Anna, Texas — For much of Friday night, Anna’s defense kept the Coyotes in front. When Brock finally broke through and took the lead in the fourth quarter, the offense answered.
Anna scored 21 points in the closing minutes to turn a three-point deficit into a 38–27 win over Brock, moving the Coyotes to 2–0 to begin the 2026 season.
The finish came after a game in which turnovers repeatedly changed the direction of play. Anna forced five Brock turnovers, including three interceptions, and turned two late takeaways directly into touchdowns.
But the Coyotes had to survive some mistakes of their own before putting the game away.
Defense Strikes First
Anna’s offense opened the night with a three-and-out, but the defense quickly provided the game’s first points.
With Brock driving into Anna territory midway through the first quarter, the Coyotes intercepted a pass and returned it 64 yards for a touchdown. Desmar Marroquin converted the extra point to give Anna an early 7–0 lead.
The defense created another opportunity just minutes later.
Marvel Essien recovered a Brock fumble at the Eagles’ 18-yard line, giving Anna possession deep in opposing territory. The Coyotes were unable to reach the end zone, but Marroquin connected on a 35-yard field goal to extend the lead to 10–0.
Brock answered with the biggest offensive play of the first quarter, scoring on a 71-yard touchdown pass to Basit Adeseun. A missed extra point kept Anna ahead 10–6 entering the second quarter.
The defensive battle continued from there.
Anna stopped Brock on fourth down near midfield before Carter Merritt intercepted another Eagles pass later in the quarter.
Neither opportunity initially produced points, but a Brock punt eventually gave Anna the ball at the Eagles’ 35-yard line with about a minute remaining before halftime.
This time, the Coyotes capitalized.
Quarterback Zephyr Kreye connected with Brayden “Brayy” Spinks for a 34-yard touchdown, and Marroquin’s extra point sent Anna into halftime with a 17–6 advantage.
Brock Battles Back
The third quarter belonged largely to the defenses.
Cam Pettijohn recorded a sack on Brock’s opening possession, helping force a punt, before Brock recovered an Anna fumble at the Coyotes’ 34-yard line midway through the quarter.
The Eagles drove to the goal line and eventually scored from one yard out. A successful two-point conversion cut Anna’s lead to 17–14.
Brock threatened again late in the quarter after taking possession at Anna’s 31-yard line, but the Coyote defense pushed the Eagles backward before forcing a turnover on downs.
Anna carried the three-point advantage into the fourth quarter, but the momentum was beginning to shift.
After another Coyote punt gave Brock the ball at the Anna 32, the Eagles drove 32 yards and scored on an 18-yard touchdown pass.
The extra point missed, but for the first time all night, Anna trailed.
Brock led 20–17 with roughly 10 minutes remaining.
Coyotes Take Control
Anna appeared ready to answer immediately.
Juelz Carter broke a long run that moved the Coyotes from their own territory all the way to the Brock 28. But on the next sequence, Anna lost its second fumble of the second half.
The defense kept the deficit at three.
Anna forced Brock to punt, but the Coyote offense went three-and-out and returned the ball to the Eagles with less than five minutes remaining.
Then the game changed.
Brock fumbled near midfield, and Adeseun recovered it for Anna at the Eagles’ 45-yard line.
Two plays later, Kreye found Henry Moore for a 40-yard touchdown.
Marroquin added the extra point, and Anna had reclaimed the lead, 24–20.
The defense immediately struck again.
With Brock backed up near its own goal line, Pettijohn intercepted an Eagles pass and returned possession to the Anna offense at the Brock 7.
Carter scored from seven yards out on the next play.
In a span of roughly seven minutes of real time, Anna had gone from trailing 20–17 to leading 31–20.
The Coyotes were not finished.
Anna forced a turnover on downs on Brock’s next possession, taking over at the Eagles’ 26-yard line. Chasyn Elder then broke free for a 26-yard touchdown run, pushing the lead to 38–20 with about a minute remaining.
Brock added a 12-yard touchdown pass in the final minute and converted the extra point, but Anna recovered the ensuing onside kick to finish the night.
Final score: Anna 38, Brock 27.
Another Strong Finish
A week after pulling away from Colleyville Heritage in a 49–31 season-opening victory, Anna again found its separation late.
This time, it came after the Coyotes had surrendered an 11-point halftime advantage and fallen behind in the fourth quarter.
Kreye threw touchdown passes to Spinks and Moore, while Carter and Elder each added rushing touchdowns. Marroquin accounted for eight points with a field goal and five successful extra points.
But the defining performance came from an Anna defense that repeatedly created opportunities.
The Coyotes intercepted three Brock passes, recovered two fumbles and forced multiple turnovers on downs. Pettijohn recorded both a sack and a fourth-quarter interception, while Merritt and Essien were among several Anna defenders responsible for takeaways.
After Brock took its first lead of the night, Anna outscored the Eagles 21–7 the rest of the way.
Two games into the season, the Coyotes remain unbeaten.
Anna 38, Brock 27.
Cover photo from the Anna Coyotes’ 2025 season. (The Anna Progress Archive)
The Anna Progress 
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