Despite just one win this season, Lubbock-Cooper still is in the hunt for a District 2-5A playoff berth.

Of the seven teams in the district, six still can make the postseason. That includes the Wylie Bulldogs.

Wylie enters Friday’s game at Sandifer Stadium at 2-1 after a 53-10 loss to Palo Duro in Amarillo. At 4-0, the Dons are poised to defend their championship. They have won 10 straight league games.

The Bulldogs and the Pirates, who have yet to play PD, have their biggest work ahead.

Wylie missed the 2025 playoffs, thanks in part to a 42-35 loss to Lubbock-Cooper in Woodrow. There was a logjam at 3-3 but losses to the Pirates and Wichita Falls Memorial were costly to Wylie.

This year, the Bulldogs already have beaten Memorial. But while Lubbock-Cooper has struggled, Wichita Falls Legacy, winners of two games total in two years, has entered the fray. Wylie plays at Legacy next week.

The Bulldogs host last year’s runnerup, Abilene Cooper, in the final game. Cooper is 3-1 in the standings and should be 4-1, with last-place Coronado at home next week.

This week, it’s the Pirates, who came alive to beat Coronado 48-6, that have Wylie’s attention.

A traditional bully in the district, Lubbock-Cooper has battled key injuries this year, especially at quarterback. That issue may become more settled as players return to the field. Until scoring 48 points against Coronado, the Pirates had a total of 83 through six games.

Wylie coach Clay Martin each week emphasizes that his team is focused on just one game.

“Both teams are in situations with playoff implications and we’ve had a lot of really good games for a lot of years now and I think there is a good chance that this will be the same,” he said.

Yes, it’s the point in the season that positioning becomes paramount. But Wylie makes it really hard on itself if it doesn’t put Lubbock-Cooper behind in the loss column.

A loss would put the teams even at 2-2, with the Pirates having the edge.

DON'T OVERLOOK THE PIRATES

LCP is on the rebound.

“They had a huge amount of injuries earlier in the year, so while everybody else has been building their team, theirs has been kind of delayed,” Martin said. “I think they’ve gotten better and better each week. As you watch the film, it’s pretty obvious to see.”

The Pirates staked Abilene Cooper to a 7-0 lead in their showdown at Shotwell but closed it to 7-6 at halftime on Daniel Castro’s rushing touchdown.

The Cougars’ offense scored just once again as CHS relied on a 57-yard interception return and a 20-yard fumble return for second-half scores in a 27-6 win.

It was a one-point as the third quarter ended. That got Martin’s attention.

“Coach Chip Darden and those guys do a great job. They are continuing to play hard and they have some exceptional athletes, some as good as any in the district,” Martin said. “They are going to play with a lot of pride.”

The Pirates have a 13-year playoff string going since going 6-3 in 2012.

Last year, Lubbock-Cooper stymied the Bulldogs’ offense, holding Wylie to 136 total yards. Two of Wylie’s touchdowns came on kickoff returns - 80 yards by Dylan Regala and 95 yards by Blaze Ruffin, who also caught a TD pass from Jadin Karleskint.

Meanwhile, LCP totaled more than 500 yards on offense and quarterback Ryan Rodriguez threw four scoring passes.

The Bulldogs managed to tie the game at 35, like they did against PD, but gave up a late touchdown. The loss basically knocked Wylie from the postseason race.

Friday’s game is doubly important. Wylie wants to avenge the loss in 2025, and in doing so likely will get Wylie back in the playoffs.

It comes down to one thing: Sinking the Pirates.

That could be a momentum starter for the rest of the district slate.

“We’re here at the last stretch of the regular season,” Martin said. “How we perform the last three games of the season will determine our fate as how we fit into the playoffs”

DONS AND DONE

As for the Palo Duro game, it’s done.

Wylie was glad to put Lubbock in the rear-view mirror after three trips there in four games, and probably is glad to be gone from Amarillo, too.

“We’ve dealt with that and we’re over it and moving on to the next one,” Martin said.

The Dons made a statement by shrugging off an early 3-0 deficit to score the next 47 points to take control of the game. The big three on offense - quarterback Julian Reese II, running back Raymond Johnson V, and receiver Kyron Brown - showcased their talents. On defense, Reese intercepted Wylie quarterback Jadin Karleskint twice and ZacharyLinton terrorized the Bulldogs backfield.

Wylie could not keep up with the Dons like it did in 2025, when the game was decided in the final two minutes by … Reese, Brown and Johnson. Reese ran back the kickoff at 35-all, getting a key block from Brown. It was Johnson who scampered for the winning touchdown.

Wylie has three tough games left, and the experience of playing PD and Class 4A powerhouse Stephenville could help prepare for opponents who also boast terrific athletes and an offense/defense balance.

“Playing good competition and being challenged is always good,” he said. “It’s how you grow, and we’ll be better for it.

“We’ll move on to the next game and be prepared to play Lubbock-Cooper.”

On a bright note, Wylie, which has dealt with its own slew of injuries this year, came out of the game unscathed.

Martin said coaches and the team are not taking Lubbock-Cooper lightly.

While the Pirates have been unsettled at quarterback, the situation is a challenge to opponents.

Martin said six players have been listed as quarterback this year with four playing. In the win against Coronado, Noah Clark, Blake Moore, and Jayden Ramirez rotated at quarterback. Clark is listed No. 1 on the current depth chart, backed up by Ramirez.

Moore scored a rushing TD against Wylie last year.

“We have to prepare for all of them. They are different, 100 percent. In some ways, the offense will look different when each quarterback is in the game,” Martin said. “That makes it difficult to prepare for. You’re really preparing for several different game plans going in.”

AROUND THE LEAGUE

Palo Duro takes the crown with a win over Memorial on Friday. A victory puts PD at 5-0 with one game left.

Memorial had a week to prepare for the Dons. Last year, Memorial started district play at 0-2 but caught its breath on a bye week to win three of its last four games, including Wylie, and take fourth place.

The Mavericks have the game at home, which will help. However, PD won 48-6 in Wichita Falls last year.

The other game should go to Legacy, which is at Coronado (0-4).

A win would put the Leopards at 2-2 and keep them in the playoff hunt. The Wylie at Legacy battle becomes even more important.

It’s a tribute to the program, which went 1-11 its first two years in the district. Its only win was against now-departed Plainview.

Here is some irony.

Plainview, the last place team in 2-5A in 2025, will be in the playoffs next month. They are in a four-team 4A district that kicks off league play Friday. All four teams have already qualified.

The Bulldogs are 2-5 overall.

2026 District 2-5A standings
Team District Season
W L Pts. Def. W L Pts. Def.
Am. Palo Duro 4 0 193 26 7 1 311 85
Ab. Cooper 3 1 124 104 5 3 216 181
Wylie 2 1 93 86 4 3 200 165
WF Legacy 1 2 46 64 4 3 245 199
WF Memorial 1 2 100 83 3 4 304 268
Lub-Cooper 1 2 68 70 1 6 131 242
Lub. Coronado 0 4 33 218 1 7 137 335

Last week’s games
Wylie at Palo Duro 53, Wylie 10
Abilene Cooper 41, Legacy 35
Lubbock Cooper 48, Coronado 6
Memorial open

Friday’s games
Lubbock-Cooper at Wylie
Palo Duro at Memorial
Legacy at Coronado
Abilene Cooper open