12 Dawgs named to All-District list; 6 make All-Academic team

By TJ MAXWELL
Cove Leader-Press

The Copperas Cove Bulldawgs fought to a seven-win season, 5-3 District 12-6A record and playoff berth, despite prognosticators picking them to finish out of the running under first-year head coach and athletic director Jack Alvarez.
Without spring football practice and with a new staff and system, the Bulldawgs were behind the eight ball but still rallied to finish 7-4 on the season with a playoff loss to no. 4 Longview.
The coaches of the district recently recognized 12 Copperas Cove players for their efforts in the 2018 campaign.
Senior Shontez Simmons was selected to the First Team as a running back and senior Trevor Troy was a unanimous pick for First Team tight end.
Simmons finished the year as the district’s leading rusher with 1,455 yards and 14 touchdowns on 157 carries.
Troy finished the season with 17 receptions for 289 yards and four touchdowns and was key in the blocking game. 
Senior quarterback Easton Simpson, junior running back Micah Cox, senior Wide receiver Quinten Lewis, senior defensive end Jaylan Brown and senior cornerback Tommy Connell were each named to the Second Team.
Simpson finished district play 119 for 198 for 1,655 passing yards and 18 touchdowns for fourth in the district.
Cox added 817 yards and nine touchdowns to the Bulldawgs’ rushing statistics.
Lewis finished tied for fifth in receiving with 601 yards and seven touchdowns on 41 receptions.
Brown led the defense with 42 tackles, including 18 tackles for losses, and had six sacks.
Connell tied for the district lead in interceptions with four while defending their opponent’s best wide receiver each game. 
Sophomore tackle McKenzie Agnello, junior tackle Aaron Shanahan, junior wide receiver Jahmeel Rice, junior linebacker Nate David and safety Nick Izquierdo each received Honorable Mention.
Agnello and Shanahan blocked for an offensive line that compiled 4,4,18 total yards of offense, including a district-best 2,651 rush yards.
Rice finished district play with 572 yards and eight touchdowns on 36 catches to finish second behind Lewis.
David finished with 34.5 tackles, including six tackles for losses to finish second on the team.
Izquierdo finished with 27 tackles, including one for a loss,
Simpson, senior tight end Mark Gastelo and senior center Winston Vasquez were named to the Second Team Academic All-State list while senior tight end Tyler Bailey, senior safety Dylan Orr and senior linebacker Darrell Quiochocho all received an Honorable Mention on the All-Academic team.