Jesuit Dallas (0-3) at Coppell (2-1)
7:30 p.m. • Friday, Sep. 29 • Buddy Echols Field

Game Notes

Jesuit Drops Non-District Finale to Lake Travis
Facing their second defending UIL 6A State Champion in three weeks, a convincing effort by Jesuit Dallas fell short in a 64-45 setback to Lake Travis. Despite racking up 616 yards of offense, the Blue and Gold fell victim to an explosive Cavalier offense that scored five touchdowns of 50 yards or more. A slew of individual career-highs fell, led by 379 yards passing from Senior Parker Towns. Junior Matthew Priddy scored four all-purpose touchdowns while closing the contest with 270 all-purpose yards, and senior Fletcher Rosenbleeth set a new career-high with 174 yards and a touchdown. Junior kicker James Koshakji launched a career-long, 42-yard field goal in the first quarter to spot Jesuit a 10-3 lead over the perennial state power.
 
Pride of Priddy
Junior Matthew Priddy has been a key role player for Jesuit in his first three varsity starts, excelling both in the running and passing game while developing into one of the offense's most potent weapons. Averaging 97.7 rushing yards and 95.7 receiving yards per game, Priddy is currently second on the team with four all-purpose touchdowns. He also has the longest touchdown run of the season, a 62-yard scamper against Lake Travis on Sep. 19. Overall, Priddy has a pair of touchdown runs of 25 yards or more this year while adding four receptions of 25 yards or more through the first three games.
 
Don't Test the Line
Jesuit's corps of linebackers continue to lead the defense heading into district play, peppering the team leaderboard while keeping opposing offenses in check during pressure situations. Sophomore Tommy Roy currently leads the Rangers with 13.5 tackles, tying senior linebacker Nicky Prendergast with three tackles for loss. Senior outside linebacker Hank Bitterman enters district play with 11 tackles to his credit in three starts, while inside linebacker Zachary Harry is third with 9.5 tackles. Opponents have displayed a penchant for the big play throughout the season, but the Jesuit Dallas defense has found success in the trenches. Entering Friday's bout against Coppell, opponents currently hold a 44-percent conversion rate on third downs.
 
Last Time They Met…
Senior Evan Jackson rushed for 127 yards and three touchdowns while an inspired Jesuit defense recorded six sacks in a statement-making, 41-10 win over Coppell on Sep. 24, 2016. Amassing 428 total yards of offense, Jesuit scored four total rushing touchdowns in their first win over Coppell since 2004. The Cowboys entered the game tied for 14th in the area but fell victim to an inspired Jesuit offense. Palisch threw for 252 yards while adding seven rushes for 26 yards and a touchdown. Senior Fletcher Rosenbleeth set the tone early with a monstrous, 86-yard reception in the first quarter, finishing with three catches for 107 yards. Fellow fourth-year John Wunderlick added 104 all-purpose yards, Defensively, senior captain Jordan Rice recorded 3.5 sacks and five tackles for loss, closing out the game with a team-high nine tackles. Senior Luke Nolan recovered a fumble late in the fourth quarter, returning the ball 68 yards for a defensive touchdown that clinched the game for the Rangers. Junior Hank Bitterman recorded seven solo stops, while senior Matt Eubanks finished with eight tackles. In total, Jesuit tackled Coppell 11 times behind the line of scrimmage.
 
Cowboys Close Non-District Slate with Impressive Resume
Coppell enters Friday's clash with momentum established from two strong non-district performances and a near state-altering upset against Allen on Sep. 15. The Cowboys opened the year with a 58-23 win over L.D. Bell on Sep. 1, led by 186 rushing yards and two touchdowns from junior running back Ryan Hirt. Senior quarterback Brady McBride shined bright in a 34-24 win over McKinney Boyd on Sep. 8, completing 16-of-24 passes for 234 yards and four touchdowns. The matchup against Allen showcased two teams ranked in the top 10 of the Dallas Morning News area rankings, but Coppell was unable to shift momentum after a pair of long touchdown passes by Allen quarterback Grant Tisdale in a narrow, 35-23 loss. Coppell was out-gained, 493-317 and were limited to 126 rushing yards and 2.9 yards per carry.

Series History
Coppell holds a 4-12 record over the Rangers, but had a six-game winning streak snapped last season. Jesuit's 41-10 win over the Cowboys was the first win since a 28-17 triumph in 2004. The series dates back to 1996, when Jesuit Dallas defeated Coppell, 20-14. The Cowboys are 6-2 against the Rangers since Jesuit joined the UIL in 2004.
 
Up Next
The Rangers will return to Postell Stadium for the first time since Sep. 1 to welcome the Richardson Eagles to the 28 acres of Jesuit Dallas. The second of only four home games in the 2017 season, Jesuit will look to replicate last year's dominant, 42-3 win over the Eagles on Sep. 30, 2016.