Mustangs Fall Against Abilene Cooper in Tough Loss

LUBBOCK, TX – The Lubbock Coronado Mustangs went head-to-head with the Abilene Cooper Cougars on Friday, September 20th. The Cougars kept their foot on the gas with 492 yards of offense, dominated the game, and secured a 53-7 victory.

Both the Mustangs and the Cougars struggled to find their rhythm in the first quarter, resulting in a slow start for both teams. With 7:49 left in the first quarter, Mustangs quarterback Isaiah Vazquez dropped back to pass but, unfortunately, threw an interception to Cougars senior Jeremiah Appel. This marked the beginning of a rough night for the Mustangs.

The Coronado defense delivered a strong performance early, making several critical stops against the Cougars. They tipped two passes and maintained their confidence on the field throughout the rest of the first quarter, while the defensive line effectively shut down the Cougars' run game. The quarter ended with both teams still scoreless.

A rapid drive down the field caught the Mustangs off guard. Abilene’s senior quarterback, Austin Cummins, took it himself, scoring the Cougars' first touchdown of the night. With the extra point added, Abilene surged ahead, 7-0.

The Mustangs continued to struggle on the field, failing to gain any momentum—a series of rushed attempts and an incomplete pass led to another turnover. With the Cougars back in possession, freshman receiver Zaylon Johnson made a great play, finding the end zone for another score. The extra point was successful, giving Abilene Cooper a strong 14-0 lead with 3:04 remaining in the half.

Later, Abilene Cooper’s senior receiver, Zavian Alexander, found the end zone and extended the lead just before halftime. As both teams headed to the locker room, the Cougars held a strong 21-0 advantage.

The second half proved to be just as challenging for the Mustangs as the first. Coronado struggled to gain traction on both offense and defense, unable to find their cadence. In the third quarter, the Cougars showcased their dominance with a relentless performance. They scored a rushing touchdown, followed by another\ quarterback sneak into the end zone, and capped off the scoring barage with a successful field goal and a safety. By the end of the third quarter, the Cougars had extended their lead to a staggering 40-0, leaving the Mustangs in a deep hole as they faced an uphill battle in the final quarter.

With a massive lead entering the fourth quarter, the Cougars decided to take out Austin Cummins and put in their backup, Jared Clancy, to finish out the game. As the clock ticked down, the Cougars scored once more. Sophomore Major De Los Santos ran into the end zone for another touchdown. Meanwhile, the Mustangs were eager to find their footing, determined not to leave the game without at least one score.

Coronado's quarterback, Isaiah Vazquez, connected with sophomore Aiden Gutierrez for the Mustangs' first score of the night with a little less than two minutes to play. However, time was not on their side, and as the clock continued to wind down, the final score flashed across the board: 53-7.

Lubbock Coronado’s Head Coach Andrew Roy voiced his frustration with the game’s outcome, noting some of the challenges his team faced. He emphasized the difficulty of their upcoming schedule heading into District play, pointing out that their next opponents shared similar strengths. Here is that interview: