Abilene ISD -

Abilene High and Cooper are back in familiar territory this week: the state football playoffs, which begin Thursday night.

Abilene High will host El Paso Parkland in a Class 5A Division I bi-district game at 6 p.m. tonight at Shotwell Stadium. Cooper will take on El Paso Del Valle in a Class 5A Division II bi-district game at 7 p.m. (Abilene time) at Conquest Stadium in El Paso.

The winner of the Abilene High-Parkland game will advance to next week’s area round, where they will take on the winner of Friday’s bi-district contest between No.1-ranked and defending state champion Aledo and Saginaw Chisholm Trail. The winner of the Cooper-Del Valle game will advance to next week’s area round, where they will take on the winner of Friday’s game between Lucas Lovejoy and Mansfield Timberview.

Here's a look at each matchup involving the two Abilene high schools:

ABILENE HIGH vs. EL PASO PARKLAND
What: Class 5A Division I bi-district playoff game
When: Thursday, Nov. 14
Time: 6 p.m.
Where: Shotwell Stadium, Abilene
Records: Abilene High (7-3, #2 seed from District 2-5A), El Paso Parkland (3-7, #3 seed from District 1-5A)
Tickets: Purchase here
Clear Bag Policy: AISD has implemented a clear bag policy at Shotwell Stadium. Only clear bags will be allowed in with spectators.
Series history: First meeting
Live video: AISD Live
Live audio stream: AISD Live
Abilene High: The Eagles had a week off following their 31-17 loss at Lubbock Monterey on Oct. 31, ended their regular season, and snapped their district winning streak at 11 games. … The Eagles and Plainsmen finished 5-1 in district play, but Monterey will go into the playoffs as the district’s No. 1 seed because of the head-to-head victory. … This is Abilene High’s 39th overall playoff appearance, fifth straight, and 22nd in the last 26 seasons. … The Eagles are 74-30-2 all-time in the playoffs, including 31-6 in the opening round. … Abilene High is 19-3 all-time against El Paso teams in the playoffs, including 5-1 in Abilene. … In last year's bi-district round, the Eagles beat El Paso Hanks 84-14, setting a new Class 5A playoff record for most points scored. … Abilene High is averaging 452.4 yards and 40.6 points per game, while the defense is giving up 408.4 yards and 32.9 points per game. … Senior wide receiver Ryland Bradford set a new single-season record for touchdown catches this season with 16. He is now the program’s all-time leader in receiving touchdowns (31). … Bradford is second all-time in receiving yards (2,100) and needs just 49 yards to pass Raekwon Millsap (2,148 yards from 2014-17) for the all-time lead. … With his 970 receiving yards in 2024, Bradford is sixth in single-season receiving yards. He needs 30 yards to become just the fourth Eagle in program history to record a 1,000-yard receiving season, joining Reese Childress (1,571 yards in 2014), Lyle Leong Jr. (1,374 in 2005), and Jerale Badon (1,117 in 2002). Doug Wilson (992 yards in 2013) is fourth, and Kortney McDow (975 yards in 2007) is fifth. … Junior running back Ethan Joyner has carried the ball 157 times for 867 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2024. … Sophomore quarterback Tristan Beal has completed 86 of 131 passes for 1,191 yards and 13 touchdowns against just three interceptions. … Placekicker Naim Segura has made 61 of 63 PATs this season, giving him a career total of 140 for 144. The 140 made PATs are second all-time to Matt Adams (166 from 2002-04). He has made 17 career field goals, tied with Cheno Rodriguez (1997-99) for fourth all-time. Segura has scored 191 career kicking points, second all-time behind Adams (235 from 2002-04).
El Paso Parkland: This is the 22nd overall and ninth straight playoff appearance for the Matadors, who are 15-22 all-time in the postseason. … Parkland is 12-9 in the bi-district round and last year lost to Lubbock Cooper, 67-7, in the bi-district round of the playoffs. … Parkland started this season 0-5 but finished 3-2 in the second half, carrying a 3-7 overall record and 3-3 district mark into the playoffs. … The Matadors’ offense averages 445.3 yards and 32.7 points per game. … Quarterback Jesse Molina (128 of 207 for 1,484 yards with five interceptions and 14 touchdowns) triggers the offense. … Running backs Jayden Macias (208 carries for 1,203 yards and eight touchdowns) and Kaleb Martinez (105 carries for 847 yards and 12 touchdowns) lead the Matadors. … Wide receiver Jordan Reese has caught 46 passes for 731 yards and seven touchdowns and has carried the ball 50 times for 268 yards and one touchdown.

COOPER at EL PASO DEL VALLE
What: Class 5A Division II bi-district playoff game
When: Thursday, Nov. 14
Time: 7 p.m. (Abilene time)
Where: Conquest Stadium, El Paso
Records: Cooper (4-6, #4 seed from District 2-5A), El Paso Del Valle (9-0, #1 seed from District 1-5A)
Tickets: Purchase here
Clear Bag Policy: The Ysleta Independent School District has implemented a clear bag requirement at Conquest Stadium. Clear tote bags may be plastic or vinyl. A small clutch bag, no larger than 6x9 inches, with or without a handle or strap, is permissible.
Series history: Cooper leads 5-0 (all in playoffs)
Live video: AISD Live
Live audio stream: AISD Live
Cooper: The Cougars are making their 34th all-time playoff appearance and 18th straight. … Cooper is 47-32-1 all-time in the playoffs, including 22-11 in the first round. … Cooper is 17-0 against El Paso teams in the state playoffs, including 5-0 against Del Valle, with wins coming over the Conquistadors in 2000 (44-22), 2008 (56-10), 2009 (51-41), 2015 (31-14), and 2019 (42-21)…. Quarterback Austin Cummins triggers the Cooper offense, and he has played some of his best football in the Cougars’ three-game winning streak that got them into the playoffs. … For the season, Cummins has completed 144 of 238 passes for 1,337 yards and 18 touchdowns against just four interceptions. In the last three games, Cummins has completed 38 of 56 passes for 473 yards and 10 touchdowns, leading Cooper into the playoffs. … Running back Peyton Ewing leads the rushing attack with 633 yards and six touchdowns on 115 carries. … JQ Scroggins has carried the ball 37 times for 333 yards and three touchdowns, and Major De Los Santos has 49 carries for 239 yards and three touchdowns. … Zavian Alexander has caught 74 passes for 860 yards and 11 touchdowns, and Jaden Carrillo has 33 catches for 320 yards and three touchdowns. … Alexander is fourth in Cooper’s single-season history with 74 catches behind only Myller Royals (91 in 2017), Jon Harrison (78 in 1967), and Daelin Campos (75 in 2019). … The Cougars started the season 1-6 and 0-3 in District 2-5A Division II play but rallied to win their final three games of the regular season: 35-23 vs. Plainview, 45-21 vs. Wichita Falls Legacy, and 44-27 over Amarillo Palo Duro. … In those three games, Alexander caught 20 passes for 202 yards and five touchdowns to lead the Cooper attack. … Cooper is averaging 333.2 yards and 30.2 points per game, while the defense – led by junior defensive end Dycin Davis – allows just 315.1 yards and 29.4 points per game. Davis has 2.5 sacks against Plainview and 2.0 sacks against Palo Duro as part of his dominant season. … Davis has offers from Texas Tech, Iowa, Arizona, Baylor, California, North Texas, UT-El Paso, and UT-San Antonio.
El Paso Del Valle: The Conquistadors have won three straight district championships and are 18-0 in district games in that stretch. … Del Valle is making its 25th playoff appearance (all since 1999), and 21st straight appearance. … The school opened in 1987, and the program’s first appearance in the football playoffs came in 1999. Since then, the only year the Conquistadors have missed the playoffs was 2003, meaning they have reached the postseason 21 straight years entering Thursday’s game against Cooper. … Quarterback Jake Fette leads the offense, having completed 127 of 187 passes for 2,115 yards and 27 touchdowns, but hasn’t thrown an interception in 2024. He’s also carried the ball 42 times for 393 yards and eight touchdowns. … Running back Shelton Fuller has carried the ball 58 times for 408 yards and six touchdowns, and Ryan Nunez has 26 catches for 476 yards and 10 touchdowns. … The Conquistadors are averaging 433.8 yards and 49.4 points per game, and the team’s defense allows just 10.8 points per game (97 points allowed in nine games).

Other playoff games involving teams from District 2-5A Division I are Lubbock Monterey (6-4) vs. El Paso Bel Air (0-10), Thursday, 6 p.m., Lowrey Field, Lubbock; Amarillo Tascosa (5-5) vs. El Paso Andress (3-6), Thursday, 7 p.m., SAC II Stadium, El Paso; Amarillo High (5-4) vs. El Paso El Dorado (10-0), Friday, 7 p.m., SAC II Stadium, El Paso.

Other playoff games involving teams from District 2-5A Division II are Wylie (8-1) vs. El Paso Andress (5-5), Friday, 6 p.m., Sandifer Stadium, Abilene; Wichita Falls Memorial (8-2) vs. El Paso Chapin (6-4), Friday, 5 p.m., Memorial Stadium, Wichita Falls; Lubbock Cooper (7-3) vs. Canutillo (9-1), Thursday, 7 p.m., Lowenberg Stadium, Canutillo.

Shotwell Stadium will host another playoff game this weekend. Fourth-ranked Stephenville (9-1) will play San Angelo Lake View (2-8) at 7 p.m. Friday in the Class 4A Division I bi-district playoffs. Fans can purchase tickets to the game online.

Basketball: Local Teams Back in Action This Weekend
All four AISD basketball teams will be back on the floor this weekend. The Abilene High and Cooper girls will play in the Pug Parriss Classic in Abilene, and the boys’ teams will be on the road.

The Abilene High girls are 4-3 on the season after a 55-40 win Tuesday night over Merkel at Eagle Gym. They will play Jim Ned Friday at 8 a.m. at Eagle Gym, followed by a 12:30 p.m. game against Lubbock Estacado at 12:30 p.m. at Eagle Gym. After pool play is finished Friday, bracket play will start at 8 a.m. Saturday. The Lady Eagles will play at Odessa Permian on Tuesday, Nov. 19.

The Cooper girls are 0-4 on the year after a tough loss Tuesday night and will play Comanche at 9:30 a.m. on Friday at Cougar Gym and San Angelo Central at 6:30 p.m. at Cougar Gym. Other teams in the tournament are Borger, Cisco, and Wylie. The Lady Cougars will play at Burleson on Tuesday, Nov. 19.

The Cooper boys evened their record at 1-1. Tuesday with a 50-34 win over Sweetwater at Cougar Gym. The Cougars will play Fort Worth Chisholm Trail at 6 p.m. Friday in Fort Worth and will return to Cougar Gym next Tuesday (Nov. 19) for a game against Lubbock Coronado at 7:30 p.m.

The Abilene High boys are 2-0 after a 44-35 win at Midland High on Tuesday night. The Eagles will play at Aledo on Friday at 7:30 p.m., followed by a home game against San Angelo Central next Tuesday (Nov. 19).