Southlake
Carroll players – in explaining their second-half turnaround that fueled a
thrilling come-from-behind victory last night over the Tulsa Union Redskins –
said it was a simple matter of mental toughness.
As
a group, they said they simply decided to assert themselves, ignore the hostile
environment of Union’s Tuttle Stadium and take control of a game at which they
had been little more than spectators for the first half.
Perhaps
it was just that simple. One of the things that makes high school football so
fascinating is the role that emotion, dedication and mental focus play in the
final outcome of games. Yes, athleticism, preparation and coaching prowess all
must be considered. But raw, jagged emotion has been the determining factor of
many a contest under Friday night lights.
Regardless
of the reasons, the Dragons put together a magical second-half performance that
had Carroll fans gasping in astonishment and delight.
Trailing
23-7 at the half, Southlake outscored Union 27-7 in the second half. Junior
quarterback Mason Holmes, playing in his first varsity game, engineered four
consecutive scoring drives that ultimately overwhelmed Union’s sturdy defense.
Meanwhile, the Dragons’ under-sized defense smothered the heroics of Redskin
quarterback Brandon Burch (11-28, 139 yards and 1 TD) and RB Tyler Adkins (25
rushes for 181 yards, 2 TDs; 3 receptions for 46 yards, 1 TD).
Carroll
head coach Hal Wasson followed through on threats to divide quarterbacking
chores between senior Montana Murphy, who started last week, and Holmes, who
was a standout last night against the Redskins.
Although
a little uncertain in the first half, the junior (24-39, 313 yards and 2 TDs) came
into his own beginning in the third period, when he led an 11-play, 67-yard
drive that ended in a 20-yard pass to senior Shemar Coleman in the end zone and
brought Southlake within 10 of the Redskins.
Coleman,
who failed to make the varsity last year, played with a chip on his shoulder
all night, making three of the second-half TDs that broke Union’s back and
almost eclipsing the accomplishments of the Dragons’ leading offensive weapon,
RB Lil’ Jordan Humphrey.
Humphrey,
who at 6-4 is finding increasing employment as a receiver, rushed for 89 yards
and caught five passes for another 89, making the Dragons final score that iced
the game.
Senior
Zach Farrar, who had a relatively quiet night last week in the Dragons’ losing
effort to Austin Westlake, led the receiving corps against Union, pulling in
five Holmes passes for 107 yards and fulfilling the promise of his junior year.
It
was a most disappointing night for Tulsa Union, an eight-time Oklahoma state
champion and one of that state’s premier programs. During the past four years,
it has lost four pre-district games to Texas teams, including an overtime heart-breaker
to the Dragons last year in Cowboys Stadium. Interestingly, last night was the
first time Carroll has traveled out of state to play an opponent, even though
it has faced a number of non-Texas teams on its own turf.
Last
night’s game followed a familiar pattern. As they did against Westlake in week
one, the Dragons performed sluggishly against Union in the first half, but
dominated the second, shutting down the Redskin offense and marching decisively
up and down the field on offense.
A
victory against a tough opponent on the road was important for the Dragons.
Otherwise, they would have opened the season 0-2 for the first time in recent
memory. They face Midland Lee at home next week, which should offer them
something of a breather before they travel to Abilene’s Shotwell Stadium the
week after that to face the always-tough Eagles.
And
then it’s a deep dive into District 7-6A play, where they will face the surging
Euless Trinity Trojans and the relentless Coppell Cowboys on the road. Let’s
hope the Dragons’ never-say-die stand against the Redskins last night will prove
to be a bracing experience for the long, rugged road ahead. Go Dragons!
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