November 22, 2009

Matt Stepp
TheOldCoach.com

MIDLAND- Midway through the second quarter a stunned Abilene Cooper (9-3) squad looked up at the scoreboard at Grande Communications Stadium and found themselves down 24-0. The Cougars were no strangers to this situation and they remained calm and before the half the lead was erased as CHS scored 24 points in the final 7:16 of the first half. Eventually the bigger, faster and stronger Cougars wore down a game El Paso Del Valle (9-3) squad 51-41 to advance to the Class 4A Region I Division I Semi-Finals.

Ryan Heslep led CHS throwing for 279 yards and four touchdown passes, including two to senior Reese Williams. Junior Alford Cooper ran for two touchdowns and fellow junior Davon Riddick chipped in a rushing score to lead the potent Cougars attack.

El Paso Del Valle jumped out to the 24-0 lead as Jordan Baeza threw a pair of touchdown passes and ran for another. All but three of the points scored were set up by short field position after two fumbles and an interception by the Cougars.

Cooper got the rally started catching a 13 yard touchdown pass from Heslep beating a Conquistador DB to the pylon. Khole Jackson returned a punt 23 yards down to the Del Valle 32 after a three and out for DVHS. On the next play, Williams caught his first scoring pass on the night, a 32-yard touchdown toss from Heslep cutting the lead to 24-14.

Del Valle fumbled the ensuing kickoff setting momentum clearly with the blue and red and eventually Riddick would score on an eleven yard run making it 24-21. After another DVHS punt, Ryan Lucas would nail a 28-yard field goal to tie things up at 24 as Cooper performed a well executed two minute drill.

Del Valle came out and showed they won't go away as Baeza continued to loft beautiful deep passes and a long one to Ricky Tueckmantel would set up a one yard plunge by Baeza to put the Conquistadores back up 31-24.

Tommy Bowman may had had the game's key play returning the ensuing kickoff 62 yards deep into DVHS territory. After a two play drive, Williams caught his second touchdown pass from Heslep from 29 yards out tying it up at 31.

Edgar Salcido put the Conquistadores back up 34-31 nailing a 50 yard field goal, but Abilene Cooper would quickly go back up 38-34 as Cooper scored from six yards out late in the third to make it 38-34.

In the first half Abilene Cooper was on the short end of a fourth and short ruling where the QB/center exchange went awry and a Cooper player picked the ball up and ran it for a touchdown. Due to the rule on fourth down fumbles the ball was dead where it was picked up and Del Valle got the ball in Cooper territory. In the fourth quarter the roles were revered but this time Cooper benefitted and Heslep would throw an 18 yard TD pass to Khole Jackson to all but end things.

The two teams would exchange late scores with Abilene Cooper winning 51-41. Next week Cooper will get a rematch with the team who eliminated them from the 2008 playoffs on Saturday at Shotwell Stadium against Denton Ryan.