Silver Broncos Fall Just Short in Season Finale Against Copperas Cove The Lake Belton 8th Grade Silver Broncos closed out their season on Tuesday night with a hard-fought battle on the road against the Copperas Cove Bulldawgs, coming up just short in a 7–6 loss. Copperas Cove opened the game with a powerful statement, receiving the kickoff and marching down the field behind a steady ground attack. The Bulldawgs capped off the drive with a rushing touchdown and successful extra point to take an early 7–0 lead. The Broncos answered with a promising drive of their own, advancing deep into Bulldawg territory to the 12-yard line. However, a costly fumble halted the momentum and gave Copperas Cove another possession. This time, the Lake Belton defense stood tall. Led by strong play up front, the Broncos stopped the Bulldawgs late in the half and regained possession. In the closing seconds before halftime, Lake Belton drove to the 15-yard line, but an interception as time expired kept the score 7–0 at the break. Receiving the ball to start the second half, the Broncos came out determined. A steady mix of runs and short passes pushed the offense downfield, and Lake Belton found the end zone to make it 7–6. The extra point attempt fell short, leaving the Broncos trailing by one. As the third quarter came to a close, the Bulldawgs once again moved the ball into Bronco territory, but the Lake Belton defense—anchored by standout performances from Mateo Vela-Rios and Kaden Carter—delivered a critical fourth-quarter stop with just over six minutes to play. The Broncos offense, led by Lawson Phillips and Robert Gudgen, advanced to midfield on their next possession but came up short on fourth down with less than two minutes remaining. Copperas Cove took over and ran out the clock to seal the narrow 7–6 victory. Despite the loss, the Broncos showed grit, resilience, and teamwork to the final whistle—an effort that capped off a season of growth and determination for the Lake Belton 8th Grade Silver squad.