Wylie Tops Cooper to Claim 2-5A Div. II Title (+ Photo Gallery)
ABILENE, Texas — 5A football had been a struggle for Wylie, but the 2022 team put the past behind them and helped the program earn its first 5A district championship with a 20-10 victory over Cooper in the Southtown Showdown Friday night.
The Bulldogs (7-3, 5-0) first victory over the Cougars (5-5, 3-2) could not have come at a better time. “This is a great night for all the Wylie community and a great night for our team,” Wylie head coach Clay Martin said. “I’m just proud of the way we went to work each and every Friday night. We had five district championship games, it just so happened this was the fifth one and I think it is how it should be, two great teams playing at the end of district with championship implications on the line.”
The Cougars forced a Wylie three-and-out to start the game and drove the field for a field goal go up 3-0, but the Bulldogs answered with a KJ Long touchdown run to go up 7-3 and never looked back.
Long hit Hunter Hood for another touchdown in the second quarter to give Wylie a 14-3 halftime lead.
Cooper got as close as 14-10 on a Chris Warren touchdown run late in the third quarter but the Bulldogs put it away with a Long to Derrick Evans touchdown toss in the fourth.
Hayden Wright picked off three Warren passes on the Cougars final three drives to seal the Wylie win.
Martin said, “I’m just really proud of the way we came out and played and competed. I thought we played very well defensively and have gotten better each and every week.”
Next up for Wylie is a home bi-district playoff matchup against El Paso High (5-5) Thursday night at 7 p.m. The Tigers fell to 1-5A D1 champ Canutillo tonight 49-0.
Cooper will have to travel to El Paso to face Andress (5-5), who knocked off Chapin 35-28 tonight to earn the #2 seed from the district.
