We are proud of the football team and all of the talented athletes within the school district that proudly display their Morrisville uniforms with honor. Go Bulldogs!
Cookson re-injured as Bulldogs fall in title game
By: JEAN-PAUL LAUTENSCHLAGER
The Intelligencer
The Morrisville quarterback was forced to leave after re-aggravating a shoulder separation, and Calvary Christian rolled to the win.
BRISTOL TWP. - The pigskin slipped out of his grasp, and with it went the momentum and the hope of another district title.
The Morrisville Bulldogs fell to Calvary Christian Academy, 47-14, in the District One Class A championship at Harry S Truman's Hank Johns Field. It was the first time since 1992 that Morrisville made a playoff appearance. It's the third crown for Calvary and the first since 2005.
The No. 1-seeded Bulldogs coughed up the football four times and the Cougars took advantage. The miscues resulted in 13 points for second-seeded Calvary.
"We knew coming in that they are good football team. They don't beat themselves," said Morrisville coach Jim Gober, who made his playoff coaching debut.
Calvary scored its third touchdown at the 7:25 mark in the second quarter, taking a 20-7 lead. Looking to avenge a 53-14 loss in Week 8, the Bulldogs marched to the Cougars' 2-yard line on seven plays. Morrisville (7-4) converted a fourth down, and quarterback Matt Cookson connected on a 38-yard pass to wide receiver Eric Wilcox. The sideline and Morrisville faithful gasped after the next play.
"It was pretty close, but when I got hit, I wasn't worried about the touchdown," Cookson said of the hit that re-aggravated his Grade III shoulder separation. "He hit me in the perfect spot."
The hit forced a fumble and, instead of the drive ending in a touchdown, it ended in a touchback. The Cougars recovered the ball and scored two plays later. Jerry Peralte broke free for a 75-yard run, and teammate Ian Richardson capped the drive with a 3-yard touchdown for a 27-7 lead.
"It's a whole different ballgame if we would've scored. That fumble gave them momentum and it killed us," said Cookson, who threw for 123 yards and ran for 19. "If it's 20-14, you never know what could've happened."
What did happen was more ball control and a balanced Cougars attack. Richardson and Calvary quarterback Doug Smith each had two rushing touchdowns. Calvary will play the winner of District 12 the weekend after Thanksgiving.
"We just couldn't get into the end zone for some reason," said Morrisville co-captain Austin Crist. "I wish it was a different result, but we can't win (playing) like this."
Morrisville had 12 first downs and only punted three times. Sophomore Jimmie Miller rushed for 40 yards, including a 34-run with less than a minute to play. With Wilcox at quarterback, Morrisville was forced to change its game plan. The Bulldogs passed on 17 of 28 plays after that fateful fourth down. Morrisville was penned deep in its own territory, and its best field position on the first four series was its own 23.
Luckily for Morrisville, however, still has one game remaining on the schedule - the annual battle against Bristol.
"The fact that we are here after all we came through is a good thing," Crist said. "Thanksgiving will be another chance for a championship."
