FARMERS BRANCH – After celebrating the achievements and memories the Coppell High School seniors will leave for the hockey team, anticipation to keep the first place position in district was clear. The last three minutes of a slow first period was transformed when the Cowboys twice took advantage of the power play, leading to the 6-2 in the last home game of the AT&T Metroplex HS Hockey League season at the Dr Pepper StarCenter.

Defense was consistent from both Coppell (13-5) and the Denton County Spartans (2-9), but disorganization and penalties for hooking and checking punctuated the time clock. Denton County senior defender Theoron Moore was called for hooking and senior forwards Jarrett Taylor and Roope Raikaa shot in two shorthanded goals on the power play to set the pace of the game for the rest of the night.

In the second and third periods, senior forward James Reaman and senior defender Charles O’Hearn were in sync as they moved down the ice parallel to each other and led assists throughout the night. Senior forward Larson Polk, the game’s leading scorer proved that the upperclassmen leadership will be missed as they finished the last home game for district play.

“We picked it up pretty quick after sitting around for awhile, and being able get those two goals in made it just a really great game to win,” senior forward Jake Sherrar said. “A lot of my friends are on this team so it was special to win this with my brothers.”

Passive offense by the Spartans kept the puck in Coppell’s possession, and the team finished the night with 30 shots on goal compared to Denton County’s with 20. Solid blocks by senior defender Parker Noell kept the Spartans off the board until the end of the second period.

“We started off slow, with a few different line combinations and trying to get everyone time to play,” Coppell coach Cosmo Clarke said. “Once they settled down we were able to play and attack the way we needed to.”

Still in first place in its district,Clarke knows the next step to prepare for the state tournament is to stay focused and humble moving forward

“It’s a big year,” Clarke said. “They all want to do their best, and we’re just trying to let them understand what’s on the line now. This is their chance to leave a mark on Coppell hockey.”