Game Night: Southlake Carroll Dragons vs. Midland Lee Rebels

Sept. 7, 2013

How much do the Southlake Carroll Dragons miss Kenny Hill, their brilliant quarterback now waiting on the sidelines in College Station for Johnny Football to implode?

 Well, consider last night’s game against the Midland Lee Rebels, who had a long bus ride home after getting trampled 63-14 by a surly, vengeful Dragon horde still smarting from an ass-whooping in Week Zero at the hands of the regal Allen Eagles.

 Junior quarterback Ryan Agnew, who saw his debut as Hill’s successor ruined by a punishing Eagle defense last week, showed his true potential last night. He completed 18 of 24 passes for 246 yards and three touchdowns, and rushed for another 144 yards and four touchdowns. Yep, you read that right. The youngster put seven TDs on the scoreboard before being sent to the bench for a well-earned rest near the end of the third quarter. Hey, Peyton Manning, whaddaya say about THAT?

 The Dragon faithful heaved a sigh of relief at Agnew’s performance. With a strong arm at quarterback and a stingy defense, all’s right with the world in Dragonland. Like Agnew, the D-line rebounded strongly from last week, when Allen’s high-octane offense – led by superstar QB Kyler Murray – shredded it for 49 points.

 Dragon defenders shut down the Rebel offense that had scored 48 points in Week Zero against El Paso Coronado. The only Rebel scores came as the result of turnovers, the last after one of backup QB Garrett Hale’s passes was nabbed and returned 60 yards.

 For the Dragon offense, the bounty was plentiful. Carroll receivers had a field day, in particular Keaton Duhon (7-99) and Luke Timian (3-61), who snatched a 31-yard Agnew pass out of the hands of a Rebel defender in the corner of the end zone for the prettiest play of the night.

 Perhaps the most unexpected treat came in watching the impressive debut of a couple of sophomore running backs. Lil’ Jordan Humphrey (love the name!) was particularly impressive when he came in for starter AJ Ezzard (who may have been injured), scampering for 61 yards and one TD. Grant McFarlin, meanwhile, rolled for another 57 yards.

 Midland Lee is no Allen, of course. But our kids responded to their clawing by the Eagles this year just as they did last season, when they mauled Lee’s sister school, Midland High, 63-3, the week after getting schooled by the Eagles, who went on the win the State Championship. Who says history doesn’t repeat itself?

 I’d almost feel sorry for Midland Lee, if memories of my high school years aren’t littered with scenes of the humiliation of the Big Spring Steers at the hands of the Rebels. My senior year, the usually hapless Steers actually were in a tight district race with Lee when the two teams met on the last game of the regular season in Steer Stadium. I’ll spare you the bitter details, but a tight game ended in an extremely controversial call by officials that negated a Big Spring TD and gave Midland Lee the victory and a district title. Chaos ensued.

 The Big Spring broadcaster who announced Steer games got his FCC license suspended for the names he called the officials on the air. And regrettably, students from the two schools brawled under the stands and in the parking lot, and the windows of the Lee football and band buses were shattered by a cascade of rocks. Big Spring High ended up on UIL probation. Such sweet memories.

 But I digress. Back to Friday Night Lights, 2013. Last week, one of our premier wide receivers, Ryan Wiegel, was injured when an Eagle defender, running full tilt, slammed a shoulder pad into his midsection. It was a brutal, but clean, hit and laid out Wiegel. After a few minutes of tending, he was helped gingerly off the field. No one thought much of the incident at the time. Turns out, he suffered internal injuries and may be out for the season. He’s a splendid young man, a fine athlete, and our prayers are with him and his family.

 Next week, the Dragons travel to Floyd Casey Stadium in Waco to meet the Temple Wildcats. I’m devising a strategy for getting off work in time to make the game. (Does my forehead feel hot to you?) Go Dragons!