supercentex
12-02-2005, 08:12 AM
Bulldawgs to meet Lufkin in regional final tonight
By Monty Campbell
Killeen Daily Herald
COPPERAS COVE The Copperas Cove football team is in a place that it has never been before in its history a 5A Texas High School playoff regional final game.
One thing that is familiar to the Dawgs is the location of this week's game.
Cove will be playing in Waco for the fourth time this season, the first time, however, at Floyd Casey Stadium. They play the District 14-5A champion Lufkin Panthers at 7:30 Friday night.
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fkin (13-0) enters the contest undefeated and riding the momentum of last week's 25-7 victory over South Garland in Nacagdoches.
The Panthers' offense is centered around the spread formation and Jeremy Claybon is the signal caller. His main receivers are Ralph Thomas, Caldelro King and Dez Bryant.
"Their receivers are really good and can fly," Bulldawg head coach Jack Welch said. "We match up really well with them but they are fast and have great size."
E.J. Shankle, Clifton Kibble, and JaCorey Turner each spend time in the backfield, giving the Panthers another dimension to their offense.
Their defense, which has struggled in the postseason, has allowed opponents 20.3 points in the playoffs. Leonard Hewitt leads the secondary with seven interceptions a contribution to the defense that the Panthers will be looking to take advantage of.
"Copperas Cove is a very athletic team, they don't have many people that you can let up on," Lufkin head coach John Outlaw said. "Whether you key on their quarterback, tailback or receivers, it doesn't matter, they have athletes on the whole team."
Cove (13-0) is coming into the contest on the heels of a 30-14 regional semifinal victory over Garland, in which the offense gained over 300 yards for the third consecutive game.
Half back Donald Buckram ran for 160 yards and a touchdown with the entire Garland defense keying on him and quarterback Brent Garner threw for 174 yards on 14-of-17 passing and two touchdowns in the victory. The running game will be a key as the Lufkin offense can strike quickly and the Dawgs will need to keep them off the field.
Garner's main threats through the air are Rashad Hawk (25 receptions, 411 yards, five TDs) and Darrell Armstead (20-302, 5 Tds). The added dimension of Travis Wheeler (8-68) and Logan Brock (6-58) give the Bulldawgs an ample amount of weapons on the offensive side of the ball.
"We will be needing to sustain drives and eat the clock up against Lufkin," Welch said. "We must take care of handling the ball."
The Bulldawg defense, which has been limiting opponents to 261 yards and 15.6 points a game, is led by Sterling Lewis at middle linebacker. Lewis, who has come back from an injury to his shoulder, solidifies the center of the defense with fellow linebackers Raphael Chavez and Trey Henderson working the outside.
The secondary, which forced another turnover last week with Joseph Leary's fourth interception of the year, continues to produce turnovers in bundles. They have intercepted 19 passes this year due in-large part to the heavy pass rush that the defensive line produces.
Dwayne Wilkens-Thomas, Sascha Johnson, Craig Wood and James Porter make up the front four of the defense but many more Dawgs contribute as substitutions are made.
Between both teams, it should be an entertaining affair as both sides battle for the right to move on to the state semifinal game against the winner of the Southlake Carroll and Plano contest next week.
Contact Monty Campbell at cmonty@kdhnews.com
Game Time: 7 p.m. at Floyd Casey Stadium in Waco
Radio: KACQ-FM 101.9, KUSJ-FM 105.5
Records: Copperas Cove (13-0), Lufkin (13-0)
Last week's results: Copperas Cove 30, Garland 14; Lufkin 25, South Garland 7
Game notes: Donald Buckram needs two rushing touchdowns to tie Vontez Duff as the leader in school history for rushing touchdowns in a season. Cove is the visiting team on Saturday. Cove and Lufkin have never met. Lufkin reached the state semifinals last year before falling to Southlake Carroll 37-30.
Directions: Go west on 190 and take I-35 north. Take exit 335B and turn right onto University Park Drive.
By Monty Campbell
Killeen Daily Herald
COPPERAS COVE The Copperas Cove football team is in a place that it has never been before in its history a 5A Texas High School playoff regional final game.
One thing that is familiar to the Dawgs is the location of this week's game.
Cove will be playing in Waco for the fourth time this season, the first time, however, at Floyd Casey Stadium. They play the District 14-5A champion Lufkin Panthers at 7:30 Friday night.
LuAdvertisement
fkin (13-0) enters the contest undefeated and riding the momentum of last week's 25-7 victory over South Garland in Nacagdoches.
The Panthers' offense is centered around the spread formation and Jeremy Claybon is the signal caller. His main receivers are Ralph Thomas, Caldelro King and Dez Bryant.
"Their receivers are really good and can fly," Bulldawg head coach Jack Welch said. "We match up really well with them but they are fast and have great size."
E.J. Shankle, Clifton Kibble, and JaCorey Turner each spend time in the backfield, giving the Panthers another dimension to their offense.
Their defense, which has struggled in the postseason, has allowed opponents 20.3 points in the playoffs. Leonard Hewitt leads the secondary with seven interceptions a contribution to the defense that the Panthers will be looking to take advantage of.
"Copperas Cove is a very athletic team, they don't have many people that you can let up on," Lufkin head coach John Outlaw said. "Whether you key on their quarterback, tailback or receivers, it doesn't matter, they have athletes on the whole team."
Cove (13-0) is coming into the contest on the heels of a 30-14 regional semifinal victory over Garland, in which the offense gained over 300 yards for the third consecutive game.
Half back Donald Buckram ran for 160 yards and a touchdown with the entire Garland defense keying on him and quarterback Brent Garner threw for 174 yards on 14-of-17 passing and two touchdowns in the victory. The running game will be a key as the Lufkin offense can strike quickly and the Dawgs will need to keep them off the field.
Garner's main threats through the air are Rashad Hawk (25 receptions, 411 yards, five TDs) and Darrell Armstead (20-302, 5 Tds). The added dimension of Travis Wheeler (8-68) and Logan Brock (6-58) give the Bulldawgs an ample amount of weapons on the offensive side of the ball.
"We will be needing to sustain drives and eat the clock up against Lufkin," Welch said. "We must take care of handling the ball."
The Bulldawg defense, which has been limiting opponents to 261 yards and 15.6 points a game, is led by Sterling Lewis at middle linebacker. Lewis, who has come back from an injury to his shoulder, solidifies the center of the defense with fellow linebackers Raphael Chavez and Trey Henderson working the outside.
The secondary, which forced another turnover last week with Joseph Leary's fourth interception of the year, continues to produce turnovers in bundles. They have intercepted 19 passes this year due in-large part to the heavy pass rush that the defensive line produces.
Dwayne Wilkens-Thomas, Sascha Johnson, Craig Wood and James Porter make up the front four of the defense but many more Dawgs contribute as substitutions are made.
Between both teams, it should be an entertaining affair as both sides battle for the right to move on to the state semifinal game against the winner of the Southlake Carroll and Plano contest next week.
Contact Monty Campbell at cmonty@kdhnews.com
Game Time: 7 p.m. at Floyd Casey Stadium in Waco
Radio: KACQ-FM 101.9, KUSJ-FM 105.5
Records: Copperas Cove (13-0), Lufkin (13-0)
Last week's results: Copperas Cove 30, Garland 14; Lufkin 25, South Garland 7
Game notes: Donald Buckram needs two rushing touchdowns to tie Vontez Duff as the leader in school history for rushing touchdowns in a season. Cove is the visiting team on Saturday. Cove and Lufkin have never met. Lufkin reached the state semifinals last year before falling to Southlake Carroll 37-30.
Directions: Go west on 190 and take I-35 north. Take exit 335B and turn right onto University Park Drive.