Buckeyes score 20 fourth-quarter points to upend Aggies in DII contest

By TJ MAXWELL
Cove Leader-Press

The Copperas Cove Buckeyes scored 20 fourth-quarter points to defeat the Copperas Cove Aggies 20-14 in the 2017 Copperas Cove Youth Football League Toy Bowl Championship Thursday night at Bulldawg Stadium.
The Buckeyes lost to the Aggies in last year’s title game but avenged that loss and their 28-20 regular season loss with a with a late rally Thursday, led by a strong defensive effort.
“It feels really good,” said Buckeyes head coach Allen Swank. “The coaches and kids really put in a lot of work. They came to practice every day ready to play. They had the focus to come out here and do their jobs well and that’s what they did.” 
Trailing 14-6 with 5:38 left in the game, the Buckeyes recovered on onside kick near midfield to set up the tying touchdown on a 51-yard run by Tashaun Brown on a one-play scoring drive before a fumble recovery by Brown at the Aggies 44-yard line set up the Buckeyes for the go-ahead score. Joseph Carter punched it in from three yards out for the score with 1:03 left to cap a five-play, 43-yard scoring drive.
An interception by Jasiah Wheeler secured the win for the Buckeyes.
“Our defense has been top notch every year that we’ve played and this year was no different,” said Swank. “They came out and did their job. They were hitting hard and they were able to recover the ball and set up the touchdown.”
Swank was really proud of the way his team didn’t fold after a scoreless first three quarters.
“Proud isn’t even an expression I can use,” he said. “They were down on their motivation and they were able to turn that around all on their own by teammates helping each other out. They came back and we got the motivation back.”
The Buckeyes compiled 267 yards of total offense while holding the Aggies to just 57 in the win.
A 26-yard touchdown run by Daniel Izquierdo capped a three-play drive for the Aggies to open the contest after Izquierdo recovered a fumble by Carter and set up the Aggies at the Buckeye 20 and negative plays moved them back to the 26.
The Buckeyes knotted the game at 6-all on a six-play drive that culminated in a 49-yard touchdown run by Brown.
The Aggies quickly responded with a five-play scoring drive capped by a one-yard plunge by Izquierdo and the two-point kick conversion by Adrien Dickson made it a 14-6 Aggies’ lead.
Brown had 12 carries for 183 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Buckeyes’ offense. Carter added 15 yards and a score on eight carries.
Quarterback Gabriel Rodriguez was 1 for 1 passing for 41 yards with that one catch going to Brown.
Brown also led the defense with five tackles, including one for a loss, a forced fumble and fumble recovery while Wheeler added two tackles (one TFL) and an interception.
Izquierdo led the Aggies with 46 yards and two scores on 14 carries. Jaleel Babauta added four totes for 10 yards.
Eric Johnson led the Aggies’ defense with nine tackles, including two tackles for losses and Elijah Calderon had three tackles (one TFL).