Playoffs, Area Round: Southlake Carroll Dragons vs. Midland Lee Rebels

By the end of the first quarter last night, it was pretty apparent that the Southlake Carroll Dragons were going to have an easy time of it against the overmatched Midland Lee Rebels. The same couldn’t be said for the miserable fans of both teams who shivered in the icy rain and gasped as a sharp northern wind sliced through them.

But the weather misery was all for a good cause, at least for the Southlake contigent, as the Dragons cruised to the third round of the playoffs by dispatching the Rebels 51-7. As if the humiliating defeat, for the second time this season, weren’t bad enough, Rebel players, coaches and fans had to drive westward home through sleet and over ice-covered roads.

Part of me – the part that still doesn’t harbor resentment at long-past games in which the Rebels manhandled my hometown Big Spring Steers much as the Dragons dealt with Midland Lee last night – was happy when the Rebels managed their only score of the night against our backup D-line in the fourth quarter.

Turning to the football dad huddled beside me, I said, “The Lee folks drove a long way to see that one.”

The Rebels aided and abetted the mauling administered by Carroll. They turned the ball over three times in their first four drives, all of which produced Dragon scores. Carroll led 24-0 at the end of the first quarter and never looked  back. At the half, the score was 45-0.

Quarterback Ryan Agnew, RB AJ Ezzard and WR Luke Timian – Dragon offensive stars of the night – sat out the second half. Despite that, Agnew completed 10 of 19 throws for 130 yards and two TDs (both to Timian) and rushed for 90 yards and one TD. Ezzard, meanwhile, rushed for 99 yards and two TDs.

For the second straight playoff game, starting linebacker Steven Bergmark scored a rushing touchdown. As the players lined up for a 15-yard field goal attempt by ace kicker Drew Brown, a football mom behind me yelled, “Bergmark’s in! Bermark’s in! It’s a fake!” Sure enough, Bergmark, who played running back his sophomore year, snatched a short shuttle pass from holder Joe Heineman and rumbled to the end zone. Who says women don’t understand football?

But the easy pickings are over for the Dragons. They advance to the third round, where they most likely will face Euless Trinity (who meets Mansfield Timberview later today) next Friday in Cowboys Stadium.

These two teams have history together, and the Dragons have triumphed in their two only encounters. In 2006, they met in Texas Stadium before a record crowd of more than 45,000 in the second round of the playoffs. At the time, both were reigning state champions, in different divisions, and their battle that day still is the best high school game I’ve ever watched.

The programs and their fan bases couldn’t be more different, but there is a mutual respect and admiration between the two that is rare in high school sports. I always root for the Trojans except when they play the Dragons, and I’m not the only Southlake fan who does. Likewise, many of the Haka faithful are Carroll boosters until games like next Friday.

The matchup against Trinity will be Carroll’s biggest challenge since its loss in Week Zero to the Allen Eagles. The outcome very much is in doubt, but one thing is certain. When these two teams meet, it’s football magic. And if we have to get booted, I’d just as soon it be at the hands of the Trojans as any other team.

Regardless, the Dragons are still playing after Thanksgiving, which is a very good thing. And next week, we won’t be shivering in a cold outdoor stadium with the wind howling in our ears. Instead, we’ll be sitting in the opulent splendor of the Death Star as Jerry Jones picks our pockets. Pretty sweet, huh? Go Dragons!