The Frenship Tiger football team earned what must be one of the most epic wins in the history of the Tigers’ storied program on Friday night at Peoples Bank Stadium. The Tigers played host to the crosstown rival Lubbock Cooper Pirates, the 34th meetings between the two schools. Cooper and Frenship met consistently from the 1950s to the 1980s but took a long hiatus due to school size. The series was rekindled in 2014 and has become one of the most anticipated annual matchups in the state.
The crowd in Wolfforth on Friday was one of the largest in memory with well over 10,000 people filling the stadium to standing-room-only. From the press box, the line of cars stretching to the east could be seen reaching the Marsha Sharp Freeway with fans parking as far away as Bennett Elementary School and walking across the fields to reach the game. Every parking spot at Frenship High School, businesses, churches, and the fields in-between was occupied through the entire thriller.
The Tigers got rolling quickly with a 22-yard touchdown pass from Donovan Smith to senior receiver Jordan Maden. It would not be the last time these two connected on the evening, and that connection did not move in only one direction. The Pirates answered the Tigers and then gave up the lead again to a 58-yard touchdown pass to Klein Coker. That is the second time Smith and Coker have connected on a 50+ yard pass this season after hitting on a 68-yard bomb against Amarillo High.
After two more Lubbock Cooper touchdowns and a 2-yard touchdown scamper by Donovan Smith, the teams went to the locker room with it all knotted up at 21. The third quarter belonged to the Pirates who scored 14 in that frame and led the Tigers 35-21 headed into the fourth. But the good guys were not to be denied as Donovan Smith ducked and weaved his way through the defense for a 34-yard touchdown run after scrambling for a fourth-down conversation the play before. Ultimately it was a 23-yard strike to Cooper Scott who shed a tackler and tied the ballgame thanks to a Cage Jones kick.
The fast and furious overtime periods saw the Tigers respond to a Pirate touchdown run with a 16-yard pass from Donovan Smith to Jordan Maden. Then the teams traded field goals in the second OT with Cage Jones nailing a 36-yarder after Evan Barboza, a defensive end, lined up at tight end to make a falling catch to set up Jones’ field goal. The third overtime (when two-point conversions become required) saw Jordan Maden with a hard-nosed touchdown run and then a double reverse that Maden sent right back to Donovan Smith in the southwest corner of the Tiger endzone.
The Tigers took their final lead of the night in the fourth overtime period on a bruising run by running back William Bayouth. Adding to the drama, a holding call moved the Tigers’ two-point conversion try back to the 13-yard line. Donovan Smith rolled out to his left and threw a perfect ball to Jordan Maden once again. In the end, it was hard-nosed defensive play that sealed the Tigers’ victory when Colton Anderson, Jake Gilbert, and Stefano Sanchez stuffed the Pirates’ final run from scrimmage.
On the night, Donovan Smith went 22/37 for 304 yards, 4 TDs, and 1 INT passing, he caught a 2-point conversion from Jordan Maden and rushed 20 times for 121 yards and another 2 TDs. Smith is one of the candidates for Lone Star Varsity Male Athlete of the Week (VOTE HERE). Jordan Maden led the way at receiver with 8 catches for 116 yards and 2TDs. He chipped in 2 carries for 13 yards and a TD on the ground and threw that two-point conversion to Donovan Smith in overtime. Defensively it was Colton Anderson with 11 tackles and 4 assists followed by Alyjah Garcia with 7 tackles and 2 assists. Isaiah Vasquez, Cayson Brito, Tristin Laughlin, and Evan Barboza all notched a sack on the day and Stefano Sanchez, Jake Gilbert, and Evan Barboza each tallied a tackle for loss.
In a contest that was the first time the losing team scored more than 16 points in the series, and the second-most combined points in Frenship history, the Tigers improved their win total over Lubbock Cooper to 22-12 all-time, that’s the most victories the Tigers have over any opponent in its long football tradition.
The Tigers are back in action this Friday night in Roswell, NM at the Wool Bowl taking on the El Paso Andress Golden Eagles (3-0). Game time is set for 6:00 pm CST with the Lubbock Truck Sales Pre-Game Show beginning at 5:30 pm CST on Double T 97.3 with Keith Patrick and Chois Woodman on the call. Fans can also access the game for viewing on Saturday at www.frenship.tv.