Game Day: Southlake Carroll 45, Flower Mound 31

The Southlake Carroll Dragons never were in any real trouble last night in their District 5-6A opener against the Flower Mound Jaguars. So why did it feel like the Dragons were in a real dogfight, with the outcome in doubt until the last minutes of the game?

The Fort Worth Star Telegram called the game a rout for the Dragons, emphasizing junior QB Will Bowers’ three passing touchdowns and one rushing one, and praising standout RB T.J. McDaniels’ 193-yard rushing night and two TDs. It pointed out that Carroll never had to punt in its 13 possessions of the night.

And when you put it like that, my nervousness during the entire game does seem a little silly. Perhaps the football gurus scattered across Dragon Stadium knew the Dragons had everything under control.

After all, the Jaguars, 1-3 for the season, have a backup QB, called to service when the Jags’ starting signal-caller went down in Week 2. And Blake Short had trouble connecting with his receivers all evening, completing 22 passes on 43 attempts and tossing two interceptions.

Unfortunately for the sophomore still learning his trade, the Dragons effectively shut down Flower Mound’s running game, forcing Short to take to the air. The Carroll secondary was less dominant, relying on Short and his receivers to do the dirty work. And they did – mostly.

Offensively, the Dragons outgained the Jaguars 623 total yards to 300, and racked up 27 first downs compared to 17 for FloMo. They took the lead early and never surrendered it.

On the other hand, one of the reasons the Dragons never punted is that they turned the ball over three times on failed 4th-down attempts. They also flubbed a kickoff return, mishandled a punt snap, committed three unsportsmanlike conduct penalties and had a fake field goal stuffed. Dragon miscues handed the Jaguars two scores at least. A pristine victory it certainly wasn't.

To their credit, the feisty Jaguars never gave up and stayed close enough for most of the night to keep things interesting. In fact, during a momentum swing spanning the end of the first and the beginning of the second halves, it actually appeared Flower Mound would erase an 18-point Dragon lead, 28-10, and seize the reins of the game.

With five minutes left in the half, the Jags capitalized on a bad snap during a Dragon punt attempt to take possession on the Dragon 33. Seven plays later, they scored as time expired, making it 28-17.

Thanks to an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on that play, the Jaguars opened the second half with a drive that started on their own 41. They clawed their way to inside the Dragon 5, where Short connected with Pierce Hudgens in the end zone. Hudgens then plunged across the line for 2, bringing Flower Mound within 3, 28-25.

On the ensuing kickoff, a muddled return could have forced the Dragons to begin at their 5, were it not for a fortunate offside call against Flower Mound. Even so, another unsportsmanlike conduct call forced Carroll to set up shop on its 14.

Fueled by a 27-yard Bowers pass to Cade Bell and a 20-yard sprint by McDaniel, the Dragons battled down to the Jag 19. Three straight incomplete passes later, the Dragons faced a 4^th down and lined up for a 26-yard field goal. Instead, Bowers received the snap and scampered forward, but was obliterated short of the 1^st down.

That was the low point for the Dragons. The defense rallied to stop the Jags deep in their territory and forced a punt to the 45. Two plays later, Bowers found WR Wills Meyer, the Dragons’ leading receiver with 124 yards. He scooted 44 yards for a TD, handing Carroll a comfortable10-point lead, 35-25.

Both teams would score again in an entertaining 4^th, but the die was cast.

 It was another standout performance by Bowers, 18 of 27 for 286 yards, and by McDaniels, who got most of his yardage by running up the gut of the Jag defensive line. Bowers also added to his rushing resume, keeping the ball 11 times for 123 yards.

In addition to Meyer, Bowers tossed the ball to seven other receivers, including McDaniel, who snagged 3 for 49 yards. This abundance of riches in the receiving corps isn’t unusual in a Dragon offense. But why in the world is stellar linebacker Jacob Doddridge, sidelined earlier this year for a concession, catching two passes for 14 yards?

My 2 cents: Doddridge, an essential linchpin for the Dragons’ young defense, and fellow linebacker R. J. Mickens, the sophomore phenom who caught an interception last night while playing havoc with Jag receivers, should stay on defense where they are most needed and most effective.

Euless Trinity is next up for the Dragons. The Trojans may be in a current down cycle, but they are never to be taken lightly. Trinity-Carroll games are legend, and with good reason. Something different – a special kind of football magic – happens when these two storied programs meet.

Each holds the other in high regard. Each considers a victory over the other as more valuable than other wins. Each prepares harder and more carefully for their contests. Each fan base roots for the other in every game except this one.

Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. Friday at venerable Pennington Field, a favorite venue of mine and a great place to watch high school football. Is there any better way to spend a Friday night in October? I think not!

Go Dragons!

Game Day: Southlake Carroll 52, Rockwall 38

Three minutes into last night’s game between Southlake Carroll and Rockwall, I wondered if I should consult a calendar to see if Halloween had slipped up on all of us because what was happening on the field below was truly frightening.

The bad news is that it wasn’t ghosts and goblins creating the havoc in the opening moments of the contest but a complete breakdown in Dragon special teams. In the blink of an eye, Carroll trailed the Yellow Jackets 10-0 before their offense could even touch the ball.

The spectacle before a sold-out Dragon Stadium began on the Jackets’ first play from scrimmage after the opening kickoff. Quarterback Jacob Clarke handed off to speedster RB Lo’yer Bailey, who then darted untouched 77 yards for a touchdown. Bailey rushed for 204 on 18 carries for the night, but he was only the second-best runner of the contest. More on that later.

As I shifted uneasily in my greenback, things got worse. Carroll fumbled the ensuing kickoff, and a fired-up Rockwall squad – who battled rush hour traffic to snatch an upset at Dragon Stadium – promptly marched to inside the Dragon 5.

That’s when order began to return to the universe. Carroll’s defensive line dug in and, thanks in part to a key procedural call, the Jackets were forced to settle for a field goal.

The next Carroll possession was key, and the Dragons didn’t disappoint, looking brisk and workmanlike in setting up star RB T.J. McDaniel’s 48-yard touchdown run.

It was the beginning of a record-breaking night for McDaniel, who became the only Carroll running back in history to rush for more than 200 yards in two consecutive games. Last week, he rushed for 223 yards in the losing effort against Arlington Martin, and last night he ran for 219 yards and two TDs.

Once unleashed, the Dragon offense couldn’t be controlled. It scored touchdowns on all six of its first-half possessions. Although the Jackets’ Clark (21-31, 256) kept Rockwall within striking distance for most of the game, the Dragons never trailed after jumping to a 21-17 lead in the 1^st quarter.

Carroll quarterback Will Bowers followed his desultory performance against Martin last week with a breakout effort against the worthy Yellow Jackets. He completed 10 of 14 throws for 166 yards and 4 TDs, while rushing for 141 yards and another TD.

After the game, a beaming head coach Hal Wasson congratulated his quarterback for taking a major step forward. He said the Dragon game plan all along called for Bowers to run and throw long, two things he did sparingly in the Dragon’s first two outings.

“He really showed something tonight,” Wasson told radio interviewers. “I’m proud of him.”

Last night revealed a Bowers unleashed. His 61-yard pass to RB Cade Bell, who snagged 3 catches for 101 yards, sent the Dragons ahead for good. And when the reeling Jackets fumbled on the next kickoff, Bowers scooted 24 yards for his first rushing TD of the year, bringing the score to 28-17.

The next several minutes proved decisive for the contest. Rockwall steadied itself and mounted an impressive drive to the Dragon end zone, capping it with a rushing TD, or so it seemed. In the event, standout linebacker R.J. Mickens forced a fumble and the Dragons took over on their own 20.

Bowers was masterful in the following drive. Almost tripped on one play, he regained his footing and managed a 23-yard gain. On the next play, he ran for 25 yards, eventually setting up a 9-yard TD pass to WR Hudson Shrum that gave the Dragons an unsurmountable 35-17 lead early in the 2nd quarter.

To their credit, the Jackets, who trailed at the half 52-24, never gave up and kept the game interesting until the end. In fact, late in the 4^th, after a 26-yard Neal Koskay field goal, the Dragon Band alarmed me when it struck up “Hey, Baby,” which it only plays when Dragon victory is assured.

“Too soon, too soon,” I murmured, thinking of Rockwall’s explosive offense, and its capability to cause mischief even at this late stage. After all, Clark already had connected with leading WR Jaxon Smith 10 times for 146 yards and with several others for double-figure gains.

Surmounting a 14-point lead with a draining clock is a tall order, but the Jackets had been attempting unsuccessful onside kicks all night, so a comeback wasn’t complete paranoid fantasy.

Except it was. Rockwall’s last possession ended in its third fumble of the night, and the Dragons ran out the clock before a thinned-out crowd.

Carroll emerges from its tough pre-district schedule in relatively good shape. It missed the services last night of its inestimable linebacker, Jacob Doddridge, presumably because of a concussion protocol But he and other banged-up Dragons will have two weeks to prepare for their district opener against Flower Mound on Sept. 29. Next week is a bye week.

Elsewhere, the Dragons are humming. With the step forward he took last night, young Bowers now commands a formidable arsenal – McDaniels is hitting his stride, Cade, another 100-yard night under his belt, is streaking; and the O-line gave Bowers time last night to go through his progressions and hit on target.

On defense, Carroll struggled to contain Clark, Bailey and Smith, but the Big Guys made the stops they had to, and never allowed Rockwall to mount a serious assault on the Dragon lead.

Health is always an issue with the Dragons, who lack depth at most positions, but things look bright at this point for another successful run for the District 5-6A title.

Go Dragons!

Game Day: Arlington Martin 50, Southlake Carroll 33

ARLINGTON – Even during the entertaining first half – as the Southlake Carroll Dragons and Arlington Martin Warriors traded touchdowns and presented impressive offensive displays to each other, I had the unpleasant feeling that Martin was toying with us.

It was paranoia based on solid evidence.

For instance, the Warriors’ second score came on a 99-yard kickoff return by senior Juma Otoviano, the Warriors’ one-man wrecking crew, who fielded the ball at the 1 and looked like a man among boys as he darted straight for the end zone, leaving dazed Dragons in his wake.

Then, to add insult to injury, the Warriors quickly lined up for a 2-point conversion, and Otoviano, who by the way is also their quarterback, effortlessly plunged forward to give Martin a 15-14 lead.

As it turns out, he was just getting started. And just as he did in Martin’s season opener with Dallas Skyline last week, Otoviano sliced and diced the hapless Dragons and turned the decisive third quarter into a personal recruiting reel.

He ended the night with 182 rushing yards and three TDs, and 160 passing yards and another score. Here’s the backstory: Martin head coach Bob Wager convinced Otoviano in the offseason to switch from running back to QB. And now the punchline: He doesn't particularly like the job.

“I’d still rather be a running back in college, but this is the way I can help my team the most,” Otoviano told The Dallas Morning News’ Randy Jennings after the game. Lordy.

Otoviano wasn’t the Warriors’ only offensive star of the night, dang it. Running back Montrell Smith rolled up 116 yards on 13 carries and scored twice in the second half. Receiver Brayden Willis snagged four receptions for 140 and 1 TD. By the second half, this abundance of riches finally overwhelmed a tiring Dragon defense.

The Warriors trailed 27-22 at half, but by then Dragon fans already knew that narrow lead would not be enough, not nearly enough. And it wasn’t. Martin came roaring out of halftime, scoring 21 unanswered points and limiting Carroll to a paltry single score in the 4^th period.

 The Dragon scoring drought in the 3^rd had radio commentators searching the records for the last time Southlake scored no points in the second half. They came up with a 2013 blowout against Midland Lee in which the Dragons scored 51 points in the first half and coasted in the second.

Southlake’s young defense, which played admirably against Broken Arrow in the season opener, succeeded in putting the brakes on Martin’s high-powered offense in the first half, with the exception of the heroics engineered by the Warriors’ one-man-band.

In addition to the 99-yard kickoff return, Otoviano was part of the Warriors' other big play of the half.

Dragon quarterback Will Powers had capped a 53-yard drive by finding two-way standout R.J. Mickens in the left corner of the end zone. Mickens, a sophomore phenom with an NFL pedigree who already has more than a dozen D1 offers, snagged the missile with a defender draped over him to take back the lead, 21-15.

Otoviano responded immediately. Evading a blitzing Dragon D on the second play of the drive, he flipped a pass to an uncovered Willis, who trotted 80 yards to score.

Things came unglued in the 3rd, propelled in part by a couple of Dragon injuries. When defensive end Jacob Doddridge left the game, perhaps to undergo a concussion protocol, the air seemed to leave Carroll's Big Guys. A shudder went through my part of the stadium when the radio guys announced Doddridge, a junior, had returned from the locker room wearing a T-shirt, finished for the night.

In the ensuing drive, the Warriors smartly marched 68 yards behind the running of Otoviano and Smith, before the quarterback bolted into the end zone from the 7, ending the 3^rd with a 36-27 Martin lead.

The key play for the Dragons came in the opening minutes of the 4^th. Trailing by 9, Carroll had put together a decent drive, with a Powers toss to WR Cade Bell and a couple of solid runs by RB T.J. McDaniel.

The drive, however, stalled near midfield. On a 4^th and 1 at the Dragon 43, Southlake fumbled, ending the drive and its fading hopes for a dramatic comeback.

For the Dragons, it was a bitter lesson in humility. They had never lost to the Warriors in four matchups. Last year, they defeated Martin decisively at Dragon Stadium, 36-14.

But this is a different year and a different team, with problems that need to be solved quickly. Next week, the Dragons host a tough Rockwall squad who upset state champion Highland Park last week only to fall to Rowlett last night.

Powers, who ended the night 12 of 16 for 168 yards and 2 TDs, had a respectable game. But he must protect the ball better, and he needs to master the long ball. His third interception of the season came on a long floater along the right sideline that had time to spread alarm throughout the Southlake section of Maverick Stadium before it landed in a Warrior defender’s arms.

Southlake’s defense is talented, but young, peppered throughout with sophomores. It has the potential to develop into something special as the season progresses, although the injury bug bit deeply last night. A serious injury to Doddridge would be near catastrophic.

On the bright side, the Dragons have found a running back, and he’s a good ’un. McDaniel carried 25 times for 221 yards and accounted for three Carroll scores. A Coppell transfer, he’s got the speed and he’s got the moves to make a lot of noise as Southlake dives into district play in two weeks.

Likewise, senior Cade Bell continues to develop into the Dragons’ premier receiver. He caught 6 Bowers passes for 69 yards against Martin. It wasn’t the attention-getting performance he gave in Oklahoma, which earned him the nickname “Big Game,” but it was good enough to spark hopes of more Bowers-Bell connections to come.

The Dragons aren’t used to having 50 points hung on them. For that matter, they’re not used to getting beat. The defeat at the hands of Otoviano and the Warriors stings like the dickens.

That’s good enough motivation for a productive week of practice to gain redemption next Friday against Rockwall in the welcoming confines of Dragon Stadium.

Go Dragons!

Game Day – Southlake Carroll 21, Broken Arrow (Okla.) 14

Football sages opine that a win is a win, but the victory salvaged by the Southlake Carroll Dragons in their season opener in Broken Arrow, Okla., last night leaves a bitter aftertaste.

The Dragons turned what should have been a drubbing of their Oklahoma foes into a white-knuckle battle they only managed to survive with some last-minute heroics by junior running back T. J. McDaniel.

Were it not for the four – count ’em, four – turnovers in the game, the Dragons could have enjoyed the ride home basking in the satisfaction that their defense performed admirably against the Tigers and their offense – helmed by junior quarterback Will Bowers – piled up more than twice as many total yards as their overmatched opponents.

But the turnovers – two of which, good lord, occurred in the red zone – kept the Dragons scrambling all night, even as they dominated the statistics, from rushing yards to first downs.

Bowers, who was responsible for three of the turnovers, kept his composure and ended the night with some impressive numbers. He completed 20 of 26 passes for 256 yards and 1 TD, rushing for another 40.

But the miscues marred his first outing as starting helmsman, and they could prolong, at least for a while, the quarterback questions that have hung over the Dragons since the talented Mason Holmes graduated last year.

Bowers got off to a promising start, engineering a second-quarter drive that ended with a 34-yard pass to his favorite receiver of the night, senior Cade Bell, (8 catches for 152 yards, 1 TD). But the problems started on the next possession when a Bowers pass was picked off, thwarting Dragon designs to widened their lead.

The Tigers, however, couldn’t capitalize on their good fortune, thanks to the gutty play of the Dragon defense, who kept them at bay for most of the game. Facing a 4^th and 10 on their 32, Broken Arrow made the ill-considered decision to go for it.

Instead, it lost 18 yards and was forced to turn the ball over on the 14 to a hungry Southlake offense. The Dragon appetite soon was quashed. The hardy Southlake fans who braved the trip north to Broken Arrow’s Memorial Stadium instead watched in horror as Bowers coughed up the ball again.

Quick-thinking Tiger defender Zach Marcheselli snatched it up and darted 84 yards through the shocked Dragon secondary to tie the game.

Carroll continued its domination, and its frustration, into the second half. It opened the 3^rd quarter with a brisk drive in which Bowers completed five straight passes. But the momentum rolled to a stop deep in Broken Arrow territory.

The Tigers then put together their only effective drive of the night, which ended in a 1-yard TD run by quarterback Lafayette Wright to put them ahead 14-7.

Carroll responded to the threat quickly, driving to the Tiger 17, where Bowers was picked off for the second time.

Thanks to the Southlake defense, that turnover and yet another fumble in the fourth had no impact on the game, other than to raise the blood pressure of Dragon fans there and listening to the game on the radio at home.

In the decisive 4^th quarter, T.J. McDaniel, who ran hard all night, compiling 106 yards on 31 carries, came to the forefront.

A Tiger fumble set the stage for an efficient 34-yard drive that ended with McDaniel bullying into the end zone on a 5-yard carry, tying the game at 14-14. A few minutes later, another sustained 8-play, 60-yard drive sent the Dragons ahead for good.

Unfortunately, circumstances conspired to dim the usual luster of Friday night lights in Broken Arrow. Because of the flooding disaster along the coast, Southlake was unable to charter enough buses for its huge student contingent to travel to the game. That means the band, Emerald Belles, Crew and cheerleaders were left behind. Only the team made the trip.

That's lousy for the kids and for the fans, in my considered view. What's Friday night football without the pomp and circumstance that goes with it? I say put an end to this current trend of hunting for worthy opponents north of the Red River. After all, the best high school football in the country is played right here in North Texas. Am I right?

Back to the matter at hand.There was a lot to like about the Dragons’ first outing in 2017. The defense, which usually is a work in progress at this point in the season, seems ahead of schedule in its development.

Its first real test comes next Friday, when the Dragons face Arlington Martin in Maverick Stadium. Martin and its double-threat quarterback, Juma Otoviano, took apart Skyline last night, 57-26.

It also was nice to see a Dragon running back post a 100-yard game at the beginning of the season. Will McDaniel, a transfer from hated Coppell, become a worthy rushing successor to the remarkable Audie Gaines, Southlake’s stellar running back last year? Only time will tell. But maybe. Just maybe.

On another offensive front, several Carroll receivers made connections last night, led by Bell. A reliable stable of fleet-footed, sure-handed receivers is a key to Southlake’s offensive strategy. Last year, injury decimated the Dragon receiving corps, putting more pressure on the running game. A balanced attack this season could be the key to a deep run into the playoffs.

Meanwhile, Bowers survived his trial by fire and still came away with a win. I think it’s safe to say ball security will be a focus of practice in the next week. And while it’s possible that backup Clayton Webb might see some action next week, I doubt it.

The Dragons have a tough predistrict schedule this year, facing Martin next Friday and Rockwall the week after. I predict the cautious and crafty Hal Wasson, who begins his 11^th year as Southlake head coach this year, will stick with Bowers, who has game-time experience and has worked the most with the offensive starters.

Dragon Nation has measured expectations for its team this season. We’re just getting to know these young men and just beginning to assess their potential. At present, they still largely are cyphers to us all.

But my experience with this program is that it produces remarkable young men who understand they have a tradition of excellence, achievement and hard work to live up to.  Remarkably, they almost always do.

Go Dragons!