Dawgs win district opener
By DAVID MORRIS
Cove Leader-Press
Hosting the Killen Kangaroos (0-4) for homecoming, the Copperas Cove Bulldawgs (2-2) claimed the District 12-6A opener Friday night 62-53 at Bulldawg Stadium. Cameron Tuiasosopo and Taylor Trimm were named King and Queen of the 2024 Homecoming festivities held before kickoff.
“This team has lost five games with scoring 50 points, so we knew they could score,” head coach Tony Johnson said. “You know, I thought we had a good game plan, and early on we did. The first half, we kind of held them in check 17 points, but then they got on court. They are a great football team, we knew we could take advantage of them on some defensive things, but at the end of the day, it’s getting a win, getting the district win, and setting yourself up for the next week.”
Taking the opening kickoff, the Dawgs marched from their own 35-yard line using 11 plays and half the first quarter before Anthony King would find Arthur Miller on a pass to the corner of the endzone from the Roos’ 26-yard line. Christian Luna added the point after kick to give the Dawgs an early lead, 7-0.
Giovanni Guerrero lined the Dawgs up for the ensuing kickoff, sending it to midfield on an onsides attempt. Twelve plays into the drive, faced with a third and 15, Criss Varona knocked the ball down from the endzone preventing a touchdown. The Roos elected to try a 34-yard field goal off the foot of Daywood Almashhadani to make the score 7-3 in favor of the Dawgs.
A block in the back negated a 40-yard kickoff return by Malik Cuthbert and the Dawgs were sent back to their own 21-yard line. KJ Zeigler would make up the lost yardage on first down, running up the middle for 21 yards. Zeigler would rack up 54 yards on the eight-play drive that took the teams to the end of the first quarter.
Facing a third and goal from the nine-yard line, coming out of the break a Trishtin Glass reception from King moved the ball to the one-yard line where on the next play Zeigler would break the goal line adding six to the scoreboard. Luna would add the kick to give the Dawgs a 11-point advantage on the scoreboard. 14-3.
Killeen would begin the next drive at their own 30. Eight plays and 40 yards later, the Kangaroos faced with a fourth and 9 received a new set of downs following a 16-yard run. Deangelo Ingram found Timothy Boatner in the endzone for six to make the score14-10.
Copperas Cove began at their own 33-yard line for the next possession. Picking up chunk plays off the legs of Zeigler, the Dawgs moved the ball 40 yards on 8 plays before King and Glass connected on the far side of the field for a touchdown, and a point after kick by Luna was good, making the score 21-10.
A long return on the following kickoff set Killeen up at inside the redzone. Six plays and 16 yards, D’Angelo Ingrim crossed the goal line. With the kick, the Roos cut into the lead 21-17.
With just under two minutes in the first half, Copperas Cove corralled the Roos’ kick at the 25-yard line and moved it out to the Dawgs’ 49-yard line before being brought down.
Picking up three first downs, the Dawgs marched into the redzone and would be faced with a second and 14 with just under 30 seconds remaining.
On third down, King found Glass at the 3-yard line, and he fought his way into the endzone. Luna added the PAT and improved the Dawgs position 28-17.
In the final seconds of the first half, Luna kicked the ball down to the Roos’ 2-yard line and would bring it out to the six-yard line. A holding penalty on first down negated the run and called for a 10-second runoff to end of the half.
King ended the first half with near perfect passing going 15 for 19 passes and 147 yards and three touchdowns int the air. Leading the way on the ground is Zeigler with 8 carries 40 yards and a score.
Deferring the opening kickoff to the second half, Killeen would take possession of the ball at their own 35-yard line as Luna sent the ball from the tee.
Moving the ball 34 yards in 7 plays, the Roos were faced with a fourth and 11 that was tipped at the line by 18 and nearly intercepted, causing a turnover on downs at the Dawgs’ 31-yard line.
Moving the ball off the legs of Zeigler again, the Dawgs needed seven plays to find the endzone from 69-yards again, making the score 35-17 on a 21-yard Cuthbert run.
Lining up at the 40-yard line, Luna launched the ball to the Roos’ own 25-yard line where Jones brought it out 6-yards and began the next drive at their own 31-yard line. Killeen moved the ball 69-yards on 6 plays that ended with a 35-yard touchdown. Daywood added the point after attempt cutting the Dawgs lead 35-24.
An onside attempt set Cove up near midfield and an offsides by the Roos on the kick moved them across midfield to the Roos’ 46-yard line. One play later, Zeigler scampered 46-yards untouched for the endzone. Luna remained perfect on the point after attempts to give the Dawgs a 42-24 advantage.
Killeen needed just seven plays to march down the field 69 yards for their next score, a 30-yard reception by Antwoine Warren to make the score 42-31.
Starting at their own 37-yard line, Zeigler moved the ball 10 yards on first down, needing the whole defensive unit to drag him down after a first down was picked up.
Three plays later King’s pass intercepted and brought back to the Dawgs’ end of the field. Two plays later a 39-yard reception in the endzone made the score 42-38 with the point after attempt good and 11 seconds left in the third quarter of play.
Starting at their own 42-yard line the Dawgs would take the ball into the fourth quarter with a four-point advantage on the scoreboard. Zeigler’s 48 yards set up first and goal from their own 9-yard line. One play later Zeigler found the endzone, however Luna’s point after attempt was blocked and returned for a two-point conversion for the Roos, making the score 48-40.
A Killeen fumble on the next drive and Cove took over at midfield. One play later King found Miller who rumbled into the endzone on a 50-yard play.
Holding on the original attempt after the score caused a re-kick that was good, making the score 55-40.
Killeen would begin at their own 30-yard line. Moving the ball on 8 plays, Killeen lined up inside the redzone at the Dawgs’ 5-yard line. On the next play, Ingrim flared the ball to the flat with Boatner hauling it in and stepping around the pylon for the score, making the contest 55-47 with over eight minutes left to play.
A kickoff muffed by Cove with Killeen recovered start at their own 46-yard line. Moving the ball 54-yards on 8 plays, the Roos’ scored on a run up the middle. A false start on the point after attempt moved the try back to the 8-yard line but would be stopped short of the endzone by James, leaving the score 55-53 in favor of Copperas Cove.
With just under six minutes left to play, Copperas Cove takes over at their own 33-yard line King helped his own cause, picking up 32 yards on 3 and 10.
“I dropped back, looking down the field, and everybody just not really looking back at me,” said King. “I see open grass and I just took my lane and got the first.”
Zeigler then moved the ball inside the five-yard line on the next play and Cove was faced with a first and goal from the 4-yard line where Zeigler would cap off the 67-yard drive leaving just under 3 minutes on the clock. 62-53.
Pinning them deep on a botched return, the Roos started inside their own five-yard line to begin their final drive of the game. The Roos turned the ball over after failing to pick up a first down on fourth and 20, leaving the Dawgs to start inside the redzone. King would need two kneel-downs as the Roos were out of timeouts and there was just over a minute remaining before moving to 1-0 in district play.
The Dawgs will be on the road next week as they travel to Bryan to face the Vikings with a 7:30 kickoff Oct 4 at Merrill Green Stadium located at 3310 Oak Ridge Dr. Bryan, TX 77802.