Blitz Rewind: Cove faces another ground challenge Posted On: Monday, Nov. 9 2009 05:04 AM By Angel Verdejo and Kevin Posival
Killeen Daily Herald

Copperas Cove finished the regular season 8-2 but will need to improve on a rush defense that has struggled at times this year.

District 12-5A is a run-heavy district, but the Bulldawgs will likely see the same in their 5A Division II playoff opener against Tyler John Tyler, which ran for 314 yards in a shootout win Friday against DeSoto. Kedrick Chancellor led the Lion ground game with 116 yards and four touchdowns on 18 carries, Ky'Ordric Black added 158 yards rushing and a score. The total only included 38 yards from quarterback Jeremy Johnson, who entered the game as 11-5A's leading rusher.

Cove has had mixed results facing top rushing attacks. The Dawgs beat Ellison by 14 points despite a combined 284 yards from Eric West (144 yards) and David Cobb (140). They beat Temple by the same margin while top recruit Lache Seastrunk ran for 104 yards.

On the other hand, Cove had trouble stopping the run in losses to Bryan (474 yards rushing) and A&M Consolidated (301). Bryan's two main running backs both reached the 100-yard mark, including 215 yards and three touchdowns from Nate Jones. A&M Consolidated's Chris Nutall (190 yards) averaged 10.6 yards per carry.

In Friday's shortened game against Harker Heights, Knights running back Kerry Sloan ran for 122 yards in the first quarter and scored twice.

Bursts of offense

Jaquail Haskins scored twice in the first 3 minutes of Friday night's game to give Killeen a 14-0 lead before Pflugerville Hendrickson scored 15 unanswered points to take a short-lived 15-14 at the end of the first quarter. Killeen, though, wasn't spent. The Roos scored 20 unanswered, including quarterback Michael Cummings' first two rushing touchdowns in 28 days, in the second and fourth quarters to take back a two-touchdown lead, 34-15.

"That's the way we've got to come out," said Killeen coach Sam Jones.

"We've got to come out aggressive, attacking our opponent and then it opens everything else. I think that did it for us."

Wolves take positive stepsinto offseason

Actually, the Grey Wolves (0-10, 0-7)) took numerous positive steps in their 44-32 loss to Temple (4-6, 3-4), finishing winless for the first time since their 2000 debut season. Their 32 points were a season-high and were just seven away from the 39 total they scored in their six other District 12-5A games. Yes, Shoemaker allowed nearly 550 rushing yards, but its offense was no slouch either. Sophomore quarterback Jammie Blunt threw for 278 yards, the Grey Wolves ran for almost 100 and their star player was on the sideline for the 10th game this season.

High and low for Heights

Although the season may have ended on a sour note following a fracas that brought Mike Mullins' first year to a screeching halt, all was not lost in Friday's shortened 32-14 loss to Copperas Cove.

Due to an injury two weeks ago to starting quarterback Brandon Bullock, a junior, Harker Heights got a glimpse of its future thanks to the play of sophomore Greg Haynes, who started the final two games in his place.

Haynes, who was brought up from the JV the week before the Bryan game, ended the season as one of the Knights most dynamic offensive weapons.

While his passing ability still has plenty of room for improving – he completed 9-of-14 passes for 92 yards and one interception – Haynes' ability to make things happen with his feet provides Mullins another offensive threat next season. Haynes gained 202 yards on 35 carries for an average of 5.8 per carry.

The Knights will lose one of the best tailbacks in District 12-5A when Kerry Sloan moves on to college, but the cupboard won't be bare with Haynes and the return of a healthy Bullock, who finished his first season on varsity 60-of-121 for 606 yards and a 4-to-8 touchdown-to-interception ratio.

Talent did not equal winsfor Eagles

Battling through the first losing regular season at Ellison since back-to-back 2-8 seasons in 2003 and 2004, the Eagles struggled despite having one of the most talented rosters in District 12-5A.

One main cause for those problems were a district-leading 34 fumbles, which included a district-high 18 lost.

But the future looks bright with the likes of an experienced group of juniors coming back such as tailbacks David Cobb, Eric West, Devon Hocutt and Tarron Burch, who got a head start on next season by starting the final four games at quarterback.

While the Eagles must find several candidates to replace the seniors along the offensive and defensive lines, as well as the defensive secondary, Ellison's offensive backfield gives coach Buddy McBryde a step up entering his third season.

Tracking numbers

1-0 – Copperas Cove's record at Rose Stadium in Tyler, where the Dawgs beat Tyler two years ago in nondistrict play 37-16.

3.4 – Average number of fumbles per game Ellison experienced through 10 games this season

Fast forward

Copperas Cove at Tyler John Tyler – Cove (8-2) lost its coin flip with Tyler John Tyler (9-1) to determine where the two would play their Division II-5A bi-district game, leaving the Dawgs to travel nearly four hours Friday for a playoff game at Tyler's home field. Tyler is just four minutes from Rose Stadium.

Killeen vs. Austin LBJ at Round Rock – Killeen's third road game this season will actually be a home game for the Roos. Killeen will play the host when it opens the playoffs Friday night against Austin LBJ at Round Rock's Dragon Stadium at 7:30 p.m.

After their 34-27 win over Pflugerville Hendrickson, The Roos (8-2) will head into the playoffs on a five-game winning streak for the first time since 2004, when they were undefeated 16-4A champs. The Jaguars (5-4), like Killeen, had the playoffs already clinched before thier final game but lost to Dayton 36-2 Saturday.

Alex Byington contributed to this report.