Wildorado assistant coach, Connor Copley, left, and his father and Follett head football coach, Andy, take a picture before their game Friday. [Rebecca Gregory/ For Press Pass Sports]
1. Father, son reunion
The Follett-Wildorado game brought more to the table than just two undefeated teams facing off. The game pitted Follett head coach Andy Copley against his oldest son, Connor Copley, the Wildorado assistant coach.
Dad got the best of his son Friday night as the Panthers took out Wildorado 54-8, but the pair were able to share a couple moments together before the matchup. While playing under his father at Water Valley, Connor was a basketball Class 1A state champion in 2014, as well as a TABC state basketball MVP and state tournament MVP.
In football, the Copley tandem compiled a 40-0 regular season record at Water Valley and Conner was an All-State selection three times. Connor, who is also the Wildorado head basketball coach, is in his third year of coaching. Andy is in his third season as head coach of the Follett football team, after leading Canadian’s basketball to back-to-back Class 2A state championships in 2015-2016.
2. Follett wins battle of unbeatens
This was a measuring stick game for both Wildorado and Follett on Friday night. This game proved one thing. Follett is the real deal, cruising past the Mustangs 54-8.
It was a big game for Panthers Jonathon Comacho as he carried the rock seven times for 56 yards and three scores. Comacho came up big time with a 44-yard punt return as well and racked up 10 tackles. The Panthers (4-0) continues to show they are back to their old ways.
3. White Deer holds off Spur
No doubt White Deer has had its fair share of tough games to start the season. That was no different Friday night when the No. 10-ranked Bucks took on Spur. Running back Hunter Warkamski was a beast, racking up 226 total yards with three touchdowns, as well as throwing for another 78 yards. White Deer (3-1) along with four other teams in the preseason Top-10 have a loss on the season to other top-ranked teams. Only one team remains undefeated and still in the top ten (Westbrook). The other five teams are no longer ranked. There are new teams entering the ranking every week, who’s to say the next isnt from the Texas Panhandle?
4. Happy stays happy
The No. 11-ranked Cowboys are a team knocking on the door of the Top-10 rankings of Division I. On Friday, the Cowboys stayed red hot, blowing out Kress 58-8. Happy wasted no time in separating themselves from the Kangaroos putting up 44 points in the first quarter alone. Stetson Jameson impressed once again finding the endzone four times compiling 166 yards on 12 carries.
The Cowboys (4-0) have a huge test this week as they take on No. 2 Sterling City (4-0) at 7 p.m. at Borden County on Thursday night.
The Eagles offensive coordinator is former Happy football coach Tye Keith. Keith was 86-31 in nine years at Happy, leading the Cowboys to back-to-back Class 1A Division I state semifinal appearances in 2016-2017.
5. Nazareth sneaks past the Dragons
The Nazareth Swifts had been struggling the past two weeks after a win in the season opener, but got back on track in thrilling fashion at Paducah. The Swifts (2-2) had to fight to the very end for their second victory of the season, but got it done 66-64 against the Dragons.
Nazareth used a big lift from its senior do-it-all standout Luke Betzen. Betzen not only scored the eventual game-winning TD, but put Naz on his back with 228 yards on the ground, passing for 98 yards, had 59 yards receiving for a total of eight touchdowns on the night.
6. Only three remain
There are 12 undefeated small school teams still standing in the Texas Panhandle after four weeks. After the matchup between unbeaten Follett and Wildorado, only three teams remain undefeated in the Six-man ranks. Follett (4-0) sped past the Mustangs in their 54-8 win, the Happy Cowboys (4-0) dismantled Kress 58-8 and Valley stayed at 3-0 going idle in Week 4.
