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Coppell Student Media

The official student news site of Coppell High School

Coppell Student Media

The official student news site of Coppell High School

Coppell Student Media

Business Spectacle: Lilys Hair Studio (video)
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October 26, 2023

Cowboys fall to Carroll in 2OT heartbreaker

Coppell+High+School+senior+Matt+Rockefeller+takes+a+seat+on+the+end+line+after+losing+to+Coppell%E2%80%99s+rivals+the+Southlake+Dragons.+After+the+double+over-time+Southlake+managed+to+keep+up+the+hard+work+resulting+in+a+38-37+defeat+over+Coppell+Friday+night+at+Buddy+Echols+Field.+Photo+by+Megan+Winkle.
Coppell High School senior Matt Rockefeller takes a seat on the end line after losing to Coppell’s rivals the Southlake Dragons. After the double over-time Southlake managed to keep up the hard work resulting in a 38-37 defeat over Coppell Friday night at Buddy Echols Field. Photo by Megan Winkle.

By Marcus Krum

Sports Editor

@marcus Krum

 

After junior running back Joe Fex ran it in for the score to pull within one in double overtime, the Cowboys (3-3, 1-1 District 7-6A) faced a choice. Either kick extra point to put it into a third overtime, or go for the two point conversion and the win over district rival Southlake Carroll (4-1, 1-0).

The Coppell coaching staff chose the latter. The gutsy play call did not pay off, as sophomore quarterback Brady McBride was sacked, causing the Cowboys to fall in a heartbreaking 38-37 loss.

The Cowboys started the game hot out of the gates, with senior running back Brandon Rice, who was not expected by many to come back after this game, making a big impact from the start.

After each team punted to start the game, the Cowboys were forced to punt for a second time. However, Carroll running back Lil’ Jordan Humphrey muffed the return, giving Coppell great field position. Two plays later, Rice ran 22 yards to open scoring, giving the Cowboys a 7-0 lead in the first quarter.

Throughout the first quarter and well into the second, the Coppell defense played some of the best football they have played all year. Humphrey, who was one of the top running backs in the area coming into the game, could not get into a rhythm running the ball. In the first 20 minutes of play, he only had one carry of more than five yards.

“First and foremost, we had to stop the run on defense,” junior linebacker Eric Loop said. “I thought we did a great job containing [Humphrey]. He’s a great back. They have a couple of good players going [division one], I thought we did a good job containing them. We just have to be sound in our pass coverage.”

In the second quarter, after more great defensive play from both sides, Rice and Fex led a 78 yard drive that was capped from a 12 yard touchdown pass from McBride to Rice. After the Dragons were forced to punt again, with 5:44 left in the half, it looked as if the Cowboys could take a 14-0 lead going into halftime. However, a very short Coppell drive only took a minute off the clock, leaving plenty of time for the Carroll offense to get something done.

On three plays, the Dragons went 93 yards, putting the score at 14-7 going into the half, a great showing for the Cowboys defense, going up a Carroll offense that average 37 points per game coming into this game.

“Their effort was fantastic,” Assistant head coach Eric De los Santos said. “You give a team like [Carroll] opportunities, they have kids that can play too, and they just make plays.

“I love our kids, I love how hard they play.”

In the second half, Carroll started with a three and out. McBride, after hitting Josh Fink for a 41 yard completion, scrambled 29 yards to give the Cowboys a two score lead in the third quarter. On the Dragons’ next possession, they fumbled, setting up great field position for Coppell, who took advantage of it by kicking a 25 yard field goal to make it a three possession game.

Late in the third, on the first play of their third drive of the second half, Carroll took a chance, throwing it long to wide receiver Zach Farrar. When a possible offensive pass interference was not called, Farrar took it 75 yards to make it 14-24 going into the final quarter of regulation.      

Towards the end of the first quarter, Coppell High School senior and wide receiver Josh Mulumba takes down Southlake Carroll senior Jordan Humphrey. The first quarter ended with a  score of 7­0, Coppell taking the lead over Southlake on Friday night at Buddy Echols Field.  Photo by Amanda Hair.
Towards the end of the first quarter, Coppell High School senior and wide receiver Josh
Mulumba takes down Southlake Carroll senior Jordan Humphrey. The first quarter ended with a
score of 7­0, Coppell taking the lead over Southlake on Friday night at Buddy Echols Field.
Photo by Amanda Hair.

                     

In the fourth quarter, Carroll’s offense finally began clicking. Farrar again caught a long touchdown pass, bringing the Dragons to within three points with seven minutes left to play.

After Coppell had to punt with 2:34 left, the Dragons drove right down the field, kicking the game-tying field goal with 0:12 left in regulation, forcing the game into overtime.

In the first period of overtime, McBride took it 5 yards for his second rushing touchdown of the game. Needing a touchdown to keep the game alive, Carroll, on their first overtime possession, went for it on fourth and 7, getting a key touchdown on a pass to an open receiver over the middle of the field.

“I’m not exactly sure [what happened],” Loop said. “We’re going to have to go back and look at the film. It was just a lack of communication or something. We still had pretty good coverage on him.”

In the second overtime period, the Dragons started with the ball, marching right down from the 25 yard line and scoring in only three plays. This time, Coppell needed a touchdown to keep it alive. Fex ran it five yards into the end zone, but on the final play, McBride was stuffed on the two-point conversion.

“The bye week after this one is tough,” De los Santos said. “It’s tough to have this sit on your chest for two weeks. We have to do our best to sharpen some things and clean some things up during the bye week. It’s really about us and what we need to get better at. We’re going to take a look at that and reevaluate. But it’s not a good feeling going into a bye week after a tough loss like this.”

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