After an offseason of workouts, conditioning, and plenty of preparation, Western Hills finally got its first test Friday night. Burkburnett made it a tough one.
The Bulldogs arrived at Handley Field following a roughly three-hour trip to Fort Worth and quickly jumped on the Cougars, building a 14-0 lead.
Western Hills eventually settled in and cut the deficit to 14-7 before halftime, giving the Cougars a chance to reset and make a second-half run.
Instead, Burkburnett took control.
The Bulldogs scored 30 more points after halftime, while the Cougars managed one additional touchdown in a 44-13 season-opening loss.
It was a difficult start for a Cougars team hoping to turn the page after finishing 2-7 overall and 1-5 in district play last season.
Western Hills entered the year with several key returners, including junior quarterback Tyler Johnston, sophomore running back Ayden Bell, receivers Niko Johns and Gabriel Christion, and defensive tackle Mauricio Martinez.
The loss drops the Cougars to 0-1 and extends its home losing streak to six games dating back to last season.
There won’t be much time to dwell on it. The Cougars now prepare for a Pecos team that opened its season with a 56-14 win over Horizon.
Western Hills and Pecos kick off Friday at 7 p.m., with the Cougars looking for a much different second week.
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