Big Country Rewind: Defense, Meng spark Abilene Wylie past Lubbock-Cooper
NON-DISTRICT
ABILENE WYLIE 35, LUBBOCK-COOPER 34
Top performers
Wylie: Bryant Meng 188 yards, 2 TDs passing; Derrick Evans 7-128 TD receiving
Lubbock-Cooper: Jayden Hibbler 20-133, 2 TDs rushing
Highlights: Bryant Meng’s second touchdown pass of the night, a 42-yarder to Derrick Evans with 4:46 left in the game, followed by Brady Clark’s PAT kick, lifted Abilene Wylie over Lubbock-Cooper on Friday in Woodrow.
Wylie’s Collin Bruning returned an interception 27 yards for a TD for the game’s first score, and Andre Gjerpe returned another pick 40 yards for a TD after the Pirates’ Jayden Hibbler ran for TDs of 29 and 18 yards.
A missed PAT kick after Gjerpe’s score left Wylie trailing 14-13.
Wylie’s Hayden Wright returned a fumble 55 yards for another defensive TD, but the Pirates led 28-20 at halftime after Jake Qualia ran 3 yards for a TD and Ryan Rodriguez threw a 20-yard TD pass to Sam Marcincowski.
Cub Patton kicked a 33-yard field to put Lubbock-Cooper up 31-20 with 7:40 left in the third quarter, but Meng threw his first TD pass — a 46-yarder to Riley Robinson with 5:45 to go in the third. He also threw a pass to Evans on the PAT, pulling the Bulldogs within three at 31-28.
Patton put the Pirates up 34-28 with a 21-yard field goal with 6:00 left in the game, before Evans’ game-tying catch. Clark then hit the PAT.
Records: Wylie 1-2; Lubbock-Cooper 1-2
Next: Wylie at Stephenville, 7 p.m. Friday; Lubbock-Cooper at Wichita Falls Rider, 7 p.m. Thursday
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JIM NED 17, WALL 14 (OT)
Top performers
Jim Ned: Brayden Shipman 30-145, 2 TDs
Highlights: Erik Welch’s 36-yard field goal lifted No. 9 3A Division-I Jim Ned over No. 4 3A D-II Wall in overtime.
Welch’s kick came on the first possession of overtime, and Jackson Crane picked off a pass on the Hawks’ ensuing possession in overtime to seal the victory.
Brayden Shipman put Jim Ned up 14-0 with TD runs of 10 and 2 yards in the first quarter.
Ryan Allen returned an interception 98 yards for a Wall TD, and the Hawks tied the game as Gunner Dillard threw a 64-yard TD pass to Briggs Jones with 1:16 left in regulation.
It’s the third straight week Jim Ned has knocked off a state-ranked team.
Records: Wall 2-1; Jim Ned 3-0
Next: Peaster at Wall, 7:30 p.m. Friday; Jim Ned vs. Rockdale, 7:30 p.m. Friday at Llano
COLEMAN 30, BRADY 14
Top performers
Coleman: Brent Bouldin 30-154, 3 TDs rushing; Brayden Torres 15-174, TD rushing
Highlights: Brent Bouldin ran for TDs of 1, 3 and 3 yards, while Brayden Torres had a 1-yard TD run as the Bluecats rolled up 242 yards on the ground in the win over the Brady Bulldogs.
Bouldin also ran for two two-point conversion, while Torres ran for another.
Records: Coleman 2-1; Brady 0-3
Next: Llano at Coleman, 7 p.m. Friday; Dublin at Brady, 7 p.m. Friday
CLYDE 69, MERKEL 57
Top performers
Clyde: Blake Carr 22-305 5 TDs rushing, 11-19-0 190 2 TDs passing; Josh Hutton 22-124 2 TDs rushing
Merkel: Maddox O’Malley 12-21-1 255 3 TDs passing, 11-97 2 TDs rushing; Conner Willyerd 15-192 2 TDs rushing, 5-128 2 TDs receiving
Highlights: Blake Carr ran for 305 yards and five TDs, while running for two more as Clyde outlasted the Badgers.
Josh Hutton ran for 124 yards and TDs for the Bulldogs, while Eric Parades and Tucker Jones had a TD catch each. Jacob Louder also returned a fumble for a TD.
Maddox O’Malley threw for 255 yards and three TDs, and he also ran for two more to lead Merkel. Conner Willyerd ran for 192 yards and two TDs and also caught two TD passes from O’Malley.
Adam Rocha returned a fumble for a Badgers TD.
Records: Clyde 3-0; Merkel 2-1
Next: Ballinger at Clyde, 7 p.m. Friday; Merkel at Bangs, 7 p.m. Friday
HAWLEY 33, EASTLAND 20
Top performers
Hawley: Keagan Ables 191 2 TDs passing, 9-48 TD rushing; Diontay Ramon 5-52 TD receiving; Eli Daniel 1-56 TD receiving; Chandlin Myers 88-yard kickoff return for TD
Highlights: Ables threw two TD passes and ran for another to lead No. 5 2A DI Hawley past the Mavericks.
Chandlin Myers returned a kickoff 88 yards for a TD to ignite the defending state champs, who play 2A DII defending state champion Albany on Friday.
Records: Eastland 0-3; Hawley 2-1
Next: Albany at Hawley, 7:30 p.m. Friday; Eastland at Breckenridge, 7:30 p.m. Friday
ALBANY 41, SEYMOUR 14
Top performers
Seymour: Brayden Loyd 19-41-1 279 2 TDs passing; David Charo 5-114 2 TDs receiving; Brason Zeissel 7-118 receiving
Albany: Adam Hill 24-326 4 TDs rushing, six tackles, including three sacks; Cason Fairchild six tackles, interception
Highlights: Adam Hill ran for 326 yards and four TDs as No. 1 Class 2A Division I Albany dealt Seymour its first loss.
Jaxson Hoel (5-13) and Tyler Chapman (7-31) each ran for a Lions’ TD.
Records: Seymour 2-1; Albany 3-0
Next: Quanah at Seymour, 7:30 p.m. Friday; Albany at Hawley, 7:30 p.m. Friday
BRECKENRIDGE 41, CISCO 6
Top performers
Breckenridge: Camden Escalon 12-13-0 218 2 TDs passing; Sawyer Wimberley (8-75 2 TDs rushing, 2-45 1 TD receiving); Alexis Franco 17 tackles, two interceptions, two forced fumbles
Highlights: Camden Escalon threw TD passes to Jaime Cruz and Sawyer Wimberley, while Wimberley also ran for two TDs as the Buckaroos picked up their first win of the season.
The Bucks forced seven turnovers, including five interceptions. Cruz had a defensive TD.
Records: Breckenridge 1-2; Cisco 0-3
Next: Eastland at Breckenridge, 7:30 p.m. Friday; Cisco at Jacksboro, 7 p.m. Friday
STAMFORD 27, BALLINGER 0
Top performers
Stamford: Christian Duran 205 2 TDs passing, 6-71 TD rushing; Cle Whitfield 3-38 TD rushing
Highlights: Christian Duran threw for 205 yards and two TDs while running for another as Stamford remained unbeaten.
Records: Ballinger 0-3; Stamford 3-0
Next: Stamford at Winters, Sept. 22; Ballinger at Clyde, 7 p.m. Friday
SWEETWATER 53, PECOS 40
Top performers
Sweetwater: Caiden Ortiz 14-25-1 224 2 TDs passing; Korda Moore 22-128 3 TDs rushing; Aljah Iriate 3-21 TD rushing; Amare Arevalo 8-114 TD receiving; Jadyn Fores 2-83 TD receiving
Highlights: Korda Moore ran for three touchdowns, while Caiden Ortiz threw for two more as the Class 4A Mustangs – 1-9 last year – remained unbeaten.
Records: Sweetwater 3-0; Pecos 1-1
Next: Sweetwater at Big Spring, 7 p.m. Friday; Stanton at Pecos, 7 p.m. Friday
COMANCHE 57, EARLY 0
Top performers
Comanche: Layden Welch 9-of-11 266 4 TDs passing, 13-28 TD rushing; Colt Schwertner 23-264 TD rushing; Kyler Beaty 6-136 2 TD receiving; Cayden Davis (2-74 TD receiving, 2-4 TD rushing); Raymond Crossland (1-56 TD receiving)
Early: Weston Barton 7-17-1 91 passing
Highlights: Layden Welch threw four TD passes and ran for two more as No. 9 3A DII Comanche drubbed the Longhorns.
Baylor commit Kyler Beaty had six catches for 136 yards and two TDs, while sophomore Colt Schwertner, a scout team player last year, ran for 264 yards and a TD on 23 carries.
Records: Comanche 3-0; Early 1-2
Next: Tolar at Comanche, 7:30 p.m. Friday; Early at Hamilton, 7 p.m. Friday
BROWNWOOD 24, BURNET 10
Top performers
Burnet: Rhett Murray 11-18-0 125 1 TD passing
Brownwood: Braeden Stacks 12-15-0 144 3 TDs passing; Carson Noe 7-100 TD receiving
Highlights: Braeden Stacks, a junior quarterback, came off the bench when starter Ike Hall was injured early in the game and threw for 144 yards and three TDs to lead Class 4A DI No. 8 Brownwood to victory.
Stacks threw a 28-yard TD pass to Aaron Edmonds in the second quarter as the Lions trailed 10-7 at halftime. He threw TDs of 15 and 19 yards, respectively, to Morsello Hooker and Carson Noe in the third quarter to overcome Burnet.
Junior Martinez also kicked a 33-yard field goals in the fourth quarter.
Records: Burnet 1-2; Brownwood 3-0
Next: Giddings at Burnet, 7:30 p.m. Friday; Brownwood at Glen Rose, 7 p.m. Friday
STEPHENVILLE 56, DECATUR 55
Top performers
Stephenville: Ryan Gafford 14-32-0 412 6 TDs passing; Tristian Gentry 8-252 3 TDs receiving; Noah Bullion 6-160 2 TDs receiving; Tate Maruska 19-145 2 TDs rushing
Decatur: Jed Ross 18-29-1 328 4 TDs passing
Highlights: Stephenville rallied from deficits of 21-0, 35-21 (halftime) and 49-28 late in the third quarter to get a TD and break a 49-49 tie late in the game.
Decatur came back to get a TD in the final seconds, went for two and failed on the pass play as the Yellow Jackets won another wild game.
The game finished around 1:30 a.m. because of a lightning delay.
Records: Stephenville 2-1; Decatur 0-3
Next: Abilene Wylie at Stephenville, 7 p.m. Friday; Pampa at Decatur, 7 p.m. Friday
COAHOMA 57, KERMIT 31
Top performers
Coahoma: Boyd Cox 249 4 TDs passing;Jaidyn Vineyard 12-149 TD rushing; Austin Perkins 7-124 2 TDs receiving, 92-yard blocked PAT return
Highlights: Boyd Cox threw for 249 yards and four TDs, including a 55-yarder to Austin Perkins.
Billy Bailey ran for a TD and caught a pass for another, while Bryce Davis caught a TD pass for Coahoma. Jesse Hernandez ran for a TD and returned a fumble 92 yards for another to spark the Bulldogs.
Records: Kermit 1-2; Coahoma 2-1.
Next: Kermit at Jal (N.M.), 8 p.m. Friday; Colorado City at Coahoma, 7 p.m. Friday
KNOX CITY 64, MAY 14
Top performers
Knox City: Cameron Hernandez 8-58, 2 TDs rushing; Devin Guillory 4-80, TD receiving, interception return for TD; Caleb Arrieta TD pass, TD run, interception return for a TD; Bryson Callaway TD pass, TD run
May: Braden Steele 16-98 2 TDs
Highlights: Devin Guillory returned an interception 36 yards for a touchdown, and Caleb Arrieta returned another 31 yards for a TD as the Greyhounds, ranked No. 3 in Class 1A Division I, blasted the No. 6 D-I Tigers.
Arrieta also threw a 27-yard TD pass to Guillory. Tristan Baxter, Bryson Callaway and Arrieta each ran for a TD, while Callaway threw another to Baxter.
Records: Knox City 3-0; May 2-1.
Next: Rankin at Knox City, 7:30 p.m. Friday; May at Garden City, 7:30 p.m. Friday
This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Abilene Wylie knocks off Lubbock-Cooper in football for first victory
