Friday night at Pirates Stadium was everything a high school football fan could ask for — drama, big plays, and a thrilling finish that went down to the final seconds. In a clash of styles between the methodical, ground-and-pound Lubbock-Cooper Pirates and the explosive, big-play Palo Duro Dons, it was the Dons’ fireworks that proved decisive in a 36-33 victory.
The Dons (6-1, 3-0 district) took control early, using their speed and quick-strike passing game to build a 21-7 halftime lead. Quarterback Julian Reese was in top form, tossing a pair of long touchdown passes — a 40-yarder to Daniel Moses and a 27-yard strike to Tayv’on Cantly — as Palo Duro thrived on momentum and precision. Their offense leaned on explosive plays, while the defense bent but didn’t break against the Pirates’ punishing run game.
Lubbock-Cooper (4-4, 1-3) looked out of sync early, missing opportunities and struggling to keep up with the Dons’ pace. A key moment came just before halftime when a dropped pass in the red zone cost the Pirates points, and Reese immediately made them pay with a 47-yard dart to Moses. That set up Darien Lewis’ 6-yard plunge with just 16 seconds left before halftime, swinging all the energy Palo Duro’s way.
But football games are rarely decided at halftime — and the Pirates came out of the break determined to make a statement. An unnecessary roughness penalty on Palo Duro to end the half led to great field position after Michael Rodriguez’s onside kick was recovered by Cade Gant, setting the tone for a dramatic shift.
Behind the relentless running of Chamayne Johnson and Jathan Caraway, Lubbock-Cooper clawed back into the game. Blake Moore powered in for a 1-yard touchdown from the wildcat, and the Pirates’ special teams delivered again when Keion Brown recovered a perfectly placed pooch kick. Momentum was suddenly swinging the other way.
The Pirates’ methodical offense chewed up both clock and yardage. Quarterback Ryan Rodriguez hit Travis Exparza on a crucial fourth-down conversion inside the five, and Moore bulldozed in another score to make it a one-possession game. A few defensive stands later, aided by a pass interference call and a gritty 17-yard Johnson run, the Pirates surged ahead 27-21 with eight minutes remaining.
But the Dons’ quick-strike ability resurfaced. Raymond Johnson raced 60 yards to put Palo Duro back on top, 28-27, and after another bruising Lubbock-Cooper drive capped by Johnson’s 6-yard touchdown run, the Pirates seemed poised for a comeback win, leading 33-28 with 1:25 left.
Then came the final dagger. Reese, cool under pressure, found Kyron Brown wide open down the sideline for a 57-yard touchdown. Brown broke two tackles before tumbling into the end zone, and a successful two-point try gave the Dons a 36-33 edge with 45 seconds remaining.
Lubbock-Cooper made one last push, reaching the Dons’ 28-yard line before a sack and penalty stalled the drive. With eight seconds left, the Pirates’ final fourth-down pass fell incomplete — sealing an unforgettable win for Palo Duro.