The Cooper Cougars and Abilene High Eagles have been rivalry ever since the school’s opening. The city of Abilene is split in support by a set of railroad tracks. Those to the north side of the railroad support Abilene, those to the south support Cooper. Each year, the two teams meet for one football game, known as the “Crosstown Showdown”. The game draws tens of thousands of people to Shotwell Stadium, and has filled the stadium to maximum capacity. Against the backdrop of the West Texas Fair & Rodeo, the 57th football meeting between Abilene and Cooper high schools took place at Shotwell Stadium. The rivalry between the two schools goes back to 1961, and since then Cooper leads the series with a 32-23-1 record versus Abilene. Leading into Friday nights game, the Eagles of Abilene had won 11 of the last 13 games and come in with a three game winning streak.

MVP

Tyrese Whitfield

Abilene Cooper

SCHOLAR ATHLETES

Beau Thompson

Abilene Cooper

Beau has played football at Cooper for the past four years and is a one-year varsity letterman. Beau is a member of the National Honor Society. Beau has not decided yet, but is considering attending the University of Texas at Austin, Rice University, MIT or Stanford University.

Andrew Ezzell

Abilene

Andrew is a two-year letterman on the varsity football and baseball teams at Abilene High, where he was selected to the All-District baseball team. He plans on attending Texas A&M University and majoring in pre-med.

HALL OF FAME

Aaron Andrews

Abilene

Aaron was a three-year letterman on the Cougar football team and has broken many long-standing school football records and set several new records while playing for the Cougars. He is the career leader in receptions with 165, career leader with yardage with 2,530 yards, and career leader in receiving touchdowns with 23. Aaron also holds the school record for receptions in a single playoff game with 11 receptions vs Canyon Randall in November 2014. He ran track for the Cougars and placed 3rd in the 2016 Texas State Track Meet in the 300 meter hurdles. A 2016 graduate of Cooper, Aaron received a football scholarship to Tarleton State University and is currently continuing his education with plans on a career in the nursing profession.

GAME SUMMARY

Played a day after a 100 degree high, fans in black and gold faced the setting sun opposite those in red and blue. In their 57th meeting, the Cougars and Eagles kicked it off in 90 degree heat. Cooper came into the game with an unbeaten record and the Eagles of Abilene sought their first win of the season. In 2016, the Cougars of Cooper watched Abram Smith score a school record seven touchdowns in a 55-38 victory. This year, it was senior Tyrees Whitfield of Cooper who carried the Cougars to a victory. Whitfield ended the game with 332 total yards and scoring a school record seven touchdowns in a 49-35 victory. Whitfield ran for 259 yards and six TD’s on 29 carries, including TD runs of 49, 30, and 21 yards. He also caught three passes for 73 yards.