Cooper High School

The budding football rivalry between Cooper and Abilene Wylie will take a back seat for at least one Abilene family, who will use the game to mark a reunion of four generations, including two members on opposite sides of Shotwell Stadium.

Canon Adams, a starting linebacker at Cooper, and his cousin, Wyatt Fordyce, a sophomore trombone player in the Wylie band, are not just participants in the game. They are part of a unique family dynamic on display at the game. Their parents, grandparents, and 97-year-old great-grandfather Andrew Adams, who arrived from Ingleside, will be present, making the game a special weekend reunion.

Andrew Adams is a veteran of three United States military conflicts (World War II and the Korean and Vietnam wars). He worked as a damage control man on the USS New Jersey during World War II, repairing the ship while at sea. Later, he was a Navy Diver, retiring from his career in the mid-1960s as a Chief Petty Officer. Andrew had nine brothers and twin sisters and is the sole survivor of the 12 siblings.

The family's military service history is a testament to their shared values. Andrew's brothers, Nolan, Ward, and Garland, served in the U.S. Army during World War II. His brother Neal served alongside him on the USS New Jersey during the Korean War, and another brother, Douglas, also served in the Navy during the Vietnam War.

Andrew – who grew up in Marshall, North Carolina, which was destroyed last week by flooding generated by Hurricane Helene – rarely leaves his home and wasn’t going to travel to Abilene for Friday night’s game until he changed his mind on Thursday morning. He enlisted his daughters, Pam Picou and Sherie Adams, to drive him almost seven hours from his home to Abilene so he could watch two of his eight great-grandchildren participate in the South Town Showdown.

What he’s looking forward to the most is pretty simple: enjoying time with his family.

“I enjoy football, so I’m excited about seeing the game and everything else around it, including the band,” said Andrew, who had a shirt made that he will wear to the game that features the Cooper logo on the front and Wylie’s on the back. “I’m looking forward to visiting with my kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids and going to the ranch my son (Ron Adams) owns outside of Abilene.”

Brandi Fordyce said she’s not surprised her grandfather is making the trip to Abilene to watch the game; supporting his family is something he’s made a priority his entire life.

“Papaw has made it a point to celebrate all the major milestones in the lives of his 12 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren,” she said. “You couldn’t ask for a better Papaw. Wyatt and Canon are excited that he will be here cheering them both on at the game. The boys have grown up going to the Gulf Coast every summer, hearing about Papaw’s military service and all the different places he’s lived. They listen attentively to his stories, even if they might have heard them once or twice.”

Brandi’s brother, Madison Middle School Athletics Coordinator Josh Adams, said that while the game is vital for both teams, the family aspect takes precedence.

“Four generations of my family will gather to watch Canon play football and Wyatt in the Wylie band for the first time,” Josh said. “It’s truly a heartwarming experience to see my grandpa, parents, myself, and son together, united by our love for Texas’ greatest tradition: Friday night football. But this week will be more than a game; it will be a celebration of family, tradition, and the passing of the torch from one generation to the next. Moments like these remind me of the importance of family and the legacy we leave behind.”

The two participants in Friday night’s game are equally as excited about having four generations of their family in the stands for the game, in particular their great-grandfather. His presence adds an extra layer of excitement.

“I’m thrilled that one of my favorite people gets to come and watch our performance,” Wyatt said. “It means so much to me that he would travel all this way to watch the game and the Wylie band. And good luck to my cousin, Canon!”

While Canon will be more concerned during the game with figuring out how to stop the Wylie Bulldogs on the field, he is looking forward to playing in front of his great-grandfather.

“It’s such a great honor to have my Papaw come to see me and my cousin Wyatt in (Friday night’s) game,” Canon said. “I grew up listening to stories about his military service, so I hope I can display half of the courage and pride that he displayed and taught me.”

A Cooper graduate, Brandi said her loyalties will be split Friday night regarding a winner on the field. But she’s grateful for this opportunity for her family to be together on this special night.

“Having four generations come together to watch Friday night football is exciting,” she said. “It doesn’t get much better than that. And I’m so glad that Wyatt and Canon will have this memory for the rest of their lives.”