Wednesday, November 4, 1998

Tradition returns: Cougars, Eagles meet in regular season finale

By Al Pickett / Sports Editor

A long-standing tradition is being revived Friday night.

There was a time when the cross-town rival games were always played in the final regular-season game of the year. They were as much a part of the high school football tradition as cheerleaders and marching bands.

But, believe it or not, the seniors at Abilene High and Cooper weren't even in school yet when the Eagles and Cougars last met in a regular-season finale.

That all changes Friday night at Shotwell Stadium, however, when the two cross-town rivals meet in the final regular-season game for the first time since 1985.

Abilene High defeated Cooper, 27-17, that year. But realignment in 1986 shifted Big Spring down to Class 4A, leaving District 4-5A with seven teams. In 1986 and '87, the cross-town games were played in the middle of the district race. But every year since 1988, the cross-town games involving Abilene High and Cooper, Midland High and Midland Lee, and Odessa High and Odessa Permian have been played in the district opener, which was the fourth week of the season.

This year's realignment, which switched San Angelo Central to District 3-5A with the Lubbock and Amarillo schools, eliminated the obstacle standing in the way of the cross-town games going back to the final game of the season.

The media in District 4-5A has lobbied for this change for more than 10 years now. The fans have seemingly wished for it, too.

So now that the tradition has finally returned, what do the head coaches think?

"It's good for high school football in this district," said Cooper coach Randy Allen, who played for the Cougars in three cross-town games in the season finale in the late 1960s. Allen is 7-0 against Abilene High as a head coach at his alma mater, but none were in the season finale.

"It gives everyone something to play for," he said. "There was nothing wrong with playing it the first game. There was a lot of enthusiasm because it was early in the season and it was the first district game. But I like it in the last game."

Abilene High's Steve Warren agrees.

"I like it," he said. "It is great for the fans and great for the community. I'd like to be in a playoff situation going into it, but we're not. So playing Cooper gives us extra incentive. I like having the cross-town game as the last game."

Oddly enough, only one of the three cross-town games Friday night in District 4-5A will have any impact on the district's three playoff representatives.

Odessa Permian and Cooper have already clinched two of the spots, while the winner of the Midland Lee-Midland High game will determine the district's other postseason berth.

The outcome of all three games, however, could have an impact on first-round playoff opponents.

If Cooper wins Friday night, the Cougars will have the district's No. 1 spot in the Division II playoffs, meaning they would play the runner-up (probably Amarillo High) from District 3-5A rather than the district champion.

Odessa Permian and San Angelo Central are already headed toward a matchup in the Division I or "big school" division.

A win for Cooper also means the Cougars will do no worse than tie for a second consecutive District 4-5A championship. That would keep the coveted district bell in Abilene for another year.

Abilene High, of course, would love nothing more than to disrupt Cooper's plans and end a disappointing season on a positive note.

Allen said the rivalry has not changed since he was playing in the cross-town game 30 years ago.

"It is just as intense as ever," he said. "You have two good football teams and both have a lot of pride. You have only one opportunity to compete against each other, so it is still very positive and very intense."

Series history

Cooper, which has has won seven in a row against the Eagles, leads the all-time series 26-10-1. The Cougars owned a 17-7-1 advantage when the series last played in the season finale.

The current seven-game streak is the second longest in the series history, which began in 1961 when Abilene split into two high schools. Cooper won 15 in a row from 1966-80.

Not a sellout

While fans may have clamored for a return of the cross-town games to be played in the season finale, some of the luster may be off the game locally since only one of the two teams is headed for the postseason.

Robert Starr, Abilene ISD athletic director, said ticket sales were brisk Monday at the two campuses, but the game is not yet a sellout. Tickets can still be purchased at the athletic ticket office at the AISD administration office, 842 North Mockingbird.

Worrisome grades

Six-week grades will be released today, so it is possible that one or both coaches could lose starters for Friday night's game because of the no-pass, no- play rule.

Al Pickett can be reached at 676-6772 or picketta@abinews.com.

1961 - Abilene High 35, Cooper 0

1962 - Cooper 19, Abilene High 18

1963 - Abilene High 21, Cooper 20

1964 - Abilene High 13, Cooper 6

1965 - Cooper 0, Abilene High 0

1966 - Cooper 14, Abilene High 9

1967 - Cooper 33, Abilene High 6

1968 - Cooper 35, Abilene High 7

1969 - Cooper 31, Abilene High 11

1970 - Cooper 14, Abilene High 12

1971 - Cooper 21, Abilene High 10

1972 - Cooper 21, Abilene High 0

1973 - Cooper 20, Abilene High 0

1974 - Cooper 14, Abilene High 6

1975 - Cooper 6, Abilene High 0

1976 - Cooper 14, Abilene High 0

1977 - Cooper 28, Abilene High 15

1978 - Cooper 21, Abilene High 14

1979 - Cooper 35, Abilene High 6

1980 - Cooper 21, Abilene High 10

1981 - Abilene High 17, Cooper 7

1982 - Abilene High 28, Cooper 6

1983 - Cooper 14, Abilene High 6

1984 - Abilene High 23, Cooper 0

1985 - Abilene High 27, Cooper 17

1986 - Abilene High 12, Cooper 10

1987 - Abilene High 14, Cooper 10

1988 - Cooper 20, Abilene High 6

1989 - Cooper 24, Abilene High 3

1990 - Abilene High 13, Cooper 10

1991 - Cooper 7, Abilene High 0

1992 - Cooper 31, Abilene High 21

1993 - Cooper 57, Abilene High 12

1994 - Cooper 50, Abilene High 22

1995 - Cooper 17, Abilene High 14

1996 - Cooper 31, Abilene High 3

1997 - Cooper 17, Abilene High 3