No business being here
SOUTHLAKE – What business, you may ask, does a 3-7
team have in making the high school football playoffs?
None, I say. None at all. And as evidence, I offer you
the embarrassing performance rendered last night at Dragon Stadium by the
outgunned, outcoached and generally outclassed Mansfield Legacy Broncos.
The Broncos, poor souls, made the playoffs as the
fourth-best team in District 3-6A, landing in Division II of 6A by virtue of
Legacy’s enrollment. That gave them the dubious honor of getting the snot
kicked out of them by the Carroll Dragons in the bi-district round of the
playoffs.
The University Interscholastic League, which governs
high school competitions, in sports and academics, expanded the playoffs years
ago to include the top four teams in all districts. In 6A, made up of the
state’s largest high schools, the two schools with the largest enrollments of
the top four compete in Division I. The two smaller schools go Division II.
Over the years, Carroll has competed in both
divisions, depending on what district it is assigned by the UIL and on the schools
who make up the top four in that district. This year, the Dragons are shooting
for the Division II state title.
Sound complicated? Brethren, you have no idea.
Fairness and inclusion?
The UIL defends its expansion of the playoffs as an
effort to give more teams an opportunity to play in the post-season. And to
ensure that all playoff-worthy teams get a shot at the big prize, even in
talent-heavy districts like the District of Doom that includes both DeSoto and
Duncanville.
But while fairness and inclusion might have played a
role in the expansion decision, greed had a lot to do with it, too.
It’s simple economics. The larger the number of
schools involved, the more playoff tickets are sold, and the more money goes to
the UIL.
The way it works in practice is that the first playoff
round often results in a slaughter of the innocents – like last night’s debacle
in Southlake.
A strong team from one district is matched with a
weaker team from a nearby district. The ensuing blowout thins the bloated
playoff ranks and gives the programs who belong there a chance to ease into the
playoff race. Everybody wins. Well, almost everybody.
Frankly, Dragonheads expected a cakewalk against
Legacy. And brother, we got one. In fact, we got extra servings of cake, along
with a giant heaping bowl of ice cream, a jar full of gumdrops and some bracing
fruity punch.
But the public spanking delivered by the Dragons was
more than a little sad to watch. And I couldn’t help feeling sorry for the lads
from Legacy. Last night’s beatdown couldn’t have helped their self-esteem much.
And I’m not sure what lessons can be gained from such a mismatch.
Still throwing punches
Give the Broncos credit. They were still in there
throwing punches – and getting pummeled in return – to the bitter end. Even
after they trailed 28-0 before getting their only score of the night. Even
after a 35-point scoring spree by the Dragons in the second quarter. Even after
carrying a 49-7 deficit into the locker room at half. Even after watching Dragon
backups put up 13 points in the final period while holding them scoreless.
Angelo Renda led the Dragon offense in his usual calm,
efficient manner. He completed almost 80 percent of his passes, gaining 346
yards in the air and completing 4 TD passes. He also rushed for another score.
His favorite target was sophomore Blake Gunter, who
caught five passes for 155 yards and two TDs. The first came half-way through
the second quarter, after a Bronco punt started the Dragons on their 23. Renda
ran a keeper to the 34, where he lofted an arc to Gunter speeding for the
Legacy end zone.
Gunter’s second score came on a quick one-play strike
that Dragonheads, spoiled brats that we are, expect to see at least once in
every Carroll game.
After another Legacy punt put the ball on the Bronco
28, Renda started – and ended – the drive with a strike to Gunter, who slipped
over the goal line, leaving the Dragons with a 42-7 lead.
Wide receiver Brock Boyd also drew Renda’s attention,
snagging 12 catches for 146 yards and 1 TD.
Renda got Dragon scoring underway early, after the feisty
Carroll D held the Broncos to a 3-and-out. In three plays, the junior moved Carroll
to the Legacy 15, where he zipped a TD pass to Davis Penn.
Penn, in his regular role as runner extraordinaire, would
score three more TDs, all on the ground. He finished the night with 14 rushes
for 84 yards.
Having a field day
The Dragon defense had a field day against the
befuddled Broncos. Leading the way were the usual suspects – junior defensive
back Luke Bussman, senior lineman Austin Davidge, senior Jack Van Dorselaer.
But junior defensive back Gavin Strange, who doubles
as the Dragons’ main kicker, deserves special attention. He had an outstanding
night, blunting one Legacy threat by recovering QB Nathan Wilson’s pass in the
Dragon end zone and later killing another Bronco drive by falling on a Bronco
fumble. Carroll turned both Legacy miscues into scores.
Painful as it was to witness, I stayed until the very
end of last night’s mauling. And I’m glad I did. Those of us – we hardy few! –
who hear the final buzzer at Dragon blowouts get to see the backups in action –
the kids whose primary, often thankless, job is to prepare the first teams for
game night.
When these youngsters get their chance on the field,
it’s inspiring to watch their enthusiasm and share their love of the game. And
last night was no exception.
Backup quarterback Clayton Fowler stepped in for Renda
at the end of the third period after the Broncos failed to convert on fourth
down. He quickly moved his team to the 15, helped them claw to the 1, where he
bolted across the line to bring the score to 63-7.
Later in the fourth, another backup QB, junior Preston
Perazzo, took over after yet another 3-and-out by the sagging Broncos. Behind
the running of senior RB Jesse Hill, the Dragons moved inside the 5, where Hill
bullied into the endzone for the final score of the night.
Agile and elusive
I love to see this kid play. Hill is an agile, elusive
runner, hard-nosed and fearless. He has never gotten much playing time this
year – overshadowed by stars like Penn and the injured Riley Wormley. And given
the toughening competition ahead for the Dragons in the next playoff rounds, we
may not see much more of him.
But trust me, Hill and players like him are a big reason
why the Dragon program is one of Texas’ most successful. And they are the ones
who actually do – week-in, week-out – protect the tradition we all hear so much
about.
The least I can do is to stay a while and cheer them
on.
Carroll’s opponent in the next round will be Wolfforth
Frenship, a West Texas team the Dragons faced – and whipped handily 49-14 – in
the second playoff round last year. Time and location of this year’s contest hasn’t
been announced yet. But if I had to guess, I’d put money on Abilene.
That’s where the Dragons played Frenship in 2023. Since
Wolfford is a suburb of Lubbock – as strange as that sounds – a neutral venue almost
inevitably is going to be in the middle of The Big Empty.
That’s a long drive to a joyless locale, even for an
old West Texas hand like me. And it almost certainly would mean an overnight in
Abilene. Yes, it could be time to look into pay-for-view.
Age thus makes a timid soul of us all!
Go, Dragons!
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