Cougars show flashes of promise but fall to the Bulls in preseason opener.
After winning just five games last season—their lowest total since 2020—the Durant Cougars entered 2026 looking for a fresh start. That opportunity came Friday night when Durant hosted the Bloomingdale Bulls in the Kickoff Classic.
The preseason matchup gave both teams a chance to test themselves before the regular season, and the Cougars showed flashes of promise throughout the night. However, turnovers and costly mistakes ultimately proved too much to overcome as Bloomingdale came away with a 35-14 victory.
Durant received the opening kickoff and began the game on offense. Maurice Keene recorded the first offensive play of the 2026 season with a rush for no gain. After an incomplete pass, quarterback Sam Themar connected with tight end Mason Newton for a first down in the middle of the field.
The early momentum quickly disappeared, however, when Micah Dixon fumbled on the next play. Bloomingdale recovered inside the Durant 30-yard line, giving the Bulls an early scoring opportunity.
Bloomingdale immediately struggled with penalties, including multiple false starts. After two short runs and another false start, the Bulls faced third-and-12. Durant’s Dexter Snyder came through with a sack, but an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty moved Bloomingdale forward and gave the Bulls another opportunity.
The penalty proved costly. Bloomingdale converted on the next play with a run that moved them to the Durant 9-yard line. Another false start backed the Bulls up, but Durant’s defense responded with back-to-back tackles for loss from Snyder and Newton.
After an incomplete pass, Bloomingdale settled for a field goal. The kick was good with 6:49 remaining in the first quarter, giving the Bulls a 3-0 lead.
Durant answered with a huge kickoff return from King Rivera, who took the ball deep into Bloomingdale territory and was finally brought down inside the Bulls’ 30-yard line. Unfortunately for the Cougars, the promising drive ended almost immediately when their quarterback fumbled, allowing Bloomingdale to return the turnover for a defensive touchdown.
Just like that, Bloomingdale had taken a 10-0 lead with 6:18 remaining in the opening quarter.
The Cougars refused to fold. Keene opened the next drive with a solid run before an incompletion brought up third down. Themar then found Darkevious Nash for a first down near midfield.
On the very next play, Keene broke loose up the middle and raced into the end zone for Durant’s first touchdown of the season. The score cut the deficit to 10-7 with 5:16 remaining in the first quarter.
Bloomingdale answered immediately, returning the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown to extend its lead to 16-7. Snyder prevented the Bulls from adding the extra point by blocking the kick, keeping Durant within two scores.
Keene received back-to-back handoffs on Durant’s next possession, but the Cougars fumbled on third-and-one, giving Bloomingdale possession at the Durant 35-yard line.
The Bulls moved the ball with three straight runs before their quarterback converted a fourth-down opportunity with a keeper. The first quarter ended with Bloomingdale holding a 16-7 advantage.
Bloomingdale opened the second quarter with a field goal, pushing its lead to 19-7 with 11:55 remaining in the half.
Durant once again responded.
Keene started the drive with a short run before Themar connected with Mason Barringer for a first down. Themar then made a big play with his legs, scrambling for a significant gain that moved the Cougars all the way to the Bloomingdale 40-yard line.
Keene followed with two strong runs that moved Durant inside the Bulls’ 30. Themar then found Newton for another first down. Newton continued to be involved in the passing game with another reception before Durant called timeout with 7:09 left in the half.
After the timeout, Micah Dixon carried for a short gain before Keene returned to the backfield and found the end zone. His second rushing touchdown of the night brought Durant within striking distance at 19-14 with 6:22 remaining before halftime.
Bloomingdale answered with a strong kickoff return that brought the Bulls near their own 40-yard line. After two short runs, Durant’s defense forced a third-and-long situation and came up with a big sack, forcing Bloomingdale to punt with less than four minutes remaining in the half.
The Cougars had another chance to cut into the deficit. An incomplete pass on the opening play of the possession was followed by Themar finding Dixon for a first down near the 40-yard line.
However, the drive quickly stalled. An incompletion was followed by a bad snap that resulted in a loss, and another bad snap on third down led to a sack. Durant was forced to punt.
Bloomingdale took over at midfield with 1:17 left in the half and used the remaining time effectively. The Bulls picked up multiple first downs, eventually reaching the Durant 15-yard line with 28 seconds remaining.
Bloomingdale called timeout and brought out the field goal unit. The kick was good, sending the Bulls into halftime with a 22-14 advantage.
The Bulls received the ball to begin the second half and moved the ball downfield. A false start created an early setback, but the Bloomingdale quarterback converted a first down with his legs. An injury timeout was then called after a Cougar player went down.
Following the timeout, Bloomingdale completed a big play-action pass that moved the ball to the Durant 30-yard line. A holding penalty pushed the Bulls back 10 yards, and the Cougars’ defense eventually forced another third-and-long situation.
The pass fell incomplete, and Bloomingdale elected to attempt a field goal on fourth down. This time, the kick missed, giving Durant possession at its own 20-yard line with 8:42 remaining in the third quarter.
The Cougars appeared to have a big play when Themar scrambled and connected with Dixon, but a holding penalty erased the gain. The next play resulted in an interception, giving Bloomingdale possession at the Durant 15-yard line.
The Bulls needed only two plays to capitalize. Their running back found the end zone, extending the lead to 29-14 with 6:26 left in the third quarter.
Durant continued to battle. Keene fumbled the ensuing kickoff but was able to recover and advance the ball to midfield. Jaylen Ward then entered at quarterback, and Adam Eskew immediately contributed with a first-down run that put the Cougars into Bloomingdale territory.
Durant continued using the running game before lining up to punt. A defensive holding penalty against Bloomingdale gave the Cougars new life and a first down.
After two short runs, Themar returned to quarterback and threw an incomplete pass. Facing fourth down, Durant decided to go for it. The Cougars called timeout with 1:38 remaining in the quarter before attempting the play.
The pass was completed, but it came up short of the first-down marker, resulting in a turnover on downs at the Durant 30-yard line.
Bloomingdale ran the ball three consecutive times, producing a three-and-out, but the possession carried into the fourth quarter. The Bulls entered the final period still leading 29-14.
Durant began the fourth quarter with possession near midfield after a Bloomingdale penalty on the punt. The Cougars opened the drive with a short one-yard reception followed by two runs. On fourth down, however, Ward fumbled, and Bloomingdale recovered at midfield with 9:24 remaining.
The Bulls quickly took advantage. After a short run and another false start, Bloomingdale connected on a big pass that moved the ball deep into Durant territory. The Bulls then punched it into the end zone on the following play, extending their advantage to 35-14 with 7:42 remaining.
Durant continued to fight, but Bloomingdale’s defense closed the door. Ward was sacked on the first play of the ensuing possession, followed by two incompletions that forced a fourth down.
The Cougars went for it, and Ward found Nash for a first down that moved Durant to the Bloomingdale 40-yard line with 5:50 left.
But the Bulls’ pass rush once again made its presence felt. Ward was sacked on the next play, then kept the ball on a run option for a minimal gain. A second sack brought up fourth down and forced Durant to punt.
Bloomingdale took over and ran out the clock, securing a 35-14 victory in the Kickoff Classic.
While the final score was not what Durant wanted, the Cougars showed several encouraging signs. Keene provided a spark on offense with two rushing touchdowns, while Themar connected with Newton, Nash, Barringer and Dixon through the air. The defense also produced several big plays, including sacks, tackles for loss and Snyder’s blocked extra point.
The biggest difference, however, was the turnovers and penalties. Durant’s early fumble led directly to a Bloomingdale defensive touchdown, while additional fumbles and an interception repeatedly gave the Bulls opportunities to capitalize. Bloomingdale also benefited from several key Durant mistakes at crucial moments.
The Kickoff Classic does not count toward the regular-season record, giving the Cougars an opportunity to learn from the mistakes and build on the positives before the games begin to count.
With the 2026 season ahead, Durant will look to turn the flashes of potential displayed against Bloomingdale into consistent production. After a five-win season in 2025, the Cougars have their sights set on a much stronger campaign.
Final: Bloomingdale 35, Durant 14
