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writers didn’t have the Southlake Carroll Dragons in mind when they came up
with the hair-coloring pitch that “blondes have more fun.” But the peroxided
warriors of Carroll certainly had a great time last night as they obliterated
the Arlington Bowie Volunteers 56-14 in Coppell’s Buddy Echols Stadium.
Many of us had
expected a closer contest, considering the high-powered Vols offense led by
double-threat quarterback Tony James and a stingy defense manned by several D1
prospects. But the Dragons scored first, scored last and dominated for most of
the time in between, putting all the elements together in a satisfying start of
the second season.
There are no do-overs
at this point. Win or go home. Those are the rules from here on out.
Dragon players,
coaches and fans understand the stakes as well or better than most. This isn’t our
first rodeo. Eight state championship trophies attest to that. And while this
team may not have the talent or the luck to go all the way this year, anything
can happen during the playoffs, and there aren’t too many better ways to start
out than with a blowout against a quality team.
The Dragons haven’t
faced many quality teams this season. A district filled with weak programs isn’t the
best way to prepare for the playoffs, but Carroll played the teams on its
schedule and took care of business.
Just as they did last night.
Despite some fancy running by James and a few pass completions by parttime
quarterback Keaton Perry, Carroll had things in hand by halftime. A comfortable
three-touchdown lead prompted some of us to tempt fate and guiltily look for
scores in the Midland Lee-El Paso El Dorado game, since the winner of that
contest would be next up for the victors in Coppell. (Lee won 47-28.)
By the time in the third quarter junior quarterback Ryan Agnew
skittered through the Bowie D-line and sprinted 40 yards for the Dragons’ sixth
touchdown of the night, we threw caution to the winds and began
making mental preparations to face the Rebels next Friday in Saginaw.
The Dragon players, as they
should, concentrated on keeping the Vols scoreless in the second half, which
they did in fine fashion.
Agnew, a superstar who is having
an absolutely stellar year, was on target and on point last night. But he had
to surrender the offensive spotlight to senior running back AJ Ezzard, who had
his best game of the year, smashing through Bowie’s storied defenses repeatedly
for good gains. Although he sat out for most of the second half, his nightly
totals were impressive: 24 carries for 164 yards and four TDs.
In fact, the pass-heavy Dragon
offense waged a ground war against the Vols, and they had no answer for it. In
addition to Ezzard’s heroics, Agnew rushed 12 times for 94 yards, but still had
time to complete 10 of 14 passes for 165 yards and one INT (only his sixth of
the year).
Senior WR Luke Timian deserves
special recognition for duty above and beyond. Timian battled the stomach flu
all Friday, and only arrived at the stadium one hour before kickoff after being given IV fluids for dehydration. Asked before the game how he
felt, he told the radio guys he was fine and ready to play. And so he was,
catching four key receptions and gaining 90 yards. A gutsy performance by a
gutsy guy (sorry).
It was a good night for the Big
Guys, too. The Dragon D-line stymied and stalled the Volunteers’ high-octane
offense, largely preventing speedsters James and Perry from mounting sustained
drives to keep pace with Agnew and company’s brisk scoring pace.
Knowledgeable Dragon fans had
expected the Vols to try to capitalize on the Dragons’ secondary, which has
struggled this season. But Bowie’s game-planners decided to put their fate in a
ground game. The Volunteers’ flashy quarterbacks managed to get around the ends
for some significant runs. James ended the night with 15 carries and 124 yards;
Perry completed 8 of 16 passes for 73 yards and one TD. But the histrionics
mostly were for naught because the Dragon defense stepped up big.
Last night’s crushing victory
against the Volunteers may finally ease memories of 2009, when a proud (perhaps
too proud) Dragon team with its eyes on a state championship met Bowie in the
third round in SMU’s Ford Stadium. The Vols brutally ended that dream with a
45-21 drubbing that offered a painful lesson in the dangers of hubris.
Two years later, the Dragons met
the Volunteers again in the third round, narrowly brushing by them on the way
to an eighth state championship. But last night’s victory was decisive and
overwhelming and could go a long way in exorcising the humiliating sting of
that night at Ford Stadium four years ago.
So now it’s on to Saginaw for a
second meeting with Midland Lee, who the Dragons demolished in the second game
of the season, 63-14. We’ll see if the Rebels have fixed some of the problems
that made them such easy prey for the Dragons in Week One.
But Lee had best keep in mind
that the Dragons aren’t the same team they were when the Rebels came calling in
September. Agnew, who hung four rushing and three passing TDs on Lee last time,
is more seasoned, more confident and completely in sync with his receiving
corps. Meanwhile, the defense has come into its own – and just in time, too. It
could be a long night and another long drive home for the West Texas boys.
All this and no road trip to the
desolate western plains. Glory be, it’s the playoffs! Go Dragons!
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