High School Football: Abilene Cooper fends off Amarillo Palo Duro for crucial district win
DISTRICT 2-5A DIVISION I
ABILENE COOPER 28, AMARILLO PALO DURO 21
Top performers
Cooper: Daniel Bray 23-114 2 TDs rushing; Austin Cummins 13-17-0—116 yards passing; Christian Rico 85-yard KO return for TD
Palo Duro: Darien Lewis 14-128 TD rushing, 12-17-1—97 TD passing
Highlights: Peyton Ewing’s 12-yard touchdown run with 9:07 left in the first half ended up being the game-winner as the Cougars snapped a three-game losing streak and won their first district game Friday at Dick Bivins Stadium in Amarillo.
Daniel Bray ran for TDs of 18 and 2 yards three minutes apart to spark the Coogs to a 14-0 lead – the second score coming with 5:44 left in the first quarter.
Amariyea James ran 1 yard for Palo Duro’s first score with 2:34 left in the first quarter.
However, Christian Rico returned the ensuing kickoff 85 yards for a Cooper TD.
Darien Lewis capped a wild opening quarter with a 66-yard TD run for the Dons, who went into second quarter trailing 21-14.
It was a 28-14 game at halftime, and neither team scored until Lewis threw a 3-yard TD pass to Terrance Wainright with 6:48 left in the game.
Records: Abilene Cooper 2-5, 1-1; Palo Duro 3-3, 1-1
Next: Plainview at Abilene Cooper, 7 p.m. Friday; Palo Duro at Wichita Falls Rider, 7 p.m. Friday
More: High School Football High School Football: Late TD pass lifts Abilene High over Lubbock-Cooper in wild finish
More: High School football Rider hands Abilene Wylie a 34-14 loss in key District 2-5A DII tilt
DISTRICT 2-4A DIVISION I
BROWNWOOD 66, SAN ANGELO LAKE VIEW 0
Top performers
Lake View: Izaiah Rios 11-44 rushing; Jalen Chavez 7-14-1—79 passing
Brownwood: Ike Hall 6-185 2 TDs rushing, 12-19-0—176 TD passing; Logan McKibben 7-86 2 TDs rushing
Highlights: Ike Hall ran for TDs of 71 and 52 yards and threw a 13-yard pass to Carson Noe for another as the No. 9 Lions blasted Lake View in the district game at Gordon Wood Stadium.
Levi Pearson ran for TDs of 23 and 2 yards, while Logan McKibben added TD runs of 7 and 14 for the Lions. Jaylan Brown and Xavier Zepeda also had TD runs of 1 and 2 yards, respectively.
Junior Martinez booted a 40-yard field goal.
Brownwood plays Estacado (6-1, 1-0) on Thursday in Lubbock in a battle of the last unbeatens in the district.
Records: San Angelo Lake View 1-7, 0-2; Brownwood 7-1, 2-0
Next: Big Spring at Lake View, 7 p.m. Thursday; Brownwood at Lubbock Estacado, 7 p.m. Thursday
DISTRICT 5-4A DIVISION I
STEPHENVILLE 59, WAXAHACHIE LIFE 19
Top performers
Stephenville: Ryan Gafford 10-15-0—263 2 TDs passing; Hudson Butchee 2-2-0—34 TD passing; Latrell Titus 15-167 4 TDs rushing; Noah Bullion 4-112 2 TDs receiving; Tristian Gentry 5-103 TD receiving; Bryson Powell 14-62 TD rushing
Waxahachie Life: James Hicks 8-18-2—131 TD passing; Kordell Berry 19-116 TD rushing
Highlights: Latrell Titus ran for 167 yards and four TDs, while Ryan Gafford threw for two more as No. 8 Stephenville crushed the Mustangs in the district opener in Waxahachie.
The win sets up a showdown with No. 5 China Spring on Thursday at Tarleton Memorial Stadium. China Spring won the 4A DI state title last year, after winning the 4A DII state title the year before when Stephenville won the 4A DI crown.
Records: Stephenville 5-2, 1-0; Waxahachie Life 2-6, 0-2
Next: China Spring at Stephenville, 7 p.m. Thursday; Waxahachie Life at China Spring, 7 p.m. Oct. 27
DISTRICT 3-4A DIVISION II
SWEETWATER 45, MIDLAND GREENWOOD 41
Top performers
Sweetwater: Korda Moore 19-141 3 TDs rushing, 2 TD catches, two 2-point conversions; Caiden Ortiz 16-21-1—139 TDs passing; Jadyn Forbes 11-86 receiving
Greenwood: Tylan Booker 16-203 3 TDs rushing
Highlights: Caiden Ortiz’s 22-yard TD pass to Korda Moore with 10 seconds left in the game lifted the Mustangs over the Rangers.
Ortiz also threw a 39-yard TD pass for the Mustangs’ first score, while Moore added TD runs of 12, 8 and 2 yards as Sweetwater rallied from a 24-8 halftime deficit.
Records: Sweetwater 5-2, 1-0; Midland Greenwood 2-6, 1-1.
Next: Graham at Sweetwater, 7 p.m. Friday; Greenwood at Graham, 7 p.m. Oct. 27
DISTRICT 3-4A DIVISION II
GRAHAM 49, SNYDER 6
Top performers
Graham: Rylan Monsey 14-120 3 TDs rushing; Ty Thompson 15-28-0—182 TD passing, 7-64 TD rushing
Highlights: Rylan Monsey ran for 120 yards and three TDs to lead the Steers past the Tigers in the district game.
Records: Snyder 3-5, 0-2; Graham 7-1, 1-1
Next: Wichita Falls Hirschi, 7 p.m. Friday; Graham at Sweetwater, 7 p.m. Friday
DISTRICT 3-3A DIVISION I
CLYDE 29, JIM NED 14
Top performers
Clyde: Blake Carr 10-17-0—215 3 TDs passing, 24-147 TD rushing; Daijon Booker 4-108 TD receiving; Kendrick Johnson 5-97 2 TDs receiving
Jim Ned: Brayden Shipman 24-106 TD
Highlights: Clyde scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to snap a 14-14 tie and beat Jim Ned at Clyde.
Clyde led 14-0 at halftime, both TDs coming in the second quarter, but Aiden Ellis and Brayden Shipman each ran for TDs as Jim Ned tied the game in the third quarter.
Records: Clyde 7-0, 2-0; Jim Ned 5-2, 1-1
Next: Clyde at Bowie, 7 p.m. Friday; Breckenridge at Jim Ned, 7 p.m.
DISTRICT 3-3A DIVISION I
VERNON 42, BRECKENRIDGE 20
Top performers
Breckenridge: Camden Escalon 13-21-2—226 2 TDs passing; Alexis Franco 1-1-0—17 TD passing, 6-107 TD receiving, 21 tackles, forced fumble on defense
Highlights: Vernon scored 21 fourth-quarter points to put away the Buckaroos in Breckenridge.
Camden Escalon threw for 226 yards and two TDs for the Bucks. Jaime Cruz caught a 52-yard TD pass, and Brilee Bernal also hauled in a TD pass for the Bucks.
Records: Vernon 6-1, 1-1; Breckenridge 3-4, 0-2
Next: Iowa Park at Vernon, 7 p.m. Friday; Breckenridge at Jim Ned, 7 p.m. Friday
DISTRICT 2-3A DIVISION II
EARLY 69, BRADY 8
Top performers
Brady: Sean Jacoby 4-18-2—87 TD passing; Zeke Jones 10-141 rushing
Early: Rohyn Price 15-21-0—309 6 TDs passing; Griffin Cheslock 13-201 2 TDs; Andrew Reedy 4-118 3 TDs receiving
Highlights: Rohyn Price threw for 309 yards and six TDs, including three to Andrew Reedy, and Griffin Cheslock ran for 201 yards and two TDs as the Longhorns blasted Brady.
Ben Morris and Kaleb Ozuna each ran for TDs, while Ki Houston, Reece Middleton and Ben Bleth each caught a TD pass for Early.
Records: Brady 2-5, 1-1; Early 3-4, 2-0
Next: Ballinger at Brady, 7 p.m. Friday; Early at San Angelo Grape Creek, 7 p.m. Friday
DISTRICT 5-3A DIVISION II
EASTLAND 23, MERKEL 20
Top performers
Eastland: Isaiah Hays 13-20-0—166 TD passing; Preston Rose 2-59 TD receiving; Jay Oznick 9-87 receiving; Eddie Medina 15 tackles, 2-3 TD rushing; Jiovani Ojeda 34-yard FG
Merkel: Maddox O’Malley 8-13-0—129 2 TDs passing, 15-68 TD rushing; Connor Willyerd 16-171 TD rushing; Kaden Blubaugh 3-101 2 TDs receiving; Elijah Olivarez 15 tackles
Highlights: Eastland led 23-6 at halftime and held off the Badgers
Isaiah Hays threw for 166 yards and a TD to Preston Rose, while Eddie Medina and Cayden Alford each ran for a Mavericks’ TD.
Maddox O’Malley threw for 129 yards and two TDs, both to Kaden Blubaugh, and Connor Willyerd ran for a TD to spark Merkel.
The difference in the game was Jiovani Ojeda’s 34-yard field goal as the Mavs snapped the Badgers’ three-game win streak.
Records: Eastland 2-5, 1-1; Merkel 5-2, 1-1
Next: Millsap at Eastland, 7 p.m. Friday; Merkel at Jacksboro, 7 p.m. Friday
DISTRICT 5-3A DIVISION II
JACKSBORO 30, COMANCHE 22
Top performers
Jacksboro: Lando Belcher 11-17-0—204 TD passing; Luke Sams 25-101 2 TDs rushing; Cannon Valenzuela 6-119 TD receiving
Highlights: Luke Sams ran for 101 yards and two TDs and Lando Belcher threw for 204 yards and another TD to lead the Tigers past Comanche.
Records: Jacksboro 7-0, 2-0; Comanche 3-4, 0-2
Next: Merkel at Jacksboro, 7 p.m. Friday; Comanche at Dublin, 7 p.m. Friday
DISTRICT 4-2A DIVISION I
STAMFORD 28, CISCO 13
Top performers
Stamford: Christian Duran 11-16-1—128 passing, 11-73 3 TDs rushing; Kaston Vega 12-93 2 TDs rushing
Cisco: Kannon Orsagh 10-18-0—105 2 TDs passing; Julius Profitt 2-28 2 TDs receiving
Highlights: Christian Duran and Kaston Vega ran for TDs of 1 and 19 yards, respectively, in the fourth quarter to lead the Bulldogs past Cisco at Chesley Field.
Kannon Orsagh threw TD passes of 11 and 17 yards to spark Cisco – the first for the game’s first TD and the second for the game’s final score in the fourth quarter.
Duran ran 17 yards for a TD in the first quarter, and Vega snapped the 7-7 tie with a 2-yard run in the second quarter.
Stamford rolled up 231 yards on the ground while holding Cisco to 96 yards rushing. The Bulldogs also had 138 yards passing while Cisco had 124.
Records: Stamford 6-0, 3-0; Cisco 3-5, 3-1
Next: Anson at Stamford, 7 p.m. Friday; Cisco at Anson, 7 p.m. Oct. 27
DISTRICT 5-2A DIVISION I
COLEMAN 29, HAMILTON 22
Top performers
Coleman: Jadin Jackson 16-100 2 TDs rushing; Brayden Torres 14-63 2 TDs
Highlights: Jadin Jackson’s second TD run of the night, a 23-yarder with 1:49 left in the game, helped the Bluecats overcome Hamilton.
Coleman scored the game’s final three TDs. Jackson had a 5-yard TD run in the third quarter, and Brayden Torres got his second TD – a 2-yarder with 5:07 to play in the game.
Torres had a 1-yard TD run in the second quarter as the Bluecats trailed 14-8 at halftime.
Jaxon Edward threw a 56-yard TD pass to Ryan Worthington while Izaac Wood and Cooper LaGrande had TD runs of 5 and 33 yards for Hamilton.
Records: Hamilton 3-4, 0-3; Coleman 6-2, 3-1
Next: De Leon at Hamilton, 7 p.m. Friday; Coleman at De Leon, 7 p.m. Oct. 27
DISTRICT 6-2A DIVISION II
ALBANY 49, CROSS PLAINS 0
Top performers
Albany: Chip Chambers 9-14-0—143 2 TDs; Adam Hill 9-90 3 TDs rushing; Tyler Chapman 7-56 2 TDs rushing; Cason Fairchild 4-70 receiving; Branson Beal 2-21 TD receiving
Highlights: Adam Hill ran for three TDs and Chip Chambers threw for two more to spark No. 1 and reigning state champion Albany.
Records: Albany 7-0, 2-0; Cross Plains 2-5, 0-2
Next: Roscoe at Albany, 7 p.m. Friday; Cross Plains at Hamlin, 7 p.m. Friday
This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Abilene Cooper edges Amarillo Palo Duro in high school football game
