Spring football underway

Kara Adkins Staff Writer With the school year slowly but surely coming to an end, there are many students that can’t wait for the month of May to come.  However, for those who are on Coppell’s varsity football team the month of May brings the unbearable spring practices. Though many players can’t stand the treacherous practices, they are an extremely important prelim before the season starts. Head football coach, Joe McBride, runs these practices and keeps all the players and coaches in tip top shape and ready for the 2011 season.  After last season’s tragic playoff loss to Trinity, McBride is determined to strive for perfection and excellence with all of his players behind him….

McBride honored by Dallas Cowboys

Mary Whitfill Features Editor Coppell Cowboys head football coach Joe McBride was recently named Texas High School Football Coach of the year by the Dallas Cowboys. With the title, McBride was the recipient a $2000 grant from Gene and Jerry Jones Family Charities for the Coppell High School football program. His honor sent a surge of pride through the city, topping off a truly fantastic football season. “The kids got me there,” McBride said. “It is an honor that I was named, but it was a collective effort.” McBride was presented with the honor at the January 4th Coppell vs. Southlake basketball game, being surprised at halftime by two Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders and the Cowboy…

Minden embraces role as staring quarterback, leader

By Peter Sblendorio Sports Editor Coppell senior quarterback Joe Minden is the type of player that allows his work on the football field speak for itself. Serving last season as the back-up quarterback, Minden rarely saw the field on Friday nights.  According to senior running back Cam McDaniel, Minden demonstrated an impressive work ethic, practicing as hard as any other player throughout the season and being as prepared for each game as any of the Cowboy starters despite his unglamorous role. Moving into the starting role in 2010, Minden has embraced the opportunity to be the head of the offense. “It’s an honor to be able to lead my team,” Minden said. “There’s a lot…

Spring game brings taste of what is to come

by Blake Seitz Sports Editor Last season, the Cowboys advanced to the third round of playoffs before losing to Arlington in a 31-29 heartbreaker. Still smarting from the loss, the Cowboys hope to capitalize on its returning talent to make an even further playoff push this season. Yesterday, the team had its annual spring game to showcase its progress before the season. The first squad offense played against the first squad defense, and the second squad offense played against the second squad defense. The purpose of the spring game is to give fans a glimpse of the team’s new talent. While not as strongly attended as regular season Coppell games, there was still a sizeable…

Johnson tackles a new challenge: wrestling

By Gaby Moran Staff Writer With the size of Coppell High School’s student population, this only allows most students to do well in just one sport. However, there are always a handful of students that can shine in a couple of sports each year, but only a very few that can shine enough to get college scholarship offers in more than one.  Senior Teddy Johnson, mainly known for his incredible football talent, which earned him a spot on the Oklahoma State University football team, also picked up a new sport this year and performed very well. Usually, athletes work hard for four years to reach state, with one exception. This year, Johnson joined a sport…

Coppell placed in District 7-5A following realignment

by Blake Seitz Sports Editor In Birdville last November, Coppell’s football team suffered the loss that would end its postseason run. Yesterday, Coppell’s future was determined again in Birdville during a Region-wide realignment meeting, which set Coppell’s district for the next two years. Coppell was placed in District 7-5A for the next two seasons, along with old rival Southlake Carroll, former 4A-school Denton Guyer, Justin Northwest, Saginaw and the three Keller schools (Keller, Keller Central and Fossil Ridge). It would seem this is a lucky break for Coppell, which will be one of the larger schools in its district. Head coach Joe McBride was modest in his assessment of the realignment. “There will be no…

Cowboys pack All-District roster, sweep both MVPs

Story by Peter Sblendorio Staff Writer The All-District 6-5A teams were released on Nov. 30 to honor the best players in District 6-5A for the 2009 season. Twenty-four Cowboys were placed on the all-district first team and second team after Coppell finished 11-1, including a 5-1 record in 6-5A. Coppell senior quarterback Hayden Hawk earned the Offensive Most Valuable Player award after leading one of the top offensive teams in District 6-5A. Hawk completed 265 of his 390 pass attempts for 3,408 yards and threw 29 touchdown passes over the course of the season. He was also explosive with legs, rushing for 391 yards and six touchdowns. “It’s a great honor,” Hawk said. “There are…

Heartbreak in Birdville

by Blake Seitz Sports Editor In what can only be described as a bitter defeat, Coppell lost to the Arlington Colts on a last second field goal, ending the Cowboy’s historic playoff run. The final score was 31-29. The first half of play was dominated by the Colts. After the Cowboy’s first drive collapsed, Arlington’s offense, led by senior quarterback Matt Joeckel, drove the length of the field to the Coppell one-yard line. After three consecutive stops on the goal line, Joeckel showed his prodigious ability (he has signed with Texas A&M) by lobbing a ball over the middle of a collapsing line for an Arlington score. Coppell’s second drive was just as impotent as…

Cowboys Playoffs 2009: Tepper’s take on Coppell-Keller game

Greg Tepper is a 2004 Coppell graduate and is the editor of the Coppell/Valley Ranch edition of neighborsgo, the community newspaper of The Dallas Morning News. A 2008 graduate of the Missouri School of Journalism, Tepper has worked in the sports departments of The Dallas Morning News and the Tulsa World, as well as interning with KESN ESPN 103.3FM in Dallas. While at Coppell, he was the sports columnist for The Sidekick from 2003-2004. Here’s his take on Coppell (9-1) vs. Keller (6-4) at 8 p.m. Saturday at Cowboys Stadium in the Class 5A Division I Region I bi-district playoffs. Are you surprised in Joe McBride’s success this year and what have you seen him…

Dragons snuff out Cowboys’ winning streak

by Blake Seitz Sports Editor No one who watched the first five minutes of last night’s game at Dragon Stadium could’ve been able to predict the end result, a 24-6 Cowboy loss. The excitement in the stands was already electric with an hour to go before kickoff, as both teams prepared for the first game of district play—a grudge match at that. “We tried not to get too wrapped up in revenge,” senior defensive end Jackson Richards recalled after the game. “It was the big game because it was the next game.” Rivalry-fueled or otherwise, play in the first half reflected all of what’s great about Texas high school football. Coppell took the kick and,…