to earn the Bulldogs the hard-fought victory over their crosstown rival.

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by Evan Ren

FINAL Big Country Girls Basketball Statistical Leaders for 2026 (Scoring, rebounding, assists, steals, FT Pct., pass deflections and blocks)

Below are the current season statistical leaders for Big Country girls basketball through Feb. 12. This will be our FINAL girls stat leaders for 2026.

This database has been continually updated for our subscribers throughout the regular season, using only those statistics submitted by area coaches.

Is your favorite team missing? If so, please pass along a friendly reminder to your coach to check his or her email for our weekly stats request. We’ll be happy to add them to our database after they arrive. 

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Carrillo’s late layup lifts Cooper to come-from-behind win in crucial matchup with Wichita Falls Legacy

Jaden Carrillo only had one field goal in the Cooper boys basketball team’s must-win matchup with Wichita Falls Legacy on Tuesday at Cougar Gym. But it was the most important bucket of the game in a dramatic 34-33 win for the Cougars.

With his team trailing by a point after a J’Quan Carroll free throw broke a 33-all tie with just under 17 seconds remaining in the game, the senior guard was given the keys to the offense when play resumed out of a timeout on the Coogs’ final possession. With time ticking down, he drove around and past Legacy’s Jerimiah Smith, going all the way to the rim for a go-head layup with 2.9 seconds to play.

That proved to be the game-winner for Cooper (13-13 overall, 2-4 in district), which rallied from a 27-13 third-quarter deficit to score the victory, pulling within a half-game of Legacy (9-19, 3-4) and Wichita Falls Memorial (14-17, 3-4) for third in District 4-5A and within a game of Wylie (12-13, 3-3) for second.

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by Daniel Youngblood

THIS WEEK IN BOYS BASKETBALL: District title, playoff races continue to take shape as regular season nears its end

The boys basketball regular season is nearing its end, and district championship and playoff pictures across the area are coming into view.

Most leagues now have clear favorites in both their title and playoff races, but several remain unresolved with just two or three games left to play. 

With just a couple of weeks of games remaining, let’s dive in and take a look at this week’s biggest games and last week’s most significant developments.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

SIGNING DAY: Eight local athletes make college decisions official at ceremonies throughout Abilene

A busy week across the Big Country that began Monday with the University Interscholastic League’s biennial realignment continued Wednesday with National Signing Day ceremonies at all three local high schools.

Abilene High and Cooper each had three football players put pen to paper, joining a fourth at each school who had already made his commitment official. And Wylie, meanwhile, had a pair of athletes sign to compete collegiately — one in football and another in soccer.

In all, eight local boys signed at their respective Signing Day ceremonies, earning celebration from family, friends and their high school coaches. 

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by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Tolar sophomore takes this week’s spotlight

With weather postponements forcing Tolar to play three games last week, there was positive in an otherwise hectic week: It gave one of THS’ athletes the opportunity to showcase a remarkable run of consistency. 

Tolar sophomore Atley Kolb takes our Big Country Preps Player of the Week award for the Week ending Jan. 31, after posting three straight double-doubles in as many days to help the Lady Rattlers in wins over Millsap (57-25), Eastland (59-25) and Breckenridge (74-19).

Kolb posted 10 points and 13 rebounds against Millsap; 21 points and 11 boards against Eastland and 12 points and 10 boards in the Breckenridge win. 

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by Daniel Youngblood

UIL REALIGNMENT: Local football coaches share stress-free day as districts remain largely unchanged

While area coaches and athletic directors were left scrambling to adjust to the unexpected new districts they were placed in on Monday during the University Interscholastic League’s biennial realignment, the leaders of Abilene’s three largest football programs shared a stress-free day in the Metroplex at the Birdville ISD Fine Arts/Athletic Complex.

Abilene High, Cooper and Wylie saw minimal changes to their football district alignments when those were made public at 9 a.m., as the Eagles remained in District 2-5A Division I with Amarillo High, Amarillo Caprock, Amarillo Tascosa, Frenship Memorial, Lubbock High, Lubbock Monterey and Wolfforth Frenship and the Cougars and Bulldogs stayed in District 2-5A DII with Amarillo Palo Duro, Lubbock Cooper, Lubbock Coronado, Wichita Falls Legacy and Wichita Falls Memorial.

Adding to the largely mundane nature of Monday’s proceedings, the three schools also remained in a five-team District 4-5A for their other sports, staying with the two Wichita Falls schools in an unchanged league.

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by Daniel Youngblood

THIS WEEK IN BOYS BASKETBALL: Weather-truncated week sets up wild stretch run in several area districts

Last week’s winter storm made for a wild week of action, condensing a week’s worth of games into three day’s time. And the results were as unpredictable as you might expect given the circumstances.

We saw several district championship and playoff races shaken up by upsets and others take shape as the cream continued its rise to the top.

As we do here weekly, it’s time to take survey of the Big Country boys basketball landscape. We hope you enjoy this look at the biggest developments from last week and the biggest games this week’s slate has to offer.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Cooper boys upset rival Abilene High to reset wild district race, reinvigorate playoff hopes

Over the past two years, the boys basketball coaches in District 4-5A have consistently talked about the competitive balance of the league and how no game or opponent can be overlooked because any of the district’s five teams can beat another on a given day.

Saturday’s crosstown matchup between Abilene High and Cooper was a great example of this principle in action.

The Cougars came in off losses in each of their first three district games, while the Eagles were unbeaten at 3-0. But at the end of 32 minutes, it was Cooper celebrating a massive 48-41 win on its home floor that revitalized its playoff hopes and set up what is certain to be a wild second half of league action starting next week.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Lady Cougars on verge of playoff berth after thrilling win over Abilene High

The District 4-5A showdown between Abilene High and Cooper had the look and feel of a playoff matchup Saturday afternoon at Cougar Gym.

Neither team created any separation until Cooper senior Amiya Mayes’ free throw with 5.55 seconds to play put the Lady Cougars up five as CHS held off an Abilene High squad that was looking for its first district win, 33-28, to all but lock up a playoff spot. It was Cooper’s first home win over Abilene High since a 60-36 victory on Dec. 16, 2022.

To officially clinch a playoff berth, the Lady Cougars will need to win one of their final two games (at Wichita Falls Memorial, versus Wichita Falls Legacy) or see Abilene High lose one of its final two games against Legacy or Wylie. It would be Cooper’s first playoff berth since the 2019-20 season.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Wylie boys use big third-quarter run to pull away from crosstown rival Cooper

Trailing 20-18 after a wild first quarter, the Wylie boys basketball team outscored Cooper 45-23 over the middle two periods to pull away in the second half for a 73-53 win Thursday at Bulldog Gym.

A 21-7 run through the third quarter proved the knockout blow for the Bulldogs, who hit nine 3-pointers in the game, which was twice postponed by the winter storm that hit Abilene last weekend.

Swade Sipe and King Lloyd combined for eight of those 3s, scoring 24 and 21 points, respectively, to help Wylie complete a doubleheader sweep after the Lady Bulldogs rolled past the Lady Cougars 69-18 in Thursday’s early game.

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by Daniel Youngblood

THIS WEEK IN BOYS BASKETBALL: Big games in full supply despite weather-related schedule changes

Mother Nature did her best to bring the high school basketball season to a standstill, sending a winter storm that put most Big Country teams on the shelf for a week. But the action around that unexpected break gives us plenty to talk about in this week’s look at the area boys basketball scene.

With a number of excellent (and meaningful) games last week and some big matchups slated for the next few days, the area district races remain as intriguing as ever.

Let’s go ahead now and take a look at the biggest games the area slate has to offer this week and some of the outcomes last week that helped shape the weeks to come.

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by Evan Ren

EVAN REN’S 2025 TRUE GRIT TEAM: The toughest, hardest-working players in the Big Country!

Most high school football teams have that one player acknowledged by the coaching staff as the prime example of what a teammate should be. 

He’s the guy who seldom misses any practice time and is a regular in the weight room. He’s early to arrive. He’s late to leave and takes pride in being coachable, though he seldom needs direction. 

He always sets the right example for younger players. He doesn’t complain and, above all else, he’s tough enough to make all the aforementioned traits consistently possible. 

Know someone like that? Here is where they are honored. 

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by Evan Ren

2025 BIG COUNTRY PREPS RISING STARS TEAM: The top underclassmen in the Big Country

Here are our selections for the 2024 All-Big Country Preps Rising Stars Team — an honor reserved for the area’s top freshman and sophomore football players. For the rest of this year’s selections, click the links below.

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by Daniel Youngblood

THIS WEEK IN BOYS BASKETBALL: District races taking shape as title, playoff favorites begin to emerge

District races are heating up throughout the Big Country and the cream is quickly rising to the top in our area leagues.

Last week and helped provide some clarity in a number of district’s throughout the BCP coverage area, and this week will, no doubt, do the same.

Without further ado, let’s go ahead and dive into this week’s column and take a look at the biggest games on this week’s slate and some of the top results last week had to offer.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Putback at buzzer lifts Memorial to win over Cooper boys in District 4-5A opener

After struggling for most of the game to put the ball through the net, and spending the first 28 minutes trailing as a result, the Cooper boys basketball team rallied late in the fourth quarter to put itself in position to steal a district-opening win over Wichita Falls Memorial on Friday at Cougar Gym.

But the Mavericks scored seven second-chance points in the final three minutes — the last two on a putback by Nash Melton as time expired — to escape Abilene with a dramatic 38-36 win.

The buzzer-beater by Melton completed a doubleheader sweep for Memorial, which picked up a 54-29 win in the girls game earlier in the evening.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Cooper girls stymie archrival Abilene High in 43-18 win, boost playoff hopes in District 4-5A

Entering Tuesday’s crosstown rivalry game off lopsided losses to open District 4-5A play, both the Abilene High and Cooper girls basketball teams were looking to break into the win column and get an early leg up in the race for the league’s fourth playoff spot.

With just four wins between them coming into the week, both squads have faced their share of adversity this season. But competing in a five-team district guarantees that at least one of them will close a tough year of transition and/or growth in the playoffs.

On Tuesday at Eagle Gym, it was Cooper that took a running leap toward that goal, using relentless pressure defense to stifle Abilene High in a dominant 43-18 victory. The Lady Cougars, who forced more turnovers than points allowed, trailed only once (at 5-4 early in the second quarter), scoring 17 second-quarter points to pull away for a commanding 21-7 lead by halftime.

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by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Sipe takes our weekly award with unbelievable shooting night

There are memorable shooting nights. Then there are shooting nights one is unlikely to ever forget.

Wylie senior guard Swade Sipe had one of the latter on Friday night, with a 33-point effort in a 74-62 win over Brock. 

During the course of this performance, Sipe was 11 of 11 from the field, 6 of 6 from 3-point range, 5 of 5 from two-point range and 5 of 6 from the foul line.

This explosive, nearly perfect effort against a very good 4A Brock team earns Sipe our Big Country Preps Player of the Week award, during a week when several players posted numbers good enough to claim the accolade.

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by Daniel Youngblood

THIS WEEK IN BOYS BASKETBALL: Several games on the docket with district title implications

With district play either underway or starting this week for all area boys basketball teams, it’s time to start taking a closer look at how our Big Country hoops races are shaping up.

And as we’ve done in the past, we’ll break down our top upcoming matchups, the top results from the previous week and the area’s biggest surprise right here each Sunday, starting with this column.

We hope you enjoy a look at this week in area boys basketball.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Wylie girls push through slow start to rout crosstown rival Cooper in district opener

It took 3½ minutes to get on the board and a boost from its bench to get going in the right direction Friday, but once the Wylie girls basketball team found its footing, it never lost it in a 71-12 road win over Cooper to open District 4-5A play.

With the game still scoreless more than three minutes into the game, Lady Bulldogs coach Duane Hopper subbed out his entire starting group in a hockey-style line change. And that second unit provided exactly the type of spark he was hoping for, closing the opening quarter on a 15-2 run to set the wheels in motion for the rout to come.

The victory, which saw Wylie limit Cooper to two points in each of the first three quarters and just two field goals for the game, improved the Lady Bulldogs to 20-5 overall and 1-0 in league play, while the Lady Cougars fell to 3-22 and 0-1.

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Carter Toof
by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Cisco guard captures award with amazing week

If you were told that the Big Country had a possible boys basketball star in the making, where would you guess he was from? 
Jim Ned? Eula? San Saba? 

While those choices often make sense, there is a rising star on the block from an area that is seldom attached with basketball greatness. His name: Carter Toof, a junior from Cisco where pigskin has served as the athletic identity of the school for more than two decades. 

Named as our Big Country Player of the Week for the week ending Dec. 13, Toof, a gifted guard, earned our accolade with a performance that bordered on scary. 

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Stephenville girls grind out 30-20 over Cooper in defensive slugfest

Frustrated at times by Cooper’s athleticism and defensive intensity, the Stephenville girls basketball team found itself in a dogfight late in the third quarter Tuesday at Cougar Gym. But after leading just 15-12 at halftime and 21-17 with 10 minutes remaining in the game, the Honeybees closed the contest on a 9-3 run to grind out a 30-20 win.

SHS made just 10 shots from the field in a physical defensive game that saw 17 field goals made between the teams. But coach Jason Hodges’ squad held the Lady Cougars to five points or fewer in three of the four quarters to record its fifth straight win.

The victory improved the Honeybees to 10-2 on the year, while Cooper fell to 1-12 with the loss.

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by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Wylie senior earns this week’s award

It’s one thing to pour in points. 

It’s quite another to do it against difficult competition in a big-school tournament.  Wylie senior Swade Sipe, our Big Country Preps Player of the Week, did exactly that in last week’s Granbury tournament, helping the Bulldogs to a 2-2 mark in the challenging event. 

Sipe’s weekend began with a 22-point effort in a 54-48 win over Saginaw. It continued with 12 points in a 56-50 loss to Prosper Rock Hill, 20 points in a 59-51 win over Midland Christian and a 33-point night in a 46-43 loss to Arlington Lamar. 

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by Daniel Youngblood

TOURNAMENT CENTRAL: Abilene High, Cooper kick off Key City Classic with victories

The Abilene High and Cooper boys basketball teams both scored impressive wins on the opening night of the Fyzical Therapy and Balance Centers Key City Classic on Thursday evening to earn their way into the championship bracket for the remainder of the three-day event.

AHS whipped El Paso Jefferson 73-33 at Eagle Gym in its opener, while Cooper downed Cleburne 49-42 at Cougar Gym.

For full results of the tournament’s first day and the schedule for Friday’s second-round action, click here.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

SIGNING DAY: Cooper’s Davis, Brock’s Matlock are poised to help turn around UTEP football program

For the second year in a row, the University of Texas-El Paso football coach Scotty Walden found a member of his recruiting class in Abilene as the Miners signed Cooper defensive lineman Dycin Davis to a Letter of Intent on Wednesday morning.

Davis’ addition came one year after the Miners signed former Abilene High wide receiver Ryland Bradford.

Along with Davis, UTEP’s class on the first day that high school seniors could sign also included Brock’s Colt Matlock, who the program advertised as a defensive signee. UTEP signed a total of 25 players on Wednesday with 23 Texas high school players being joined by two additions from the transfer portal.

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by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Graham senior Jace Gill takes this week’s accolade

Not only is our Big Country Preps Player of the Week holding down the top spot with big numbers, but his performance in Graham’s 35-28 area round win over Lubbock Cooper Liberty was a virtual seminar on poise. 

Helping the Steers (9-3) to overcome three separate deficits, senior QB/kicker/punter Jace Gill was 15 of 28 for 239 yards and three TDs. He also rushed 12 times for 118 yards and another score. 

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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 Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Abilene High’s Henry takes award after record-setting performance

You have to love a great all-around performance and in the case of Brayden Henry, our Big Country Preps Player of the Week, his effort in last week’s 84-25 bi-district win over El Paso Bel Air was a record-setter.

Aside from going 6 of 7 through the air or 56 yards and one TD, he also rushed five times for 137 yards and three more scores.

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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

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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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

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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by Daniel Youngblood

DISTRICT 2-5A DIV. II WEEK 9 REPORT: Abilene Cooper, Palo Duro separate selves from pack; LCP picks up key win

Abilene Cooper 53, Wichita Falls Legacy 24 — The Cougars ran for 287 yards as a team, getting 102 yards and two touchdowns rushing and 27 yards receiving from Peyton Ewing in a thorough win over the Leopards.

Cooper (6-3, 4-1), which also got productive days from Jaden Carrillo (10-15-0—106, 1 TD passing; 4-51, 1 TD rushing) and Markquel Sims (11-87, 1 TD rushing), raced out to a 22-0 second-quarter lead and closed the third quarter with three unanswered touchdowns to increase a 29-17 lead to 50-17 by the start of the fourth quarter.

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