Panthers pounce on Dawgs 45-21
By STEVE MCWHORTER
Cove Leader-Press
The Copperas Cove Bulldawgs traveled to Waco to take on the Midway Panthers. Copperas Cove hasn’t had much luck against the Panthers in the last few years, but the players were hoping to change that this week. This time, Copperas Cove fell to Midway 21 – 45.
The Bulldawgs won the toss and deferred to the second half. The Panthers began their first drive on their own 33-yard line. The Bulldawgs held the Panthers to 4th and 7 but an 11-yard catch gave them a first down followed by a 22-yard run to the Copperas Cove 11-yard line. Three plays later the Panthers quarterback rushed for a touchdown. The Panthers led 0 – 7.
Copperas Cove began their first drive on their own 25-yard line. A 7-yard reception from Micah Casson to Daniel Izquierdo led to 3rd and 2 but a false start penalty pushed the Bulldawgs to 3rd and 7. A pass to the tight end Cameron Jackson on the 38-yard line gave Copperas Cove a first down. Trishstin Glass caught a slant pass for a gain of eight yards bringing up 3rd and 2, an incomplete pass brought up 4th and 2 and the Bulldawgs elected to punt.
An excellent punt by Demetrius Pearce pinned the Panthers at their own 5-yard line to begin their next drive. The Panthers managed a 6-play, 95-yard drive for a touchdown, increasing their lead to 0 – 14 with 2:36 left in the first quarter.
The Bulldawgs began their next drive on the 25-yard line. A pass interference call gave Copperas Cove a first down at their 47-yard line. The stingy Panthers run defense continued to stymy the Bulldawg rushing game. Two consecutive long pass plays moved the Bulldawgs to the Panther 20-yard line. A pass from Casson to Izquierdo moved the Bulldawgs to the 1-yard line. A high snap went over Casson’s head and the ball was recovered by the Panthers on the 6-yard line.
The Bulldawg defense stiffened up on the Panther drive, including a tipped ball by James Marshall on 3rd and long, forcing the Panthers into a three and out and a punt. The punt gave Copperas Cove the ball on the Panthers’ 39-yard line.
The Bulldawgs continued to be unable to move the ball effectively on the ground and had to punt after three plays. The 25-yard punt put the Panthers on their own 15-yard line. A holding call pushed the Panthers to 1st and 20 but a long pass play moved them to the Copperas Cove 30-yard line. Three plays later the Panthers scored another touchdown bringing the score to 0 – 21.
Another long kick-off resulted in a touchback, starting the Bulldawgs on the 25-yard line. The Panther rush defense continued their dominance of the line of scrimmage forcing Copperas Cove into another three and out. The punt resulted in the Panthers beginning their next drive on their own 26-yard line.
A 52-yard pass play on third and long moved the Panthers to the Copperas Cove 22-yard line. Two plays later, on 3rd and 6, the quarterback kept the ball and ran for a 19-yard touchdown. Copperas Cove 0 - 28 Midway.
Copperas Cove began their next drive on their own 25-yard line. The Bulldawg offense was unable to move the ball and punted to the Panthers.
Midway started with their best field position of the night starting on their own 44-yard line. The Bulldawgs stopped the drive resulting in a 48-yard field goal try by the Panthers which was successful, bringing the score to 0 – 31 with 1:14 left in the half.
Copperas Cove tried to establish some momentum going into halftime starting from their own 25-yard line. A holding call on first down resulted in 1st and 20. The Bulldawgs were forced to punt the ball. The Panthers took over deep in their own territory with :04 left in the half, with an incomplete pass bringing the game to halftime.
The Bulldawgs began the first drive of the second half from their own 20-yard line. After an incomplete pass the Panthers strip sacked Casson, recovering the ball at the Cove 11-yard line. The Panthers took five plays to score, bringing the score to 0 – 38.
The Bulldawgs began their next drive on their own 1-yard line. Anthony King came in at quarterback. King threw a 12-yard pass to Cuthbert for a first down and ran for another first down to the 28-yard line. The drive stalled and the Bulldawgs punted away.
The Panthers began the next drive on their own 15-yard line. The Bulldawgs had a chance to stop the drive on 4th and 2 at the Panther 35-yard line but gave up the first down. The Panthers marched down the field for another touchdown, widening their lead to 0 – 45.
Xavier Taclibon took the kickoff to the 50-yard line on a 30-yard return. Arthur Miller ran the first play for 20 yards to the Panther 30-yard line. King hooked up with Izquierdo to the 23-yard line to bring up second down. A 15-yard penalty brought up 2nd and long. Izquierdo caught a pass from King for the 1st down on 4th and long, moving the Bulldawgs to the Panther 15-yard line. Pearce made a shoestring catch for another first down on the 2-yard line. King threw a touchdown pass to Anthony King in the back of the end zone. The extra point was tipped at the line, bringing the score to 6 – 45.
The Bulldawgs forced a three-and-out on the next drive and took over on their own 41-yard line after a short punt. Cove was unable to move the ball and was forced to punt back to the Panthers with 7:46 left in the game.
The Copperas Cove defense stopped Midway again, forcing another punt. King threw a 23-yard pass to Pearce to move to the Midway 35-yard line. A 35-yard touchdown pass brought the Bulldawgs to 13 – 45 with less than four minutes left in the game.
Copperas Cove forced a three-and-out and after the punt the Bulldawgs took over at their own 37-yard line with 2:12 left in the game. The throw from King bounced off the receiver’s shoulder pad for a Midway interception.
Cove forced another three-and-out. To finish the game a King-led offense moved the ball down the field and scored on a 17-yard touchdown pass from King to Miller. The Bulldawgs converted the two-point try bringing the score to 21 – 45 to finish the game.
The Copperas Cove Bulldawgs play the Hutto Hippos next Friday at home.