Playoffs
20 sports
NOVEMBER 2012
Journey begins for sports seeking to win state titles ’ s l r i g Cow o t d a o r Photo by Rinu Daniels
e t ta
S
Photo courtesy Mary Marshall
Photo by Shannon Wilkinson
(25-13, 25-9, 25-10)
After a season of constant ups and downs, the Coppell Cowgirls volleyball team has regained its spot as the top volleyball team in the state. After winning the Class 5A state championship last year, the Cowgirls were seen as the team to beat in the class 5A. “Last year we were just happy to be there,” Green said. “We wanted those things, but we didn’t really know what it would to accomplish those things like win the regional tournament and go to state and win state so now it is different. Also now we have some many kids that have been there that having that experience makes us more confident.”
(25-22, 25-23, 25-22)
A loss to Southlake Carroll and San Antonio Reagan during their preseason changed this for the Cowgirls. The went from being ranked first to switching from third to fourth, and a loss to Hebron in their first district match put them at seventh. After being knocked down to seventh in the state rankings it seems like the Cowgirls would never recover. They stayed in this rank for the rest of their district season. Going into playoffs the possibility of playing teams like San Antonio Reagan, Southlake Carroll and Colleyville Heritage, ranked first through third respectively, was concerning. But one by one the Cowgirls proved that these teams would not take them down again. The Cowgirls defeated the Grapevine Lady Mustangs,
known for taking Southlake Carroll out of the 2011 playoffs in an upset, and the Midlothian Lady Panthers in three game matches with ease. They took on Hebron, who served them their first and only district, and struggled to keep a lead. Despite being down most of the second set and half of the third, the Cowgirls still managed to pull out a 3-0 win over the Lady Hawks to qualify for the regional tournament. At the regional tournament, the Cowgirls continued their streak beating the Arlington Lady Colts in a 3-0 match despite rude cheers about recent losses at CHS. After this, the Cowgirls would play the winner of Southlake Carroll and Colleyville Heritage, both of which were ranked higher than the now number five
o t d a g o r ’ s y o n b w i Co v r r u I th ffs
o y a Pl
Alex Nicoll, Stephanie Gross and John Loop
Longview, 41-8
With the first game of the season, Coppell did its school proud. The team started their season off with a 41-8 win in the 13th annual Tom Landry Classic. Senior quarterback Colby Mahon threw for 297 yards and four touchdowns in his first game as the starter after transferring from Bridgeport High School. Senior receiver Cameron Smith caught his first two touchdowns of the year. “He [Smith] is a playmaker,” Mahon said. “Plays are called to his side and I trust him.”
Photos by Rinu Daniel, Rachel Bush and Mia Ford
Photo courtesy Tim Martin
Hebron
(25-7, 25-6, 25-9)
Sports Editor
(25-22, 25-12, 25-19)
Photo by Rowan Khazendar
Grapevine SAMMY ROBBEN
Arlington
Midlothian
M
r a ac Bi-district Playoffs
Colleyville Heritage (25-27, 27-25, 27-25)
Cowgirls. Heritage took down the Lady Dragons 3-2 in the regional semifinals. The Cowgirls eliminated Heritage 3-0 in the regional finals. Two of the three sets went into extra points as the Cowgirls fought for the Region I title. Going into the state tournament this weekend, the Cowgirls have not given up a set yet, beating every team 3-0. Though they still have two matches left, the Cowgirls are well on their way to winning their second state title. The Cowgirls will play Houston Clear Lake in the state semifinals at 7 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 16, at the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland. Clear Lake has a season record of 32-9 while the Cowgirls have a season record of 47-3. If the Cowgirls defeat Clear Lake they will go on to play the winner of McKinney Boyd and
New Braunfels. Last year, the Cowgirls defeated McKinney Boyd in a four game match to win their first ever state Championship, and this year they could have to do it again. Just before the Cowgirls go up against Clear Lake, McKinney Boyd will be playing in its own state semifinals. Coming out of region two, the Lady Broncos will play New Braunfels to decide who will play in the state finals. The Cowgirls will also have to win their semifinals match to move on to the finals. “We don’t take anything for granted,” Green said. “Just because we did it last year doesn’t mean we will do it again, but we know the work it takes to get there and we are willing to do that.”
In the opening round of the Class 5A playoffs, the Coppell Cowboys (100) will be taking on the Irving Macarthur Cardinals (7-3). The game is being played at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 17. The Cowboys will have to stop senior running back Jourdan McNeil of the Cardinals. McNeil has been running rampant on defenses all year scoring 21 times and rushing for 1360 yards. Coppell’s defense is in the top three in the state in points allowed and it has been successful in stopping the run this season. The problem might arise from Irving Macarthur’s quarterbacks Tyler Petrillo and Sebastian Taylor. They are dual threat quarterbacks that have combined for 14 passing touchdowns and nine scores on the ground.
Allen, 27-24
Flower Mound, 27-18
Playing in their first game since the tragic loss of senior football standout Jacob Logan, the Cowboys played their hearts out for their fallen teammate against the Flower Mound Jaguars. Although Coppell came out on top, things got tight towards the end of the game, when the Jaguars scored a touchdown to narrow the lead to 20-18. “Our coaches tell us every week before each game that turnovers and pre-snap penalties will end up hurting you,” senior quarterback Colby Mahon said. “We made turnovers and we had pre-snap penalties and that allowed them to get back in it.” The most-anticipated game of this season for the With just over two minutes to go, senior wide reCowboys ended with a thrilling 27-24 overtime victory ceiver Henry Busch threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to over the Allen Eagles. The victory pushed the Cowboys to senior running back Luke Jenner to seal the victory for the the No. 2 ranking in the state. Cowboys. “I am proud of those kids. We had to go 90 yards and make a two point conversion and I just give so much credit to the kids. They had the momentum and we responded. Just the way they battled at the end gave us the win,” coach Joe McBride said. In overtime, the Cowboys stuffed the Eagles at the goal line and Allen was forced to kick a field goal. The score stood at 24-21 Allen. Senior quarterback Colby Mahon hit senior wideout Cameron Smith on a 23-yard strike in the end zone for the game winner.
NOVEMBER 2012
Journey begins for sports seeking to win state titles ’ s l r i g Cow o t d a o r Photo by Rinu Daniels
e t ta
S
Photo courtesy Mary Marshall
Photo by Shannon Wilkinson
(25-13, 25-9, 25-10)
After a season of constant ups and downs, the Coppell Cowgirls volleyball team has regained its spot as the top volleyball team in the state. After winning the Class 5A state championship last year, the Cowgirls were seen as the team to beat in the class 5A. “Last year we were just happy to be there,” Green said. “We wanted those things, but we didn’t really know what it would to accomplish those things like win the regional tournament and go to state and win state so now it is different. Also now we have some many kids that have been there that having that experience makes us more confident.”
(25-22, 25-23, 25-22)
A loss to Southlake Carroll and San Antonio Reagan during their preseason changed this for the Cowgirls. The went from being ranked first to switching from third to fourth, and a loss to Hebron in their first district match put them at seventh. After being knocked down to seventh in the state rankings it seems like the Cowgirls would never recover. They stayed in this rank for the rest of their district season. Going into playoffs the possibility of playing teams like San Antonio Reagan, Southlake Carroll and Colleyville Heritage, ranked first through third respectively, was concerning. But one by one the Cowgirls proved that these teams would not take them down again. The Cowgirls defeated the Grapevine Lady Mustangs,
known for taking Southlake Carroll out of the 2011 playoffs in an upset, and the Midlothian Lady Panthers in three game matches with ease. They took on Hebron, who served them their first and only district, and struggled to keep a lead. Despite being down most of the second set and half of the third, the Cowgirls still managed to pull out a 3-0 win over the Lady Hawks to qualify for the regional tournament. At the regional tournament, the Cowgirls continued their streak beating the Arlington Lady Colts in a 3-0 match despite rude cheers about recent losses at CHS. After this, the Cowgirls would play the winner of Southlake Carroll and Colleyville Heritage, both of which were ranked higher than the now number five
o t d a g o r ’ s y o n b w i Co v r r u I th ffs
o y a Pl
Alex Nicoll, Stephanie Gross and John Loop
Longview, 41-8
With the first game of the season, Coppell did its school proud. The team started their season off with a 41-8 win in the 13th annual Tom Landry Classic. Senior quarterback Colby Mahon threw for 297 yards and four touchdowns in his first game as the starter after transferring from Bridgeport High School. Senior receiver Cameron Smith caught his first two touchdowns of the year. “He [Smith] is a playmaker,” Mahon said. “Plays are called to his side and I trust him.”
Photos by Rinu Daniel, Rachel Bush and Mia Ford
Photo courtesy Tim Martin
Hebron
(25-7, 25-6, 25-9)
Sports Editor
(25-22, 25-12, 25-19)
Photo by Rowan Khazendar
Grapevine SAMMY ROBBEN
Arlington
Midlothian
M
r a ac Bi-district Playoffs
Colleyville Heritage (25-27, 27-25, 27-25)
Cowgirls. Heritage took down the Lady Dragons 3-2 in the regional semifinals. The Cowgirls eliminated Heritage 3-0 in the regional finals. Two of the three sets went into extra points as the Cowgirls fought for the Region I title. Going into the state tournament this weekend, the Cowgirls have not given up a set yet, beating every team 3-0. Though they still have two matches left, the Cowgirls are well on their way to winning their second state title. The Cowgirls will play Houston Clear Lake in the state semifinals at 7 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 16, at the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland. Clear Lake has a season record of 32-9 while the Cowgirls have a season record of 47-3. If the Cowgirls defeat Clear Lake they will go on to play the winner of McKinney Boyd and
New Braunfels. Last year, the Cowgirls defeated McKinney Boyd in a four game match to win their first ever state Championship, and this year they could have to do it again. Just before the Cowgirls go up against Clear Lake, McKinney Boyd will be playing in its own state semifinals. Coming out of region two, the Lady Broncos will play New Braunfels to decide who will play in the state finals. The Cowgirls will also have to win their semifinals match to move on to the finals. “We don’t take anything for granted,” Green said. “Just because we did it last year doesn’t mean we will do it again, but we know the work it takes to get there and we are willing to do that.”
In the opening round of the Class 5A playoffs, the Coppell Cowboys (100) will be taking on the Irving Macarthur Cardinals (7-3). The game is being played at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 17. The Cowboys will have to stop senior running back Jourdan McNeil of the Cardinals. McNeil has been running rampant on defenses all year scoring 21 times and rushing for 1360 yards. Coppell’s defense is in the top three in the state in points allowed and it has been successful in stopping the run this season. The problem might arise from Irving Macarthur’s quarterbacks Tyler Petrillo and Sebastian Taylor. They are dual threat quarterbacks that have combined for 14 passing touchdowns and nine scores on the ground.
Allen, 27-24
Flower Mound, 27-18
Playing in their first game since the tragic loss of senior football standout Jacob Logan, the Cowboys played their hearts out for their fallen teammate against the Flower Mound Jaguars. Although Coppell came out on top, things got tight towards the end of the game, when the Jaguars scored a touchdown to narrow the lead to 20-18. “Our coaches tell us every week before each game that turnovers and pre-snap penalties will end up hurting you,” senior quarterback Colby Mahon said. “We made turnovers and we had pre-snap penalties and that allowed them to get back in it.” The most-anticipated game of this season for the With just over two minutes to go, senior wide reCowboys ended with a thrilling 27-24 overtime victory ceiver Henry Busch threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to over the Allen Eagles. The victory pushed the Cowboys to senior running back Luke Jenner to seal the victory for the the No. 2 ranking in the state. Cowboys. “I am proud of those kids. We had to go 90 yards and make a two point conversion and I just give so much credit to the kids. They had the momentum and we responded. Just the way they battled at the end gave us the win,” coach Joe McBride said. In overtime, the Cowboys stuffed the Eagles at the goal line and Allen was forced to kick a field goal. The score stood at 24-21 Allen. Senior quarterback Colby Mahon hit senior wideout Cameron Smith on a 23-yard strike in the end zone for the game winner.
