9-0 / 4-0

By
October 29, 2005

History time. The Abilene cross town rivalry has been fairly one sided over the years. Abilene High won the first game back in 1961 by the score of 35-0. Cooper won the second game by a point. Abilene High won the third game by a point. Abilene High won the 4th game by 7 points and the two teams tied the fifth game of the series 0-0. Unless there is a rule change, that tie game in 1965 is not only the only tie game ever between these two teams it is the only tie there ever will be since “tie� games now are decided by overtime. Beginning in 1966 and going to the 1980 game, Cooper won 15 games in a row over Abilene High. AHS won two straight in 1981 and 1982. Cooper won again in 1983. Abilene High then went on a “streak� winning 4 games in a row in 1984, 1985, 1986, and 1987. Cooper won again in 1988 and 1989. Abilene High won the 1990 game 13-10. Cooper won every year from 1991 to 1998. Abilene High won in 1999 by the score of 20 to 7 and made the playoffs for the first time in 40 years. Cooper won in 2000 and Abilene High won in 2001. Cooper won again in 2002 and 2003. Abilene High won last year and last night. The overall series now stands at 30 wins for Cooper and 14 wins for Abilene High and the one tie. 45 years of playing the Cougars and Abilene High has won 14 times. You better believe that Abilene High enjoyed every minute of the 40 to zip win last night. For only the fourth time in the 45 years Abilene High shut out Cooper. 1961 35-0, 1965 0-0 1984 23-0, and now 2005 40-0. By the way, Cooper has shut out Abilene High 7 times if you include the 0-0 tie in 1965.

Cooper began last nights game by taking the opening kickoff and going three and out. Abilene scored on their first possession with just under 5 minutes left in the first quarter. Cooper then got the ball and kept it for 16 plays but again failed to score. Cooper appeared to consider going for it on forth down but decided to punt the ball and Abilene High got the ball on their own 16 yard line. Abilene High did a “four� and out. The problem for Cooper on that was the forth play for Abilene High was a 62 yard touch down run by Garrison Hardin. Hardin normally plays as a defensive lineman for the Eagles. He does go in on offense in certain short yardage situations for the Eagles as a blocking back. SURPRISE! This time he gets the ball and after a bit of deception on the part of the Eagles, Mr. Hardin took off down the sideline for his only touchdown of the season, so far. I don’t always give out game balls in this blog but Garrison gets one for his carry. For all practical purposes, you could have stuck a fork in the Cougars at that point because they were done. Being down 14 points and Cooper lacking the capability of the big play, the Eagles had this game in the bag. Two more scores in the first half, A field goal by “Cory “Hot Rod� Rodriquez and a pass to Jason Boone and BAM! It is 24-0 ay the half. The Eagles had the ball 5 times in the first half and scored 4 times, the other time Potts ran the ball out of bounds to mercifully end the half.

Cooper, who won the toss to begin the game, elected to receive the opening kickoff. By doing so, the option rested with the Eagles and they received the ball to start the second half. The Eagles took all of 62 seconds to get on the board again this time on a 55 yard pass play to Lyle Leong. The Eagles failed to convert on the PAT and led 30-0. In less than 5 minutes, Casey Bell was able to run the ball in for a touchdown and the score was 37-0 at the end of three quarters. With the bench emptied on offense and defense the Eagles added another field goal by Rodriquez with 10:52 left in the game for the final score of 40-0.

Since we began talking history, we will rap this session up with one more tidbit of note. Abilene High’s 40-0 win along with Odessa High beating Permian 14-12 and Midland High beating Midland Lee means the “Highs� were all on the winning side on the same night in the rivalry games for the first time since 1964!

I guess I should also mention that the win tonight by the Eagles gives then at the least, a co district championship. Without trying to sound greedy, the Eagles are looking for much more than that.

On to Lee.

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