Wylie ISD -

Article by Greg Jaklewicz

Photos Courtesy of WylieSports.com

Dawg Bites

Wylie makes up a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 35.
Lubbock-Cooper amasses more than 500 yards on offense.
The loss likely keeps Wylie, 4-5 and 2-3, out of the playoffs for the first time since 2021.

WOODROW — A Battle to the End

The Wylie Bulldogs led three times and overcame a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter.

Wylie ran back two kickoffs.
The Bulldogs blocked a field goal.
And lost the game.

In a closely fought contest many had predicted in August, when sizing up District 2-5A, the Lubbock-Cooper Pirates secured a playoff berth with a wild 42-35 win over Wylie here Friday night.

The third-straight loss for Wylie leaves the Bulldogs’ playoff fate in the hands of the slimmest mathematical probabilities.

“At the end of the day, we played a great game,” said senior defensive lineman Deandre Rodriguez, who had several tackles for loss. “Coach (Matt) Kates and coach (Clay) Martin gave us a pep talk at halftime and said it would be a back-and-forth game. They just played a little bit better than us.”

Season Reversal

Two games into district play, Wylie was in first place. But losses to three teams now ahead in the standings reversed Wylie’s season.

The Wylie vs. Lubbock-Cooper game was pegged to be for the district championship. Instead, it was a fierce battle for survival.

A loss would’ve sent the Pirates into their bye week out of luck.

Wylie, meanwhile, had aspirations of finishing second in district play with two wins and an Abilene Cooper loss to Palo Duro.

A loss itself wouldn’t end Wylie’s hopes, but Wichita Falls Memorial’s 49-22 victory at Plainview meant Wylie also had to win to stay alive.

At game’s end, Lubbock-Cooper (6-4, 3-3) secured third place.

They had to beat Wichita Falls Memorial and Wylie — two teams the Pirates lost to in 2024 — to rally into the postseason.

“They do such a great job,” Martin said of Lubbock-Cooper. “Just a great football game and I’m proud of our guys for the effort that we gave. We just weren’t able to get over the hump.”

It Was a Battle

Both teams pulled out all the stops. Lubbock-Cooper went for it time and again on fourth down and threw several trick plays at Wylie on Halloween night.

“We knew this was it,” Pirates coach Chip Darden said. “There was no need to save anything.”

One in particular will haunt Wylie.

Recovering from a 7-0 deficit, the Bulldogs took a 13-7 lead in the second quarter when Blaze Ruffin outplayed defender Chamayne Johnson Jr. for a touchdown catch in the end zone.

The Pirates appeared to stall but turned a fumbled trick play into a huge gain when Noah Clark recovered his own fumble and threw a short pass to Jathan Caraway, who raced to the Wylie 2. Johnson scored on the next play.

Instead of Wylie getting the ball back with the lead, Lubbock-Cooper was on top 14-13.

Before halftime, junior lineman Nicholas Gjerpe blocked a field goal — he said the football “hit him in the faceguard.”

Wylie would lead twice more, 19-14 and 25-20, but couldn’t hold those advantages.

Fourth Quarter Drama

It looked dire when the Pirates took a 35-25 advantage on a Ryan Rodriguez 24-yard touchdown to Cade Gant.

But Wylie, which rallied late against Palo Duro, fought back.

Brody Anderson fielded a kickoff, handed it to Ruffin in a reverse that fooled the Pirates, and Ruffin sprinted 95 yards for the touchdown — his second kickoff return of the season.

Moments later, Bo Kates intercepted a Rodriguez pass at the 25 and returned it to the 5.

Penalties stalled the drive, and Noah Rehburg tied it at 35 with his third field goal of the night.

But Rodriguez led a decisive 74-yard drive capped by a five-yard pass to Reed Watters.

“He checked a quick throw. You just lean on those seniors,” Darden said.

The Pirates converted one final fourth down to ice the game.

Fourth-Down Blues

Lubbock-Cooper was deadly on fourth down:

• The botched punt trickery turned into a first down.

• A touchdown pass from Rodriguez to Johnson.

• Two key penalties against Wylie on a fourth-down punt that led to a TD.

• Johnson’s 22-yard run on the winning drive.

• The game-sealing run by Blake Moore out of the wildcat.

“Our guys just stepped up,” Darden said.
“They made some great plays, and you’ve got to give them credit,” Martin added.

Fireworks on the Field

The third quarter was electric.

Wylie took a 19-14 lead just 1:01 after halftime on a Julius Laine 28-yard burst.

The Pirates answered with a 50-yard touchdown.
Then Dylan Regala returned the ensuing kickoff 80 yards to put Wylie back on top.

That’s three touchdowns in under three minutes.

“Those kickoff returns were huge,” Martin said. “Both of those were great plays by the kids but also great schemes.”

Still, it wasn’t enough.

“We made plays just like they did but just came up short,” Martin said.

No Stopping the Pirates

Two recent weaknesses doomed Wylie — the running game and total defense.

• Rushing yards: Wylie 71 | Lubbock-Cooper 207

• Total offense: Wylie 207 | Lubbock-Cooper 505

Johnson rushed for 141 yards on 30 carries. Rodriguez threw for 296 yards and four TDs.

Ruffin added an interception in the end zone, redeeming an earlier muffed kickoff.

Tough Loss

“I’d rather make it to the playoffs, but at the end of the day, we played a great season,” said Deandre Rodriguez. “These are my last memories with them, I am so proud of them.”

Martin looked ahead:

“We still have a big home game to play. We’ll go back to work and prepare for Plainview and give ourselves as good a chance as we possibly can have to end our season.”

Yardstick

Scoring Summary

First Quarter
L-C – Johnson Jr. 12 pass from Rodriguez (Rodriguez kick), 6:22
Wylie – Rehburg 39 FG, 4:03

Second Quarter
Wylie – Rehburg 29 FG, 11:16
Wylie – Ruffin 29 pass from Karleskint (run failed), 9:23
L-C – Johnson 2 run (Rodriguez kick), 6:00

Third Quarter
Wylie – Laine 28 run (run failed), 10:59
L-C – Gant 50 pass from Rodriguez (pass failed), 9:20
Wylie – Regala 80 kickoff return (run failed), 9:06
L-C – Moore 3 run (Johnson run), 5:08

Fourth Quarter
L-C – Gant 24 pass from Rodriguez (Robertson kick), 11:53
Wylie – Ruffin 95 kickoff return (Rehburg kick), 11:27
Wylie – Rehburg 25 FG, 10:16
L-C – Watters 5 pass from Rodriguez (Robertson kick), 6:18

Wylie Individual Stats

Rushing: Julius Laine, 6-43-1; Jadin Karleskint, 11-28
Passing: Karleskint, 8-14-136-0-1
Receiving: Dylan Regala, 6-76; Blaze Ruffin, 3-60-1

District 2-5A Standings

Week 10 Results:
Lubbock-Cooper 42, Wylie 35
WF Memorial 49, Plainview 22