Regional Playoffs, Southlake Carroll 35, San Angelo Central 10

The Southlake Carroll Dragons have played better playoff games in their storied history, but their take-down of the San Angelo Central Bobcats on Saturday was no less total and complete.

The Bobcats came to Baylor’s McLane Stadium riding a season that had exceeded even their biggest boosters’ expectations. Once a powerhouse both in West Texas and statewide, the proud Bobcats have fallen on hard times in recent years. But with a new coach and a new program, they arrived in Waco with an 11-1 record and a chip on their shoulder.

It didn’t long for the Dragons to send that chip a-flying and to bring the high hopes of the West Texans crashing to earth.

The Carroll defense, which just gets better as the season progresses, smothered the Bobcats’ offense. It held Central to only two first downs and nine rushing yards in the first half, forcing the Bobcats to punt on four of their first five possessions. In the key third quarter, the Dragons’ Big Guys stopped three fourth-down attempts by the desperate Bobcats, stifling any comeback hopes for good.

Central’s only touchdown came with only 6 second left on the game clock, long after the Dragons’ second team had taken over.

Central’s highly regarded double-threat quarterback, senior Braden Hucks, compiled decent numbers, but he was no factor in the contest, despite managing 247 yards in the air and 87 yards on the ground.

Meanwhile, the Dragon offense lacked the zip-ziggidity of its flawless game last week against Denton Guyer. But even at three-quarters speed, it was more than the Bobcats could handle.

RB Lil’ Jordan Humphrey ran for 114 yards and three TDs. Quarterback Ryan Agnew threw 13 of 24 for 208 yards and ran for another 62. Tariq Gordon, who plays both safety and wide receiver, was Agnew’s favorite target, nabbing seven throws for 153 yards.

But the time for lackadaisical effort is over. Carroll faces Cedar Hill, defending Division II state champions, next Saturday in SMU’s Ford Stadium. The Longhorns slipped past the Abilene Eagles 36-28 Saturday to reach the fourth round, and they will be gunning for the Dragons, you can be sure of that.

Cedar Hill has been averaging 500 yards and almost 48 points per game this season. Despite a couple of stumbles against Skyline and Mansfield, the Longhorns are playing their best football right now, and that’s as it should be.

If the Dragons bring anything but their A-game to SMU on Saturday, Cedar Hill likely will send their playoff run spinning off the road, leaving it upside down in the bar ditch with its wheels spinning.

Ford Stadium has been a mixed bag for the Carroll Dragons, who saw playoff hopes die there in 2009 against Arlington Bowie and in 2012 against DeSoto. But it’s also the location of one of their most memorable triumphs.

In a semi-final game against Skyline in 2011, the Dragons staged an unlikely come-from-behind victory against the favored Raiders. With less than a minute left, Carroll quarterback Kenny Hill rumbled 35 yards for the game-winning touchdown, passing along the way a wild gray fox that had wandered onto the field. The next week, the Dragons beat Fort Bend Hightower for the state championship.

The fox was last seen scampering over the berm on the south end of Ford Stadium. Anyone up for a fox hunt? Go Dragons!