Sunday, October 26, 1997

Abilene needs help to make playoffs

By AL PICKETT / Abilene Reporter-News

Cooper is in; Abilene High needs help.

That is the situation facing the two Abilene teams and their football playoff hopes entering the final two weeks of the regular season.

Cooper clinched a postseason playoff berth for the sixth straight year Friday night with its thrilling last-second 23-21 victory over Midland High.

In fact, both Cooper and Odessa High -- both 4-0 atop the District 4-5A standings -- are in, regardless of what happens in the final two weeks of the season. Only San Angelo Central and Midland Lee have just two losses, but they play each other in the final game of the season. That means only the winner of the Central-Lee game is capable of finishing in a tie with either Cooper or Odessa High.

So the Cougars and Bronchos have already nailed down two of the district's three playoff berths. No matter what happens this week against Central and Midland High, respectively, they will meet in the final game at Odessa's Ratliff Stadium to decide the District 4-5A championship.

Things are a little more complicated for Abilene High, however. The Eagles' hopes of earning their first playoff berth since 1959 were severely damaged in Friday's 31-21 loss to Midland Lee.

The loss leaves Abilene High with only one scenario which will secure the district's third playoff spot for the Eagles. Here is what must happen to put the Eagles, who are open this week, into the playoffs:

-- Cooper must beat San Angelo Central and Odessa Permian must defeat Midland Lee this week.

-- Then next week, Abilene High, of course, must beat Odessa Permian and Central must defeat Lee.

If that scenario happens, Abilene High and San Angelo Central would tie for third place at 3-3, but the Eagles would go to the playoffs by virtue of their overtime win over the Bobcats earlier this season. Every other team in the district would have at least four losses.

Any other scenario which puts Abilene High in a third-place tie with Midland Lee or both Lee and Central would leave the Eagles out of the playoffs.

Abilene High and Odessa Permian, which is 1-3, can't tie for third since they play each other in the final game of the season. The only way for Permian to make the playoffs is to beat both Lee and Abilene High and then hope Central loses to both Cooper and Lee.

Cooper and Abilene High are trying to become the first schools from the same city to make the playoffs in the same year in the history of District 4-5A.