3afan
11-20-2005, 06:58 AM
might as well follow-up ::
High School Football Playoffs: Bulldawgs down Leander, 42-28
By Monty Campbell, Killeen Daily Herald
AUSTIN — The Copperas Cove Bulldawgs were determined not to let the mystique of Round Rock ISD Stadium haunt them for a second consecutive year and turned two late first-half touchdowns into a 42-28 victory over the Leander Lions.
Copperas Cove (12-0) heads on to the next round of the playoffs against the Garland Owls at Waco ISD Stadium at 6 p.m. on Friday night knowing that this is the first team in school history to have amassed 12 victories in one season.
"I'd like to praise God to have the opportunity to coach the Bulldawgs," grateful Bulldawg head coach Jack Welch said. "I have been blessd to be coaching into the third week of the playoffs with this team."
After trudging around for most of the first half, the offense scored two touchdowns in the final 1:44 of the second quarter to take a commanding 21-7 lead into the intermission.
First, Brent Garner connected with Alphonso Powell on a 28-yard touchdown pass, then, after a sack by James Porter made Leander go three-and-out on the next series, the Bulldawgs were handed an early Christmas gift in the form of a 17-yard punt.
Donald Buckram culminated the short 23-yard drive with his second touchdown run of the half with 10 seconds left to put Copperas Cove ahead 21-7.
The troubling beginning of the game concerned Welch and the ability Leander had to move the ball made the scores that much more important.
"I was nervous about their ballclub coming into tonight, when you have an offense as potent as their's, it concerned me," Welch said. "I felt that after the first half that we had the game under control and felt more comfortable with our chances."
Cove needed the boost of momentum after seeing its slim one-touchdown lead disappear after Yomi Orekora recovered a Donald Buckram fumble at the Bulldawg 10-yard line.
It did not take long for the Leander offense to get into the end zone as it handed the ball to Jason Barnes on three consecutive plays, and he scored from inches out midway through the second quarter.
The Bulldawgs received a huge lift on the successive kickoff when Logan Brock returned a squib kick 41 yards to the Lion 29. Cove could not take advantage, though, as Garner was stopped a yard short on a fourth-and-four attempt.
The second half was a matter of the Bulldawgs trying to establish pressure on Drew Dunn after grabbing a 21-point lead midway through the third quarter.
Garner capped a four-play, 26-yard drive with a 9-yard touchdown run in which he received a crushing block from receiver Travis Wheeler at the 2-yard line that sprung him into the end zone. The field was shortened for the drive after Tim Atchison intercepted a Dunn pass and returned it 19 yards.
Leander (10-2) did not give up, despite entering the fourth quarter down by three scores. Dunn heated up in the fourth quarter, throwing three touchdown passes and finishing the night completing 24 of 37 passes for 240 yards and three touchdowns.
Buckram capped the scoring for Copperas Cove with his third touchdown run of the night, a 24-yard scamper untouched up the middle. He finished with 123 yards on 20 carries and three touchdowns.
He has now rushed for 23 touchdowns on the season and is three away from tying Vontez Duff's school record of 26 rushing touchdowns in a season, set in 1998.
"It's great to be 12-0, but the bottom line is we can't focus on that," Welch said. "Right now, we are on a mission and we can't get satisfied. Once we do, it's over."
Contact Monty Campbell at cmonty@kdhnews.com
High School Football Playoffs: Bulldawgs down Leander, 42-28
By Monty Campbell, Killeen Daily Herald
AUSTIN — The Copperas Cove Bulldawgs were determined not to let the mystique of Round Rock ISD Stadium haunt them for a second consecutive year and turned two late first-half touchdowns into a 42-28 victory over the Leander Lions.
Copperas Cove (12-0) heads on to the next round of the playoffs against the Garland Owls at Waco ISD Stadium at 6 p.m. on Friday night knowing that this is the first team in school history to have amassed 12 victories in one season.
"I'd like to praise God to have the opportunity to coach the Bulldawgs," grateful Bulldawg head coach Jack Welch said. "I have been blessd to be coaching into the third week of the playoffs with this team."
After trudging around for most of the first half, the offense scored two touchdowns in the final 1:44 of the second quarter to take a commanding 21-7 lead into the intermission.
First, Brent Garner connected with Alphonso Powell on a 28-yard touchdown pass, then, after a sack by James Porter made Leander go three-and-out on the next series, the Bulldawgs were handed an early Christmas gift in the form of a 17-yard punt.
Donald Buckram culminated the short 23-yard drive with his second touchdown run of the half with 10 seconds left to put Copperas Cove ahead 21-7.
The troubling beginning of the game concerned Welch and the ability Leander had to move the ball made the scores that much more important.
"I was nervous about their ballclub coming into tonight, when you have an offense as potent as their's, it concerned me," Welch said. "I felt that after the first half that we had the game under control and felt more comfortable with our chances."
Cove needed the boost of momentum after seeing its slim one-touchdown lead disappear after Yomi Orekora recovered a Donald Buckram fumble at the Bulldawg 10-yard line.
It did not take long for the Leander offense to get into the end zone as it handed the ball to Jason Barnes on three consecutive plays, and he scored from inches out midway through the second quarter.
The Bulldawgs received a huge lift on the successive kickoff when Logan Brock returned a squib kick 41 yards to the Lion 29. Cove could not take advantage, though, as Garner was stopped a yard short on a fourth-and-four attempt.
The second half was a matter of the Bulldawgs trying to establish pressure on Drew Dunn after grabbing a 21-point lead midway through the third quarter.
Garner capped a four-play, 26-yard drive with a 9-yard touchdown run in which he received a crushing block from receiver Travis Wheeler at the 2-yard line that sprung him into the end zone. The field was shortened for the drive after Tim Atchison intercepted a Dunn pass and returned it 19 yards.
Leander (10-2) did not give up, despite entering the fourth quarter down by three scores. Dunn heated up in the fourth quarter, throwing three touchdown passes and finishing the night completing 24 of 37 passes for 240 yards and three touchdowns.
Buckram capped the scoring for Copperas Cove with his third touchdown run of the night, a 24-yard scamper untouched up the middle. He finished with 123 yards on 20 carries and three touchdowns.
He has now rushed for 23 touchdowns on the season and is three away from tying Vontez Duff's school record of 26 rushing touchdowns in a season, set in 1998.
"It's great to be 12-0, but the bottom line is we can't focus on that," Welch said. "Right now, we are on a mission and we can't get satisfied. Once we do, it's over."
Contact Monty Campbell at cmonty@kdhnews.com