Game of the Week (week 9)

The article below is featured on www.5Afootball.com, as the Game of the Week! That's for the entire state, y'all!!! How exciting is that! Big things are happening here in Abilene, Texas. God is showing off. It's a good day to be on planet earth. Here's the article:

Abilene Cooper @ Abilene

There are certain rivalries that embody everything the Texas high school football spectacle has to offer. Abilene High-Cooper is one of the Lone Star State’s best rivalries. This year’s Showdown marks the 50th meeting between the two programs. Cooper leads the overall series 30-19, but Abilene’s won . Cooper has the longest winning streak in the series; going undefeated from 1966 through 1980 before the Eagles got back on the board with two straight wins. Cooper went on another run from 1991 through 1998 before Abilene came back with a win in 1999. The Eagles have won every match-up since 2004. The two haven’t locked horns in district since 2007 before Cooper realigned to Class 4A for two years. This year’s game, with both team’s undefeated in district, is one of the most important in series history to date.

Abilene took its lumps in one of the state’s most ambitious non-district schedules, but the Eagles have hit a stride in district play. Abilene’s won three games in a row since losing by a point (32-31) to Longview. Midland High managed to test the Eagles in a 28-18 game last week, but this week’s contest figures to be a more explosive affair. Cooper’s piled up the points on the way to an 8-0 overall record. The Cougars were challenged in the first two weeks of district play against Lee and Permian. Abilene had a much easier time with Lee than Cooper did, but both teams won by similar margins against Odessa High. Abilene won last year’s non-district meeting 49-37. Neither offense is likely to be slowed down much given the match-ups this year.Cooper hasn’t seen anything close to Abilene’s running game, and Abilene hasn’t seen an offense as diverse as Cooper. Abilene’s defense has allowed at least 17 points in each game this season. Cooper’s defense allowed at least 21 per game until holding Odessa High to 8 last week.

The total running talent between these two teams is frightening. Abilene High’s Ronnell Sims, Herschel Sims, and Tony Curtis made names for themselves during last year’s state run. They’ve added junior Paxton Grayer this year. Cooper’s experienced tandem of Davon Riddick and Alford Cooper has found the end zone 26 times this season. Junior Clayton Nicholas gives Cooper an advantage in the passing game with just under 2,000 yards for the season so far. This has the look of a game that’ll come down to the last team with the ball. In fact, the 5A predictor (stat crunching formula) has Abilene winning 39-37. Both teams should throw caution to the wind in this contest for local bragging rights, playoff seeding, and a district championship.