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Dawgs fall short in Tigerland 51-14

By TJ MAXWELL/Cove Leader-Press

COLLEGE STATION - The Copperas Cove Bulldawgs learned a valuable lesson in their season opener against the A&M Consolidated Tigers.They learned you have to move one step faster and wrap up the tackle just a little longer to compete with the top teams in the state.

The Dawgs were handed that lesson to the tune of 51-14 loss to Consolidated Friday night at Tiger Stadium.

Head coach Jack Welch wasn't happy with the outcome but he knowsplaying opponents like the Tigers will help his team grow -something his inexperienced squad definitely needs.

“I liked this game, as far as going up against somebody like that,” he said.”I don't like the score and I don't like getting beat. The fact of this is, for us to accomplish our goals,  we have to play people like this and it doesn't need to get easier for us. If I scheduled a bunch of people we could go through, we wouldn't be ready for district play. Our district is tough, so it's important we play people like this.”

The Tigers doubled up the Bulldawgs total offense with 609 yards - 344 yards of which came on the ground, led by senior running back Tyri Merchant. He rushed for 192 yards and two touchdowns on 28 carries.

Merchant registered a lot of yardage after contact as he broke tackle after tackle en route to a 6.9 yards per rush average.

“The running back was really good,” said seniorlinebacker Austin Rice, who led the Cove defense with 7.5 tackles. “We just have to learn from it, watch film, look at what we did wrong and fix it.Then we need to take it to practice and to the game next week.”

Cove senior running back Antonio Lealiiee felt the loss woke his team up to what competition they will be facing on the varsity and feels his team fougth to the very end.

“It was a little eye opener for us but everybody still pushed themselves and went 100 percent,” he said.

Lealiie was one of the bright spots for the Bulldawgs in the contest.He fought through a tough defense for 134 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries to lead the Cove offense.

“Their defense looked polished,” said Lealiiee.”They were breaking down on the ball really fast.They were filling up the holes and the linebackers were sitting right there.”

Early miscuesfound the Dawgs in a quick 21-0 hole.A 28-yard touchdown run by Merchant started the run. Senior Quaterback Mason Hickson then found Kolby Peel for a 29 yard score and followed that up with an eight yard scamper for a score.

Lealiiee didn't let that deficit weigh on his mind for long. He broke loose on a 51-yard touchdown on the next possession for the Dawgs.

“I try not to think about it and I try to tell the team to be sure not to think about it,” he said. “Just pretend like the scoreboard says 0-0 and move on to the next play.”

Welch didn't like the outcome but he did like his team's fight.

“Our kids fought,” he said. “We kept going and driving to the very end. There were a lot of positives in this game. The difference was their experience and our experience.”

The Tigers added a 20-yard field goal by Cade Willams and another touchdown connection between Hickson and Peel to close out the half leading 31-7.

The Tigers increased their lead to 38-7 with a three-yard plunge by Merchant with 8:11left in the third and fell on a bad snap in the endzone to take a45-7 lead unto the fourth quarter.

A pass from Hickson to Rodney Jernigan put the Tigers up 51-7 with 10:39 remaining in the game.

Cove junior quarterback Caine Garner found senior Ra'shaun Henry or a 34-yard touchdown to close the scoring at 51-14.

“That's a good football team and I have a lot of respect for them,” said Welch. They're experienced and very solid. They're not ranked second in 5A by accident.They're ranked highly up there for a reason and one of the reasons is how potent their offense is.

“We have an inexperienced team and to get them the level of how Bulldawgs play, you've got to see it. You can't replicate this in practice or with low-rate teams.Last year, we were more experienced and we pulled away. This year, they had the more experienced group.”

The Bulldawgs have an ever tougher test this week, traveling to play No. 14 Lake Travis.

“Our tackling has got to get better and we have to draw in that fishnet of the defense,” said Welch. “We were so close in areas but just a step away.”

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