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wildstangs
05-24-2005, 10:30 PM
By RON HOWELL/Reporter Sports Editor
Alan Copeland's lack of size didn't keep him from becoming an all-district fullback as well as a solid linebacker at Sweetwater High School for the past two seasons.

Now the 5-7, 190-pounder is continuing his football career at NCAA Division II Abilene Christian University, where he will also be used at fullback and linebacker for the Wildcats.

Copeland's decision was announced by SHS football coach and athletic director Kent Jackson at a ceremony held Monday at the school library.

Copeland has also played basketball and competed in track during his high school career, and was recently an alternate at the state track meet in Austin. He becomes the seventh SHS athlete this spring to continue his athletic career in college.

Copeland rushed for 785 yards and 11 touchdowns, while averaging 7.4 yards per carry, this past season in helping the Mustangs finish 11-3 and advance to the Class 3A quarterfinals. He was second only to quarterback Jeremy Thompson on the team in rushing.

Copeland and Thompson will play to-gether again a final time in less than two weeks, at the Myrle Greathouse Fellowship of Christian Athletes Classic in Abilene, be-fore going their separate ways. However, they will face each other in college on op-posite sides because Thompson has signed to play with Eastern New Mexico Universi-ty, which is in ACU's conference.

"We're excited about it," Copeland said. "We plan to remain friends, but it will be fun to see him on the other side."

Jackson credited Copeland's success at SHS not only to his athletic ability but also his work ethic and unselfish attitude, add-ing, "I think that's the reason he will make it over there (at ACU). I think he's got a tremendous chance to do well."

Copeland said that because ACU is a Christian school it would challenge him in the spiritual realm as well as in athletics and academics. "I wanted to find something that would make me a better person, and I felt at ACU I would have a chance to do that," he said. "I give it all to God and I want to thank my coaches here for all of their support."

Copeland said he was "really excited" that his grandmother, Jimmie Smith, was at Monday's ceremony. He also said that red has always been his favorite color, but that will change now that he will be playing at ACU. "I'll have to get used to purple."

But his fondest memory here is seeing the sea of Red at Sweetwater's games, plus "the tradition and pride we take in suiting up in red each week."

TheDOCTORdre
05-25-2005, 12:28 AM
great job Copeland:clap:

pero chato
05-25-2005, 09:09 AM
There's a lot of greatness coming out of Sweetwater these days. Congratulations!
Now if someone would only stop those gawd-awful Toliver Brothers commercials!

Bubba-Joe
05-25-2005, 01:30 PM
AMEN
OLD TOLLIVER JUST DON'T GET IT
I GOT A FORD BECAUSE OF THE DERN THINGS
WEIRD MAN IF ASK ME