Dawgs show spark late in season opener with Eagles
By STEVEN MCWHORTER
Cove Leader-Press
The Copperas Cove Bulldawgs were defeated in their first game of the season with the Georgetown Eagles 37 –7 on the road.
The Eagles moved ahead early in the contest and the Bulldawgs couldn’t find a way to catch up throughout the game. The inability of the offense to sustain drives and the defense giving up several big plays early in the game combined to put the Dawgs behind.
“I’m just disappointed, disappointed in our performance,” head coach Tony Johnson said. “We had a great week of practice, I didn’t see any horseplay, they were quiet on the bus, they were hyped up when they came out here.”
Copperas Cove went three and out on the first drive and punted.
Georgetown began their first drive on the Copperas Cove 48 yard line. The Eagles moved the ball effectively but the drive stalled out at the 10 yard line. Aaron Guzman successfully kicked the field goal to put the Eagles up 0 -3.
The second Bulldawgs’ drive resulted in minimal yardage and another punt.
On their second drive the Eagles moved the ball efficiently down the field. The Bulldawgs had an opportunity on an Eagle fumble but the Georgetown quarterback, Noah Booras, scooped the ball up and ran for a touchdown. The ensuing extra point extended the Eagle lead to 10.
The next drive for the Bulldawgs resulted in a three and out after two short rushes and an incomplete pass.
The score at the end of the first quarter was Copperas Cove 0 – Georgetown Eagles 10.
The Eagles received the ball first to begin the second half.
The Bulldawgs had stalled the Eagles but they managed to convert a 4 and 2 for a first down. The next play, the Eagles completed a 23-yard touchdown pass.
The Bulldawgs moved the ball into Eagle territory on the next drive aided by a 49-yard completion from QB Micah Casson to Mark Cuthbert. The drive stalled out and the Bulldawgs turned the ball over on downs.
The Eagles moved the ball down the field quickly and scored on a 39-yard touchdown from the Wildcat formation.
The third quarter ended with the Eagles having a commanding 37=point lead.
Copperas Cove started on their 19-yard line for the next drive. Casson rushed the ball for 19 yards on a scramble but the drive stalled.
The Bulldawg defense held tough and the Eagles went three and out on their next drive.
Copperas Cove found success late in the fourth quarter with two long passes.
Demetrius Pearce caught a 42-yard pass followed by a 26=yard touchdown catch by Trishstin Glass with less than a minute to go in the contest, bringing the final score to 7 - 37.
During the next Eagle drive QB Booras threw a 29 yard pass to Ethan West for a long first down. Two plays later the Eagles scored a touchdown on run by RB Andrew Petter.
The Bulldawgs started deep in their own territory on the next drive. They advanced the ball effectively to midfield where the drive stalled out. The punt pined the Georgetown Eagles deep in their own territory.
The Eagles went three and out on the next drive, resulting in a punt to the Bulldawgs.
The Bulldawgs started the drive on their own 22-yard line. The Bulldawgs advanced the ball to near midfield but punted again resulting in a touchback.
On the first play from scrimmage during the next drive the Eagles QB Booras threw a pass to Xavier Warren in the right flat. Warren broke a tackle to spring 80 yards for a touchdown, extending the Eagle lead to 17.
Copperas Cove moved the ball down the field during the next drive with the aid of a 25-yard pass from QB Cason to Arthur Miller moving the ball to the Georgetown 40-yard line. Two plays later Nakeem Freeman ran for 25 yards to move the ball to the 19-yard line.
Two penalties resulted in a 1st and 20 for the Bulldawgs and the drive stalled out deep in Georgetown territory. The Bulldawgs turned the ball over on downs.
Georgetown scored one more touchdown to finish the half. Halftime score was Copperas Cove 0 – Georgetown 24.
When Coach Johnson was asked what they plan on working on next week, “We have to go back and look at the film and figure out how we can sustain drives on offense. We have too many weapons to not put up points. We got to find a way to protect our quarterback a little better. We put our defense early in the first quarter in bad situations and then it’s a snowball of course, we gave up some big plays…”
“Those are growing things that those kids will learn and get better from. Overall there were only three or four flags the whole game, it was a clean game.”
The Bulldawgs hope to rebound when they play the East View Patriots next Friday at Georgetown. The game will be played at Georgetown Independent School District Athletic Complex on Friday, Sept. 1.