RICHARDSON – The Coppell Cowboys football team beat the J.J. Pearce Mustangs last Friday night at the Eagle-Mustang Stadium in Richardson, 28-21, gaining their second district win of the season.

Throughout the game, the Cowboys’ (4-1 overall, 2-0 in district 9-6A) play was on-and-off, but they pulled it together late in the second half. The offense utilized a mixture of rushing and passing, but the run-game worked particularly well. Coppell junior running back Ryan Hirt ran for a total of 160 yards, which in the end, pushed the Cowboys ahead of the Mustangs (2-3 overall, 1-1 in district).

“We were successful running the ball [on Friday] so we kept doing it,”Coppell coach Mike DeWitt said.

In the fourth quarter, after throwing a long reception under double coverage, J.J. Pearce brought the ball down to the 11-yard line with less than three minutes left in the game. Shortly after, the Mustangs scored to close the gap to 28-21.

On the kickoff, Pearce looked to get the ball back as it attempted an onside kick. But, the Cowboys were able to secure the victory when they successfully recovered the kick.

However, previous to their win, the Cowboys fumbled the ball four times, three of which were recovered by the Mustangs.

Subsequent to recovering each of these fumbles, J.J. Pearce scored two out of the three times they recovered a loose ball. By capitalizing upon these, the Mustangs were able to give the Cowboys a run for their money.

But due to a late touchdown by Ryan Hirt, followed by a two-point conversion from senior quarterback Brady McBride to junior receiver Blake Jackson, the Cowboys held off the Mustangs.

The Cowboys will play their next game, also in-district, against the Lake Highlands Wildcats at Buddy Echols Field on Friday at 7:30 p.m.