DALLAS– Nothing wrecks a team’s chances to win quite like penalties. And as the drive-stalling, score-rescinding flags piled up, the Coppell football team (2-2 overall, 0-1 District 9-6A) sunk, falling to Jesuit (1-3, 1-0) in the district opener, 41-10.

From the start, penalties were costly on both offense and defense. On the Cowboys’ opening drive, the offense was marching down the field methodically, when a third down false start resulted later in a turnover on downs.

“[Penalties] definitely were killers,” senior linebacker Eric Loop said. “We made some mistakes and hurt ourselves, we kind of shot ourselves in the foot a little bit. We’ve just got to get better.”

On Jesuit’s ensuing possession, the Rangers fumbled a pitch, and senior linebacker Ryan Finglass returned it 60 yards for a touchdown. However, the Cowboys were flagged for a block in the back that was 30 yards behind the play.

After allowing a Jesuit touchdown, the Cowboys again were driving, until a false start was followed by an 11 yard sack on second down, pushing Coppell out of field goal range.

“Penalties, both offensively and defensively, definitely hurt us,” Coppell coach Mike DeWitt said. “One of them cost us a defensive touchdown, one of them cost us a third down stop, we definitely didn’t help ourselves.”

Jesuit, reeling after winless non-district play, capitalized mightily on these miscues. Running back Evan Jackson rambled for 131 yards and three touchdowns on the night, and quarterback Jacob Palisch, returning after missing a majority of the first three games with an injury, was 10-20 for 248 yards.

“We’ve got to play more disciplined,” Loop said. “That means penalties, executing calls correctly, getting lined up right. It’s on us, and we can definitely clean that up.”

Near the end of the game, both junior quarterback Brady McBride and sophomore running back T.J. McDaniel came off the field with injuries. According to Coppell Football’s radio voice Ted Emrich of Metro Sports DFW, neither McDaniel and McBride’s injuries appear to be serious.

Next week, the Cowboys will look to right the ship in their homecoming game against Richardson Pearce, another 2-2 team who is coming off of a 21-7 win over Richardson in its District 9-6A opener.
“Starting tomorrow we’re going to look at the film, look at the tape, all the mistakes we made, all the busted calls,” Loop said. “We’re going to fix that stuff, we’re going to be ready for our homecoming game next week. We’re going to come out and take it to Pearce.”