Category: Cooper Cougars

by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Wylie opens district with comfortable home win over crosstown rival Cooper

The Wylie girls basketball team kicked off District 4-5A play with a dominant effort Friday, taking control early and maintaining it throughout in a 58-26 win over crosstown rival Cooper at Bulldog Gym.

The Lady Bulldogs, who improved to 20-5 on the season, scored the game’s first eight points and were never seriously threatened in building a 40-15 lead by halftime.

The victory put coach Duane Hopper’s team in an early district tie with Abilene High, which edged Wichita Falls Memorial 55-51 in Friday’s other 4-5A matchup.

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Brandon McAuliffe

TOURNAMENT CENTRAL: North Crowley claims title; local teams get mixed results

The 2024 edition of the Raising Cane’s Key City Classic wrapped up with a flourish of great games on Saturday at both Abilene High and Cooper.

The day started with Mineral Wells rallying in the final minute of regulation before taking an overtime win against El Paso Jefferson, saw South San Antonio claim a 44-41 win over Cleburne in double overtime and culminated with North Crowley improving to 2-1 in the championship game of the tournament over the past three years.

For full tournament results, click here.

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Brandon McAuliffe

TOURNAMENT CENTRAL: AHS stuns Richardson Pearce for berth in championship game; Cooper, Mineral Wells go winless on Day 2

On the second day of the 16-team Raising Cane’s Key City Classic, Brooks Reese hit an off-balance, buzzer-beating 3-pointer to send the Abilene High boys basketball team to the championship game with a thrilling 44-42 win over Richardson Pearce that saw the fans storm the court Friday night at Eagle Gym.

Across town, Cooper fell to Lubbock Cooper 46-35 in the quarterfinals before dropping their nightcap 52-34 to Cleburne. Mineral Wells, meanwhile, dropped a pair of games against Midland Legacy (60-36) and Carrollton Creekview (62-47).

For a full listing of Day 2 results and a complete tournament schedule, click here.

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Daniel Youngblood

TOURNAMENT CENTRAL: Abilene High, Cooper cruise to wins on first day of Key City Classic

The Abilene High and Cooper boys basketball teams got off to winning starts on Day 1 of the Raising Cane’s Key City Classic, cruising to comfortable victories Thursday to kick off the annual tournament on a high note.

The Eagles downed Perryton 54-37 in there opener to earn a matchup with El Paso Coronado at noon on Friday, while the Cougars smothered El Paso Jefferson in a 34-20 win to advance to play Lubbock Cooper at 1:30 p.m. on Day 2. 

Mineral Wells, the only other area team in the event’s 16-team field, dropped its first game 52-30 to Clebrune and will take on Midland Legacy at 9 a.m. Friday. For a full listing of Day 1 results and a complete tournament schedule, click here.

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Daniel Youngblood

GAME REPORT: Fette, Del Valle offense too much for Cooper to handle in season-ending loss

EL PASO — Going into this week’s Region I-5A Division II bi-district matchup with unbeaten El Paso Del Valle, Cooper coach Aaron Roan said the biggest key to a Cougar victory would be limiting big-play opportunities for an explosive Conquistadores offense.

Unfortunately for the Roan and his Coogs, that did not happen Thursday at Conquest Stadium.

Led by Arizona State commit Jake Fette, who passed for three touchdowns and ran for two more, Del Valle had five scoring plays of 20 or more yards — including three of 50-plus yards — to pull away from Cooper for a 63-35 win.

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Daniel Youngblood

DISTRICT 2-5A DIV. II WEEK 11 REPORT: Abilene Cooper tops PD for last playoff spot; Wylie, Memorial earn wins

Abilene Cooper 44, Amarillo Palo Duro 27 — Austin Cummins passed for 104 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 55 yards and another score to help the Cougars beat the Dons in a winner-take-all matchup for the district’s final playoff spot.

Cooper (4-6, 3-3) ran for 245 yards as a team, led by Major De Los Santos with 75 yards an a touchdown on 11 carries and JQ Scroggins with 70 yards on just four attempts. Zavian Alexander (4-28, 2 TDs) and Zaylon Johnson (3-45, 1 TD), meanwhile, were the team’s leading pass-catchers.

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Cooper pulls away from Palo Duro for 44-27 win to extend playoff streak

Hosting Amarillo Palo Duro with a 17-year playoff streak on the line, the Cooper Cougars put together one of their most complete performances of the year Friday at Shotwell Stadium.

Coach Aaron Roan’s Coogs never punted — or trailed — in a 44-27 victory over the Dons, closing the regular season with their third consecutive win to reach the postseason for the 18th straight season.

Cooper (4-6 overall, 3-3 in District 2-5A Division II) outrushed Palo Duro 245-41, riding an advantage on both lines of scrimmage to a 28-13 halftime lead that would never fall below eight points in the second half.

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS GAME OF THE WEEK: Stamford, Hawley clash in rematch of last season’s thriller

LAST WEEK: 45-8, .849
SEASON TOTAL: 464-122, .791

The regular season ends Friday night (if you can believe it) and there’s no better way to close things up than with No. 5 Class 2A DI Hawley (9-0, 4-0) at No. 1 Stamford (9-0, 4-0). 

The winner will earn the District 4 championship and No. 1 seed heading into the playoffs, so much is at stake.

I’m leaning toward Stamford here for three reasons: First, the overall team speed of SHS is unmatched by anyone in the area.

Secondly, the Bulldogs have an intangible working here — specifically a last-second miracle touchdown scored by Hawley’s

Camden Ables from 45 yards out with 0:47 left in last year’s game.

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Daniel Youngblood

DISTRICT 2-5A DIV. II WEEK 10 REPORT: Wylie clinches title with win over LCP; Palo Duro keeps playoff hopes alive

Wylie 22, Lubbock Cooper 6 — Thanks to a stellar defensive performance, the Bulldogs never trailed on Senior Night, holding the Pirates offense to 276 yards of total offense and a pair of first-half field goals in a workmanlike win.

Julius Laine ran for a game-high 54 yards and a touchdown before being injured early in the third quarter, and Bear Meng passed for 124 yards and a TD pass to Gage Heighten (3-30 receiving) to lift the Bulldogs to the victory. Jaegan Smith also had a scoring run as Wylie (7-1, 5-0) clinched the district title.

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Daniel Youngblood

DISTRICT 2-5A DIV. II WEEK 9 REPORT: Cooper pulls away from Legacy; Memorial wins thriller over LCP

Abilene Cooper 45, Wichita Falls Legacy 21 — Leading 24-21 in the third quarter, the Cougars closed the game with 21 unanswered points to pull away for a comfortable win over the Leopards and head into their Week 10 open date in position to extend their 17-year playoff streak.

Cooper (3-6, 2-3), which led 24-14 at halftime, was led by quarterback Austin Cummins, who passed for 210 yards and four touchdowns and ran for 84 yards and an additional score, while Peyton Ewing ran for 90 yards and a TD and Zavian Alexander received for 130 yards and two scores.

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Daniel Youngblood

GAME REPORT: Cummins fuels Cooper to big road win over Wichita Falls Legacy

WICHITA FALLS — Austin Cummins passed for 210 yards and four touchdowns and ran for 84 yards and an additional score to lead Cooper to a 45-21 win over Wichita Falls Legacy on Friday at Memorial Stadium.

Needing a win to maintain control of their playoff destiny, the Cougars rallied from an early 7-0 deficit to pull away in the second half for a comfortable victory to improve to 3-6 overall and 2-3 in District 2-5A Division II play.

Leading just 24-21 in the third quarter, Cooper closed the game with 21 unanswered points to put the Leopards away and earn a likely winner-take-all matchup with Amarillo Palo Duro at home in Week 11 for the district’s fourth and final playoff spot.

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS GAME OF THE WEEK: Loboes play host to Hawley in Big Country Preps Game of the Week

LAST WEEK:  41-10 .803
SEASON TOTAL: 367-108, .772

Football season doesn’t feel complete without at least one visit to Chesley Field in Cisco. And Friday night, the Big Country Preps Game of the Week will stop by for a crucial District 4-2A DI matchup between the Loboes (5-2, 1-1) and Hawley (7-0, 2-0). 

For Hawley, a win here will keep open the possibility of an unbeaten regular season. For Cisco, a victory would signal the beginning of a climb back into area prominence. 

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Evan Ren

Big Country Volleyball Statistical Leaders (as submitted by area coaches through Oct. 22)

Big Country Preps is publishing area volleyball statistical leaders each Tuesday at 7 p.m. roughout the regular season.

This database will be continually updated for our subscribers throughout the remainder of the season, using only those statistics submitted by area coaches.

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Daniel Youngblood

DISTRICT 2-5A DIV. II WEEK 8 REPORT: Cooper, Wylie pick up big wins; LCP takes care of Palo Duro

Abilene Cooper 35, Plainview 23 — The Cougars outgained the Bulldogs 364-258, overcoming a couple of bad breaks early to pull away for a comfortable victory in a must-win district home game.

Trailing 10-7 in the second quarter after a couple of mistakes in special teams on on offense, Cooper (2-6, 1-3) outscored Plainview 28-13 the rest of the way, with the Bulldogs’ final touchdown coming with three seconds remaining in the game.

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Resilient Cooper Cougars top Plainview in must-win district matchup

After starting District 2-5A Division II play at 0-3, the Cooper football team entered Friday’s home matchup against Plainview with its back against the wall.

The Cougars had to beat the Bulldogs or risk seeing their 17-year playoff streak come to an end. 

At several points throughout the night, coach Aaron Roan’s squad had its mettle tested. But time and again, the Coogs stood tall, answering every Bulldogs challenge in a 35-23 win at Shotwell Stadium.

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Wylie stays unbeaten in district play with hard-fought sweep of rival Cooper

Coming into Tuesday’s crosstown volleyball match between Wylie and Cooper, both teams were riding the high of a big win to close out the first half of District 4-5A play.

The Lady Bulldogs went on the road Friday to outlast Wichita Falls Memorial in a five-set marathon and take sole possession of first place in the league’s standings, while the Lady Cougars downed Wichita Falls Legacy at home to get a leg up on the district’s fourth playoff spot.

That momentum carried over to Tuesday as both teams played and competed well at Cougar Gym. But in the end, Wylie was too tough in a hard-fought 25-23, 25-19, 25-19 win.

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Daniel Youngblood

DISTRICT 2-5A DIV. II WEEK 7 REPORT: Wylie blasts Palo Duro; Lubbock Cooper routs Abilene Cooper

Wylie 70, Amarillo Palo Duro 28 — The Bulldogs dominated the Dons from start to finish, scoring at will on offense while forcing seven turnovers (six interceptions, one fumble) in a blowout win.

Wylie (5-1, 3-0) finished with 452 yards of total offense, scoring on each of its first nine possessions while adding a defensive score as well to take a 70-12 lead early in the fourth quarter. Quarterback Bear Meng passed for 186 yards and four touchdowns and added two more scores on the ground, while Julius Laine ran 94 yards and a score — all in the first half.

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Daniel Youngblood

GAME REPORT: Texas Tech commit Dever leads Lubbock Cooper to 49-17 home win over Abilene Cooper

LUBBOCK — Michael Dever returned the opening kickoff for a score and added two touchdown catches and a TD run after that to stake Lubbock Cooper to a 42-3 halftime lead, and the Pirates cruised from there to a 49-17 win over Abilene Cooper at Pirate Stadium. 

Dever, a Texas Tech commit, finished with 137 total yards (80 receiving, 57 rushing) in addition to his 98-yard kickoff return, helping Lubbock Cooper (6-1 overall) improve to 3-0 in District 2-5A Division II play on a night when the Pirates defense limited the Cougars to just 199 total yards.

Abilene Cooper, which passed for all but 25 of those yards, got a pair of touchdowns from quarterback Austin Cummins in the second half, but the Coogs never pulled closer than the final 32-point margin in falling to 1-6 on the year and 0-3 in league action.

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS GAME OF THE WEEK: Comanche plays host to Jim Ned (w/ Evan Ren’s Big Country Picks)

LAST WEEK: 32-12, .809
SEASON TOTAL: 279-91, .757

Now it’s time to get down to business. 

With most of the Big Country taking an open date last Friday as a prelude to district play, we now dive headfirst into the games that count the most.

District play opens tomorrow for most leagues in the area, the intensity of which is already tangible. 

Can you feel it? 

We’ll see you on the road. 

Here’s this week’s area picks: 

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Daniel Youngblood

DISTRICT 2-5A DIV. II WEEK 6 REPORT: Wylie runs away from Cooper; Memorial rallies past Palo Duro

Wylie 29, Abilene Cooper 7 — The Bulldogs overcame an early pick-six to put up 29 unanswered points in a comfortable win over the Couagars in the Southtown Showdown.

Led by running back Julius Laine, who rushed for 163 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries, Wylie (4-1, 2-0) outgained 323-103, using seven sacks to limit Cooper to just seven yards on the ground.

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Running back Laine, stifling defense fuel Wylie to 29-7 win over rival Cooper

Coming into Friday’s Southtown Showdown, Cooper coach Aaron Roan said the key to a Cougars victory would be controlling the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball.

Once the game kicked off, it became apparent pretty quickly that wouldn’t be the case.

Wylie outgained Cooper 323-103, outpacing the Cougars 190-7 on the ground to cruise to a thorough 29-7 win at Shotwell Stadium. The three-score victory improved the Bulldogs (4-1 overall) to 2-0 in District 2-5A Division II action, while dropping Cooper to 0-2.

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Fast start fuels Abilene High to four-set win over crosstown rival Cooper

Entering Tuesday’s crosstown match in need of a win to avoid an 0-2 district start, the Abilene High volleyball team started fast and kept its foot on the gas on its way to a 25-20, 25-23, 19-25, 25-20 win at Cougar Gym.

In a match where both teams struggled to find a rhythm on the attack, the Lady Eagles were just a little cleaner in all phases, taking advantage of 29 Cooper hitting errors and 11 service errors to grab the momentum early and maintain it throughout the contest.

Playing in front of a raucous crosstown crowd, the fast start was a point of emphasis coming in and, ultimately, a key to the leaving with a win, first-year AHS coach T-Keeyah Hall-Fanner said.

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Daniel Youngblood

DISTRICT 2-5A DIV. II WEEK 5 REPORT: Wylie, Memorial and Lubbock Cooper open league play with wins

Wylie 49, Wichita Falls Legacy 19 — Julius Laine ran for 179 yards and two touchdowns on just 11 carries to fuel a 302-yard rushing effort for the Bulldogs in a district-opening  rout of the Leopards.

Bear Meng added 182 yards and two touchdowns passing for Wylie (3-1, 1-0), which increased a 30-7 halftime lead to 49-7 before Legacy scored a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns against the Bulldogs backups.

Continue reading “DISTRICT 2-5A DIV. II WEEK 5 REPORT: Wylie, Memorial and Lubbock Cooper open league play with wins” →

by Zach Duncan, Special to Big Country Preps

GAME STORY: Missed opportunities doom Cooper in 24-7 loss to Wichita Falls Memorial

WICHITA FALLS — Aaron Roan’s message to his Cooper football team after Friday night’s 24-7 loss against Wichita Falls Memorial was straightforward.

It’s still early in the 2-5A Division II race. And Roan still believes his Cougars are a good football team, better than their 1-4 record indicates.

The story of Cooper’s district opener at Memorial Stadium started and ended with missed opportunities. The Cougars drove into the red zone five times against the Mavericks, but they came away with only one touchdown.

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Daniel Youngblood

DISTRICT 2-5A DIV. II WEEK 4 REPORT: Cooper earns first victory; Palo Duro knocks Amarillo High

Abilene Cooper 53, Lubbock Coronado 7 — JQ Scroggins and Peyton Ewing both eclipsed the 100-yard rushing mark, and the CHS defense was dominant as the Cougars broke into the win column with a blowout victory over the Mustangs. 

Scroggins ran for 137 yards and a touchdown, while Ewing rushed for 102 yards and a score of his own to help lead a 359-yard rushing effort for Cooper (1-3), which also got 119 yards and two touchdowns passing from Austin Cummins and 56 yards and one TD receiving from Zavian Alexander.

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Daniel Youngblood

GAME REPORT: Cooper rolls through Lubbock Coronado 53-7 to claim first win

Photos by Mark Rogers, HubCityPreps.com

LUBBOCK — The Cooper football team broke into the win column in dominant fashion Friday, outgaining Lubbock Coronado 492-148 in a 53-7 win at Lowrey Field.

After dropping their first three games by a combined 20 points, the Cougars took control of this one quickly, following a scoreless first quarter with 21 unanswered points in the second before increasing their lead to 40-0 by the end of the third.

With the victory, Cooper closed the nondistrict portion of its schedule at 1-3, giving the Coogs some positive momentum heading into next week’s District 2-5A Division II opener at Wichita Falls Memorial.

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS GAME OF THE WEEK: Rattlers play host to Comanche

LAST WEEK: 47-11, .810
SEASON TOTAL: 141-59, .705

After nosediving in Week 2 with one of the worst pick records I’ve ever had, the column rebounded in Week 3 with an .810 percentage to push my overall tally over .700 again. 

As for this week’s Big Country Preps Game of the Week, Mr. Yale Youngblood will be on hand in Tolar to cover Comanche’s road game with the Rattlers in what should be a fun one.

I’ll be heading to Ballinger, where the Bearcats (3-0) will play host to Brady (2-1) in a battle of upstarts. 

Let’s dive into this week’s picks: 

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Daniel Youngblood

DISTRICT 2-5A DIV. II WEEK 3 REPORT: Wylie, Lubbock Cooper and Memorial cruise to wins

Wylie 41, Lubbock Coronado 12 — After a slow start, the Bulldogs pulled away from the Mustangs, scoring 34 unanswered points to turn a 12-7 second-quarter deficit into a blowout win.

Bear Meng passed for 169 yards and two touchdowns, while Jaegan Smith (10-111, 1 TD) and Julius Laine (5-74, 2 TDs) led a 295-yard rushing attack in the win, which improved Wylie to 2-0 on the year.

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: San Angelo Central spoils Cooper rally in 31-27 victory

Heading to the fourth quarter down 24-7, the Cooper football team rallied to score 20 unanswered points and take a lead on San Angelo Central in the final four minutes Friday at Shotwell Stadium.

But the 3:41 left on the clock after the Cougars’ go-ahead touchdown proved too much time in a gut-wrenching 31-27 loss to the Bobcats.

Taking possession at its own 25, Central drove 75 yards in 10 plays, converting three third downs — including a third-and-10 from its own 37-yard line, to regain the lead for good with a 9-yard touchdown pass from Christian English to Mason Van. That score, combined with an interception on the first play of the Cougars’ ensuing possession, allowed the Bobcats (1-2) to celebrate their first win under new coach Mark Smith, while dropping Cooper to 0-3.

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS GAME OF THE WEEK: Glen Rose visits Brownwood (w/ Evan Ren’s Big Country Picks)

LAST WEEK: 46-28, .621
SEASON TOTAL: 94-48, .661

Abysmal. 

That’s about the only adjective that comes to mind when trying to describe my Big Country football picks, which are off to the single worst start through two weeks that I’ve ever experienced in 18 years of covering area football. 

A percentage of .621 after two weeks of play is beatable by throwing darts, flipping coins, or even consulting with your local horoscope page. Yet here I sit, trying to dig myself out of the hole I’ve created. But enough of that, Glen Rose at Brownwood is our Big Country Preps Game of the Week, in a week filled with interesting matchups. 

Let’s have a look at them:  

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Cooper rides emotional opening set to home sweep of Mineral Wells

Facing game point in a back-and-forth first set against Mineral Wells on Tuesday, the Cooper volleyball team used a 4-1 run to rally for a 28-26 win. That shifted momentum to the Lady Cougars’ side, and it stayed there the rest of the way as coach Nora Campbell’s team won the next two games 25-14 and 25-18 to secure a nondistrict sweep at Cougar Gym.

The victory, which snapped a four-match losing streak, improved Cooper to 10-13 with four matches to play before their Sept. 27 District 4-5A opener against crosstown rival Wylie. 

Mineral Wells, meanwhile, dropped to 10-10 with the loss, which saw the Lady Rams lose outside hitter Liliana Rodriguez for the final two sets to a broken pinky.

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us