Cougars Come Up Short in Hard-Fought Battle Against Defending Champs

September 8, 2025 – Nobody likes a moral victory, as it usually means though there were some positives, things didn’t really turn out the way one had hoped. The Grace football team experienced just such a situation last Thursday night. They hosted the two-time defending state champs First Baptist Academy of Dallas, and had the Saints on the ropes for most of the game. Unfortunately, the Cougars were unable to land that knockout punch and ultimately came up a little short. The final score was 42–35.

The Cougar defense was led by junior Andrew Gardner, who put in an almost Herculean effort and led the team with 12 tackles. Junior Aaron Vidrine added 8 tackles and an interception. Junior Josiah King and freshman Luke Burks also had interceptions.

Despite the absence of several key players through injury or illness, the Grace offense put in a solid performance. The Cougar offense was led by senior Doak Porter, who snagged 4 catches for 101 yards and 2 TDs. Freshman Slade Etheredge posted another strong performance, completing 14/24 passes for 283 yards and 4 TDs, and rushing for 36 yards and a TD. Sophomore Brandon Alexander led the Cougars in rushing with 58 yards. Senior Justus McQuay had 71 yards receiving and a TD, and Cole Stanley had 47 yards and a TD for Grace. Senior Elijah Hicks, junior Christian Henry, and sophomore Coleman Swaim also had receptions.

The Cougars will look to have another strong performance this week and get back to winning ways. They will welcome Pittsburg to Clyde-Perkins Stadium this Friday night. Kickoff against the Pirates will be at 7:00 p.m.