Cooper High School

The Abilene High and Cooper boys’ and girls’ track and field teams will return to action on Friday at the Class 5A Area 3 and 4 track and field championships in Lubbock. This meet will determine the athletes and relays from the 14 competing schools advancing to next week’s Region I-5A championship meet in Lubbock.

Additionally, the playoff picture in District 4-5A baseball and softball is becoming more transparent, with both Abilene High teams having already clinched playoff berths. The District 4-5A boys’ and girls’ all-district teams have been announced, and AHS and Cooper are well-represented on those teams.

This week’s Abilene ISD Athletics Roundup covers each story and previews upcoming events.

TRACK AND FIELD
The Abilene High boys’ and girls’ teams finished second at last week’s District 4-5A championship meet, while the Cooper girls were third and Cooper boys were fourth in the meet, hosted by Wylie High School at Hugh Sandifer Stadium.

The Wylie boys won the title with 178 points, followed closely by AHS, second with 160 points, and Cooper, fourth with 86 points. Three Eagles won individual district championships: John Alcantar in the 1600 and 3200 meters, Steven Reece Jr in the 110-meter hurdles, and Jaden Jackson in the long jump. Cooper’s Chris Assir won the triple jump.

The AHS boys will send 12 individuals in 10 events, and the 4x100 and 4x200 relay teams to Friday’s area championship meet. Cooper will send six individuals in eight events, and all three relay teams – 4x100, 4x200, and 4x400 – to the area meet.

On the girls’ side, Wylie won the district title with 260 points, followed by AHS with 182 points and Cooper with 92 points. Abilene High senior Zoe Vann won two individual events – the 800 and 1600 meters – and ran the anchor leg on the district championship 4x400 relay team. Mason Murray won the 3200 meters, Trinity Harris captured the triple jump title, and AHS won the 4x100 and 4x400 relay events. Cooper’s Asharee Davis won the high jump and was a close runner-up in the long jump.

Abilene High will send 12 athletes in 11 events, and all three relays to the area meet, while Cooper will send eight individuals in eight events and the 4x200 and 4x400 relay teams.

The area meet will see all 14 teams from Districts 3-5A and 4-5A competing to send athletes to the regional meet, scheduled for April 18-19 at Lowrey Field. The top four athletes in each event and the top four teams in each relay event will advance to the regional meet.

Abilene ISD District 4-5A champions
Boys
110 hurdles – Steven Reece Jr, Abilene High
1600 meters – John Alcantar, Abilene High
3200 meters – John Alcantar, Abilene High
Long Jump – Jaden Jackson, Abilene High
Triple Jump – Chris Assir, Cooper

Girls
800 meters – Zoe Vann, Abilene High
1600 meters – Zoe Vann, Abilene High
3200 meters – Mason Murray, Abilene High
4x100 relay – Abilene High
4x400 relay – Abilene High
High Jump – Asharee Davis, Cooper
Triple Jump – Trinity Harris, Abilene High

BASEBALL
Abilene High and Wylie finally completed their three-game season series on Monday night after postponing last Friday and Saturday because of cold weather and rain. The Bulldogs avenged a 6-0 loss last Tuesday with a 6-3 win over the Eagles at Bulldog Field, winning the season series from the Eagles, 2-1.

Despite the loss, the Eagles (14-6-1 overall) are still tied with Wichita Falls Memorial at the top of the District 4-5A standings with 6-2 records. Both teams have already clinched spots in the playoffs; the Eagles will be in the postseason for the third straight year under head coach Brad Harman.

The Eagles are off Tuesday night but will return to action Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. in a non-district game against Lubbock Monterey at 6:30 p.m. at Blackburn Field. In another non-district game, they’ll also play Wall on Friday night at Blackburn Field.

Cooper played just once last week, knocking off Fort Worth Chisholm Trail, 6-0, last Tuesday to improve to 14-6 overall. The Cougars had a pair of games canceled last weekend because of the rain and cold temperatures. Cooper is 2-4 in district play but has a chance to clinch a playoff spot this weekend by taking on last-place Wichita Falls Legacy twice in five days: Tuesday night in Wichita Falls and Saturday at Cougar Field.

Two wins by the Cougars will clinch the program’s first playoff berth since 2019. Two wins by Cooper would push the Cougars to 4-4 and drop Legacy to 0-10, clinching at least fourth place for the Cougars.

SOFTBALL
Wylie and Cooper postponed their season’s second matchup last weekend because of rain and cold temperatures. The game was finally played Monday night, with Wylie taking a 7-2 win over the Lady Cougars. That outcome left the teams tied for second in District 4-5A play at 3-2, two games behind Abilene High, which leads the district at 5-0 with three games to play.

Cooper (13-11 overall and 3-2 in district) and Abilene High (13-7 and 5-0) will play Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at Eagle Field. The Lady Eagles—who have already clinched a playoff spot—are trying to put an even tighter grip on first place. The Lady Eagles won the first game against Cooper, 4-3, on March 22.

Abilene High will play at Wichita Falls Legacy (2-11 and 0-4) on Friday night, and Cooper will host Wichita Falls Memorial (12-16 and 1-4) on Friday.

SOCCER
With the District 4-5A soccer season over, district coaches recently released the all-district teams for both boys and girls, and AHS and Cooper were well-represented on both teams.

On the girls’ side, Abilene High’s Keeley Aston was the Co-Defensive MVP and Alex Lubanga was the Co-Utility Player of the Year, and Cooper’s Cayelyn Nault was the Midfielder MVP. Cooper had three first team selections and AHS two.

On the boys’ team, Cooper’s Josh Okorodudu was the Co-Offensive MVP and Antoine Kennedy the Offensive Newcomer of the Year. Abilene High’s Joel McPherson was the Goalkeeper of the Year. Abilene High had three players on the first team and Cooper two.

All of the all-district selections are listed below.

Girls All-District 4-5A Team
Co-Defensive MVP ­– Keeley Aston, Abilene High
Midfielder MVP – Cayelyn Nault, Cooper
Co-Utility Player – Alex Lubanga, Abilene High

First Team
Forwards – Gabrielle Pallarez, Abilene High; Kayla Dillon, Cooper
Midfielders – Rheauana De La Garza, Abilene High
Defenders – Ana Cervantez, Cooper

Second Team
Midfielders – Mallon Murray, Abilene High
Defenders – Sydney Camp, Abilene High; Emma Garcia, Cooper\
Goalkeeper – Harlee VanPelt, Cooper

Honorable Mention
Abilene High – Malia Gonzalez, Cora Hack, Alice Long, Skye Marsh, Mason Murray, Jazlyn Ortiz, Leilani Valero
Cooper – Leona Betteridge, Amalee Filorio, Carissa Guess, Ash Mackenzie, Addison Miles, Casey Nault, Olivia Walzer

Boys All-District 4-5A Team
Co-Offensive MVP – Josh Okorodudu, Cooper
Offensive Newcomer of the Year – Antoine Kennedy, Cooper
Goalkeeper of the Year – Joel McPherson, Abilene High

First Team
Abilene High – Roberto Hernandez, Oscar Amaya, Garrison Scoggin
Cooper – Juan Perez, Jeremiah Apple

Second Team
Abilene High – Trevor Meeks, Caden Camp, Josh Castillo
Cooper – Jorge Monroy, Lievin Shuicjru

Honorable Mention
Abilene High – Naim Segura, Sammy Batendji, Adrian Munoz
Cooper – Aoci Amaro, Daniel Asumani, Mercelo Baayubasire