The game could be summarized in three plays:
? A 49-yard pass from quarterback Kallin Sipe to Clay Cox that tied the game in the first quarter.
? An 87-yard return of a blocked field that gave AHS its first lead.
? A 77-yard pass from Sipe to Marcos Garica that sealed the outcome in the second half.
Eagles coach Del Van Cox and his son, Clay were playing with heavy hearts as Del Van's father Nowlin "Corky" Cox died Tuesday. Del Van coached his squad nonetheless and said he was happy with the way his team responded earning their first district road win.
"Going on the road is nothing new to us," Cox said. "But every game in district is important so getting off to a 2-0 start is a good sign for us moving forward."
In the past three games the Eagles had been the more methodical team on offense that wore down the opposing team with the run, however, the roles were reversed on Friday as the Blue Raiders held the ball for nearly 30 minutes of game time compared to just 18 minutes for the Eagles.
"I didn't think we played particularly well on offense in the first half," Cox said. "But we responded in the second half and we took advantage of our opportunities in the second half."
One of the biggest plays came from Marcos Garcia on his only catch of the game. Garcia who started for the first time this year filled in for Reese Pettijohn who was injured and made his presence felt on the Eagles longest offensive play of the night the 77-yard catch and run.
Garcia said he was happy he was able to make a play to help the Eagles get the win.
"We've had to overcome injuries all year and tonight was no different," Garcia said. "I got my guy in man-coverage and I was able to beat him to the inside and after that I just had to focus on catching the ball and getting to the end zone."
While the Eagles defense struggled last week against Richland, allowing over 500 yards of offense and 41 points, they returned to form on Friday as the Eagles held Bell scoreless in the final three quarters. The Eagles defense also held Bell to just 52 yards passing on 19 attempts.
"Our defense played lights out in the second half," Cox said. "They had some long drives in the first half but the defense did much better forcing three and outs and getting off the field as the game went on."
Bell's primary weapon coming into Friday's game had been their running game but the Eagles defense limited six Bell ball carriers to 183 yards on 38 rushes and just one score.
Turning point: After a 12-play drive that lasted nearly 10 minutes, Hurst Bell was stopped at the Eagles 13-yard line and lined up to kick a field goal for the lead. The game was tied at 7 when the Eagles blocked the field goal. The ball took a perfect bounce to defensive back Tyler Simpson, who ran 87 yards for the go-ahead touchdown.
Player of the game: Tyler Simpson, defensive back, Abilene High. While the senior starts at cornerback for the Eagle, he made his biggest impact on special teams as he returned a blocked field goal for the games longest play from scrimmage.
Key stat: While the Eagles have used a methodical approach most of the year, it was their quick-strike ability that allowed them to cruise to victory. The Eagles never had an offense drive last longer than seven plays and scored on four of their seven offensive possessions. The Eagles scored on three plays of 49 yards, or more their most in any game this season.
What this means: With the win, the Eagles (5-1 overall, 2-0 district) now move into a two-way tie for the district lead with Euless Trinity, which blasted San Angelo Central 77-28. The teams won't meet until Nov. 2, in what could be a game for the district title if both keep winning.
Next game: The Eagles will return home as they host regional rival San ... Click here to read full article
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