By DAVID MORRIS
Cove Leader-Press
KILLEEN – The Copperas Cove Bulldawgs (4-1, 1-0) opened the district portion of their schedule on the road at Leo Buckley Stadium playing the Killeen Kangaroos (0-5, 0-1).
Copperas Cove continues to dominate the Roos in the series 16-7 that has been on and off again since 1994, adding to their totals with a 31-30 win Friday night.
The win gives the Dawgs their best start to the season since the 2012 campaign where they opened 4-1 with four consecutive wins: Waco High, UANL, Killeen and Shoemaker after dropping the season opener to A&M Consolidated.
“I think they are as good as we are going to see,” head coach Rodney Southern said. “I told them at halftime we hadn’t played our best football and we go to go make a play.”
Electing to take the opening kick, the Dawgs started at their own 31-yarad line and moved the ball into Roos’ territory on the first play from scrimmage but would move back to midfield on a fourth and 15 thanks to a holding call on a play that would have picked up the first down.
Tyler Jones punted the fourth down play to the Roo’s 27yard line where Killeen would go to work on their opening drive, scoring a touchdown on seven plays that went 73-yards to give Killeen the lead 7- 0.
Taking over at their ow 23-yard line, the Dawgs moved the ball on the ground picking up 18 yards on six plays before punting the ball again to the Roos’ 22-yard line.
Picking up 67 yards on a run up the middle Sha’Drach Gordon rumbled to the Dawgs 1-yard line where he would go back to work on second down and pick up the touchdown, a missed point after attempt by Sergio Diaz left the score 13-0 in favor of Killeen.
TJ Hocutt returned the ensuing kickoff out to the Dawgs’ 28-yard line where Davis would take off on first down and pick up 11-yards. Riding the clock to the end of the first quarter, the Dawgs rolled off 8 plays moving the ball 49-yards before the end of the period. Opening the second quarter at the 25-yard line faced with a third and 13, Davis III found Ashton Adams for a two-yard gain, bringing out the field goal unit who would have their kick attempt blocked and turn the ball back to the Roos at their own 43-yard line. Killeen’s drive would stall at the Dawgs’ 35-yard line when four straight incomplete passes turned the ball back over to Copperas Cove.
Starting at their own 35-yard line the Dawgs faced a quick third down after picking up two yards on first down and an incomplete pass on second. A facemask on third gave the Dawgs new hope at the Roos’ 47-yard line.
A connection between Davis III and Adams put the Dawgs on the board for the first time. A blocked kick returned for a score made gave the Roos a 15-6 advantage.
Picking up just 14 yards on 7 plays, the Roos lined up to punt, however a running into the kicker penalty gave Killeen fourth and four instead of fourth and 17. The punted ball rolled out of bounds at the Dawgs’ 37-yard line.
Copperas Cove marched to the Roos’ 25-yard line on 7 plays moving the ball 40 yards before being faced with a fourth and nine to gain with just over a minute and a half in the first half of play. Kayson Ignacio added three points to the score, capping off an 8-play, 42-yard drive.
A pooch kick gave the ball back to Killeen at their own 34-yard line. A sack by Matthew Zeigler moved Killeen back three yards on first and with just five seconds left in the half, Gordon moved 16 yards before the clock expired.
Returning from the halftime break, Copperas Cove kicked the ball to the Roos’ 6-yard line ad it was muffed with Hocutt recovering the ball In the endzone to give the Dawgs the lead 16-15.
“When you practice those things, you want them to work and tonight they worked,” Southern said about the opening kickoffs.
Methodically, the Roos marched down the field on 11 plays moving 78 yards and plunging into the endzone from the two-yard line with just under eight minutes left in the third quarter. A jump pass from the three-yard line converted the two-point attempt to give Killeen the lead again 21-16.
Taking over at their own 35-yard line, the Dawgs moved backwards on 6 plays losing 14 yards before a punt would roll dead at the Roos’ 32.
Killeen moved the ball 69 yards on seven plays before D’Angelo Ingram found Gordon in the endzone for a score making the contest 30-16.
Cove moved backwards on the next drive. Punting from their own endzone it was downed at the Dawgs’ 41-yard line.
A fumble on the quarterback exchange turned the ball back over to Cove where they started their drive at their own 40 before ending the quarter at their own 42-yard line.
Hocutt would bail the Dawgs out of a jam collecting a fourth and seven for a first down on the 18-yard pitch and catch down to the 15-yard line. Zeigler would cap off the drive on a four-yard scamper up the middle for a touchdown marking the end to the 14-play 53 yard drive. The point after attempt was good, making the score 30-23 in favor of the Kangaroos.
A recovered onside kick was negated with an offsides call on the Dawgs. Marching off five yards, Cove lined up to kick from their own 35-yard line again.
Recovering the onside attempt a consecutive time, the Dawgs went to work at midfield, only for Davis III to turn the ball over on a fumble trailing by seven.
Facing a fourth and short, Gilbyrt Davis sacked Ingram for a loss giving Cove new life.
Zeigler carried the ball on consecutive plays moving inside the 25-yard line on a new set of downs. Eventually moving inside the 10-yard line, a false start set them back to the 17-yard line. Copperas Cove is helped out on a third downplay as a facemask is called setting up first and goal at the five-yard line. Zeigler found the endzone on the next play to make the score 30 and a successful two-point conversion pass from Hocutt gave the Dawgs the lead again with just over a minute to play in the contest.
“The coaches prepare us every week like we are the starter, even if I’m not playing quarterback I’m going to get starter reps and going to play every day at practice so when the time presents itself, I’ll be ready,” Hocutt said. “I was reading the corner, I didn’t like what I saw initially so I pulled the ball down to run and saw Logan Jones and he executed.”
Killeen was unable to move the ball on their ensuing drive and turned the ball over to the Dawgs in the redzone with seconds left on the clock, securing the win for Copperas Cove.
The Dawgs will be at home next week as they host the Bryan Vikings for a 7 p.m. kickoff at Bulldawg Stadium. Bryan enters the contest off a bye week after dropping their four non-district contests.
In subvarsity action, the JV Gold team improved to 4-1 as well on the season picking up a 42-12 win over the Kangaroos JV squad.
“Had to dig out of a hole in the first quarter. After that the Dawgs didn’t look back to close out the game. Great team win,” Brelan Chancellor said in his post-game report. Antonio Spence and Caleb Stout both recorded interceptions in the game while Samari Moore had a fumble recovery returned for a touchdown. Joseph Ruppart booted two field goals, one from 40 and the second from 26-yards.
The Dawgs had a trio of running backs score touchdowns, Brenton Boyd, Jakobi Jackson and Nigel Holts added to the scoreboard along with receiver Shi’mere Lynn who added a rushing score of his own.
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