Cove football faces top-ranked Sachse; Lady Dawg VB hosts Midway for District 8-6A supremacy

By TJ MAXWELL
Cove Leader-Press

If you love to watch high-caliber sports action then don’t miss the Copperas Cove sports double-header tonight that pits the Copperas Cove Lady Dawgs volleyball team (3-0) against the Midway Pantherettes (4-0) to determine who will take control of District 8-6A in the early game with a 5:30 p.m. tip off.
The Bulldawg football team (2-1) will then host the no. 10 ranked (Texas Football Magazine) Garland Sachse Mustangs (3-0) with a 7:30 p.m. kick off.
The Copperas Cove and Midway volleyball teams face off every year with the District lead at stake at that’s no different this year when the Panthers come to Bulldawg Gymnasium tonight.
Despite losing an all-star senior cast to graduation and posting a losing record in non-district action, Midway (12-13, 4-0) is always a formidable foe.  Returning seniors Ryann Abercrombie, Emery Judkins, Kennady Childers and Madison Rohre, along with sophomore Reese Rhodes bring experience to a young but hungry Midway squad.
Junior Aidan Chace leads a foursome of hitters to notched triple-digit kills with 323 while senior Talia Kinslow adds 285, sophomore Leah Powell adds 180 and junior Jada Close rounds out the foursome with 135.
Setting up that offense is junior Kamryn Ash with 599 assist and Chace with 429.
Defensively, junior Kristen Wasiak’s 551 digs and 723 serves received leads the Lady Dawgs. Five other Lady Dawgs have triple-digit digs with Chace Powell and junior Aviyon Wilborn notching at least 221 each.
Junior Christina Pettigrew leads in blocks with 122 while Chace and Close add 119 and 114, respectively.
Ash’s 42 aces is also a team high.
The Bulldawgs have a long night ahead as Sachse is an offensive and defensive powerhouse.
The Mustangs have outscored their opponents 157-6 in their three blow out wins over Byron Nelson (48-6), Plano West (48-0), and Mesquite (61-0).
Senior quarterback Jalen Mayden’s 32 for 48 passing for 468 yards and seven touchdowns lead the passing attack for the team while senior Drue Jackson six catches for 101 yards and a score and junior Trent Dean’s five catches for 83 yards and three scores.
Senior Christian Cole leads the rushing attack with 404 yards and five touchdowns on 54 carries.
Junior Bryce Robinson leads the defense in tackles with 28, including two for losses, and senior Cedric Johnson adds 27 tackles with three for losses. Senior Tyler Lacy leads the team in sacks with four while senior Isaiah Humphries leads in interceptions with three.
Senior Jaylen Smith leads the Bulldawg offense with 53 of 78 passing for 552 yards and four scores with seniors Floyd Connell, Bryce Ranes and Kalen Honts leading the receivers. Connell has 21 catches for 225 yards and two touchdowns while Ranes has 14 catches for 164 yards and Honts has 10 catches for 117 yards and two touchdowns.
The running game is paced by junior Shontez Simmons with 26 carries for 137 yards and four touchdowns while Tim Edwards adds 92 yards and a score on 29 carries.
The defense is led by junior Tommy Connell’s 15 tackles, two interceptions, four pass break ups and a touchdown while senior Andy Riley-Clark adds 14 tackles, three pass break ups and an interception.