Cove's new tradition makes troubled past a distant memory Posted On: Friday, Nov. 28 2008 06:01 AM By Evan Mohl
Killeen Daily Herald

COPPERAS COVE – Bulldawgs coach Jack Welch says there are two factions in Copperas Cove: those who experienced the 37-year playoff drought and others who only know success.

Because of all the recent prosperity, current Cove football players fall in the latter category.

"Our players expect to be successful," he said. "This new group, they don't know any better. They don't remember how it was."

According to Welch, that's a good thing. Players don't settle for just good, but strive to be the best.

The results confirm the attitude, and they're pretty convincing. Here's are just a few of Cove's achievements in the last decade:

Five straight 10-win seasons.

Two state championship appearances.

Five consecutive postseason berths and 10 in the last 11 seasons.

Four straight years going at least three rounds deep in the playoffs.

The 21st highest winning percentage among all Texas high school football teams since 2000.

The recent success has created a new tradition. There's an expectation to win.

Gone are the days of blowout losses and teams trying to schedule the Dawgs for a sure homecoming victory. Now, Cove has a bull's- eye on its back. They're the bully everyone wants to take out.

"Teams definitely want to beat us," all-state linebacker Tanner Brock said. "But that's OK because it means we're pretty good.

"We strive for greatness We don't like to lose."

They sure know how to win, though. In the last five years, the Dawgs have won 58 games, an average of more than 11 a season.

The mind-boggling stat scares opponents. They talk about the Dawgs being a perennial power. They rave about the team's experience. They fawn over Cove's experience.

Since 2004, Cove has played 18 postseason games. That's almost two full seasons worth of high school football.

"Cove is the kind of program we want to be," Shoemaker coach Ken Gray said.

"When you play them, especially in a big game, you worry about experience," Naaman Forest coach Bill Patterson said. "They have a winning tradition and they know how to win. They've been there and done it before."

But there is one thing Cove hasn't done. Despite consecutive trips to the Class 4A finals the last two years, the Bulldawgs have yet to win a state title.

And while all the wins and accolades are great, players and coaches know there's still one final step to climb to etch Cove's name in history.

"The ultimate goal is always the state championship," Brock said. "That's what we play for, and there's no doubt we want to finally get one for us, the coaches and the town."

Contact Evan Mohl at emohl@kdhnews.com or (254) 501-7564.