What they might need to do is get out of their own way so they can prove themselves a district championship contender.
That’s how the Dons looked for much of the game, especially in the second half when they shut out Cooper. But early mistakes and a huge late penalty added up against them, as they dropped a 28-21 decision to fall to .500 both overall (3-3) and in district (1-1).
Palo Duro never led and only once did the Dons have the ball with a chance to tie the game in the fourth quarter. However, they may well have been kicking themselves over what might have been.
“We had opportunities to make plays and we didn’t make enough,” PD coach Eric Mims said. “We put ourselves in a hole offensively early with two turnovers and (Cooper) scored on both of those. Our defense played a great game.”
After a scoreless third quarter, the Dons pulled to within 28-21 on a 3-yard scoring pass from sophomore Darien Lewis to Terrance Wainwright with 6:48 remaining in the game. Palo Duro benefited from four Cooper penalties for a total of 49 yards, including two for first downs after third and longs which kept the drive alive for the Dons.
The Dons then forced a three-and-out by Cooper (2-5, 1-1) and got the ball back with plenty of time left in the game.
They drove to the Cooper 33-yard line and faced a fourth-and-five with three minutes left. Lewis, who had a game-high 128 yards on 14 carries, kept it, but was stopped three yards short of a first down.
“It was definitely designed for our top guy with the ball,” Mims said. “(Lewis) made some great plays all night long so we put the ball in his hands in the fourth quarter on fourth down.”
“Our defense went out and got the stop, we just didn’t finish it,” Mims said. “We’ve got to be more disciplined. We can’t get those 15-yard penalties. It makes no sense.
“We need to stop on the whistle. It is a chippy game but you’ve got to have more discipline that what we had.”
The Dons showed they could hang with Cooper offensively much of the first half. But mistakes were the biggest factor, as two turnovers on their first two possessions set up Cooper touchdowns and proved the difference as the Cougars led 28-14 at halftime.
On their first possession after the opening kickoff, the Dons moved inside Cooper territory, but Darien Lewis was intercepted by Zavian Alexander, who set up the Cougars at the Palo Duro 45-yard line. Two Daniel Bray carries later Cooper was in the end zone, as he took in the second one from 18 yard out for a 7-0 lead.
Palo Duro gave the ball back one play after the ensuing kickoff, as Charlie Love fumbled a reception and Cooper’s Eric Tonche recovered and took it to the PD 18. Bray scored again from 2 yards out for a 14-0 lead.
“It was a fight from the start,” Cooper coach Aaron Roan said. “Palo Duro’s a good football team. They’ve got a talented group over there. We got some things going in our favor in the first half. We had too many penalties which gave them some extra opportunities.”
The Dons found their feet offensively after that, scoring on their last two possessions of the first quarter. Amariyea James scored on a 1-yard run to end the ensuing drive, and Lewis made a highlight film scrambling, weaving 66-yard scoring run which was the most impressive offensive play of the night.
However, in between those two runs, Cooper’s Christian Rico returned a kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown, and the Cougars led 21-14 at the end of the quarter.
Cooper’s Peyton Ewing scored on a 12-yard run early in the second quarter to go up 28-14. That was the last score of the half, as the defenses stiffened after that.
Palo Duro actually outgained Cooper by a 331-285 margin. What’s bound to gain the wrath of both coaching staffs during film sessions is the number of yellow flags incurred, especially during the second half, as Palo Duro was penalized 11 times for 95 yards, and Cooper was called for 12 penalties totaling 116 yards.
In other 2-5A Division II action, Wichita Falls Rider beat Abilene Wylie 34-14, and Plainview pummeled Lubbock High 41-12.
District 2-5A Division I
Caprock was still looking for its first district win after getting thumped on the road by Lubbock Monterey, 45-10. The Longhorns are now 1-7 and 0-4 in district while Monterey is 3-4 and 1-2 and now entered in the playoff conversation.
In what was the district’s biggest game of the night, Abilene High beat Lubbock Cooper 38-35 to maintain sole possession of the district lead, a game ahead of Amarillo High in second place.
