It took all four quarters to settle this one. Waxahachie and Coppell, a pair of 6A heavyweights, traded punches throughout Friday night at Waxahachie, with the lead changing hands multiple times before the Indians finally pulled away for a 27-24 victory.
Coppell struck first, capping a seven-minute opening drive with Zavier Kichan punching it in from two yards out. Waxahachie responded in the second quarter when Jerry Meyer III escaped pressure and found Jordan Thompson-Woods in the flat — Thompson-Woods turned a short catch into a significant gain, setting up Taylen Strange for a goal-line score. The Indians led 14-10 at halftime.
The Cowboys reclaimed the lead in the third quarter on a Carter Zinglemann-to-Jacob Anene touchdown pass, but Waxahachie's Jordan Smith answered quickly, scoring from 11 yards out on a delay run to keep the Indians in front. Coppell grabbed the lead again to open the fourth, setting the stage for Strange's decisive moment.
With less than two minutes on the clock, Strange found the end zone for the third time on the night — his final carry of consequence in a 139-yard performance that defined the game. The Indians survived, 27-24, in one of the more competitive 6A matchups of the early season in the DFW area.
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