Cowboys taking motivation, momentum into big game

Coppell looks to recreate 2012 magic against reigning champs

The+Coppell+Cowboys+football+team+defeated+the+LD+Bell+Blue+Raiders%2C+41-7%2C+last+Friday+at+Pennington+Field.+The+Cowboys+will+play+the+Allen+Eagles+tomorrow+night+at+Buddy+Echols+Field+at+7+p.m.

Sydney Rowe

The Coppell Cowboys football team defeated the LD Bell Blue Raiders, 41-7, last Friday at Pennington Field. The Cowboys will play the Allen Eagles tomorrow night at Buddy Echols Field at 7 p.m.

Nicholas Pranske, Executive Sports Editor

In late September 2012, the Coppell football team upset a nationally-ranked Allen team in overtime, marking the last time Coppell has beat the Eagles. However, the Cowboys will have their shot once again tomorrow night at Buddy Echols Field as they take on the defending Class 6A champions at 7 p.m.

 

The 2012 game, coincidentally, is also the last time the two teams have played on Coppell’s home turf.

 

“It’s always good to play at home,” Coppell coach Mike DeWitt said. “You’ve got the home crowd and you don’t have to get on a bus. We’ll definitely take the home-field advantage this year.”

 

File photo
The Allen Eagles defeated the Cowboys last year at Eagles Stadium. The two teams will play tomorrow night at Buddy Echols Field at 7 p.m.

The Eagles (2-0) have won 32 out of their last 33 games, only losing to The Woodlands in the 2016 state championship. Coppell (2-0), however, with a promising offense and an aggressive defense, can hold its own.

 

Last week against LD Bell, Coppell senior running back Ryan Hirt ran for almost 200 yards, averaging 16 yards per carry, not to mention three touchdowns.

 

“[Hirt] is a guy who really leads by example… he always fights for the extra yards and, in doing so, really rallies the guys and gets them hyped up,” DeWitt said.

 

On the defensive side, the Cowboys’ defensive backs have been pulling their weight as far as scoring goes, with the linebackers and linemen doing their job up front. All working as a unit, the Cowboys managed to rack up two pick-sixes last week against the Raiders, the former by senior Josh Williams and the latter by sophomore Tim O’Hearn.

 

“Going into this game, we’re going to play like we always do,” DeWitt said. “It’s never good to hype up an opponent… that’s going to be our mindset.”