Lightning strikes twice
SOUTHLAKE – Nearby lightning strikes ended the Hebron
Hawks’ agony early, but their looming threat only seemed to energize the
Southlake Carroll Dragons, who easily overwhelmed the proud Hawks last night with
a thundering offensive onslaught.
The game, delayed more than an hour by the threatening
weather, was halted for good two minutes into the second half. When it became
clear – as lightning lit up the northern sky and thunder boomed menacingly –
that the game could not be resumed in a reasonable time, both Hebron and
Carroll coaches called it a night.
It wasn’t a difficult choice. Even though the Dragons
had just kicked their first punt of the season only moments before the game was
halted, they led by four touchdowns.
More to the point, they had effectively caged Hebron
quarterback Brady Brock and the Hawk offense, limiting Brock to a lonely TD
throw to Tyler Hoke to counter a 21-0 Dragon lead.
Hebron frustration
Another 22 minutes of football wasn’t likely to change
the outcome and probably only would have intensified Hebron’s frustration. So
ended the Hawks’ attempt at redemption from two defeats at the hands of the
Dragons last season.
Carroll lost no time in defusing the Hebron threat.
After halting the first Hawk drive deep in Hebron
territory, Dragon quarterback Angelo Renda dropped back and launched a high
pass to junior Brady Gunter, who darted 68 yards to the endzone, outracing a
flock of Hawks in desperate pursuit.
“That first play was scripted all week,” Dodge told Fort
Worth Star-Telegram sportswriter Mike Waters. “And it worked great.”
Gunter (3-134) had another great night. He exploded onto
the scene last season as a wide-eyed sophomore with sure hands and quick feet.
Last week, he scored two touchdowns, demonstrating both a nose for paydirt and
– even more significantly – a trusting rapport with Renda.
As such, Gunter adds a potent punch to the Dragons’
aerial might, joining Brock Boyd (5-70), an Ohio State commit and one of the state’s
most highly regarded receivers, in the top echelon of a talented receiving
corps.
Most of the Dragons’ offensive heroics came in the
air. Of their 371 total yards, an astounding 349 came from Renda passes,
despite the much-anticipated return of stellar running back Davis Penn.
Hit who’s open
For his part, Renda (17-22, 2 TDs) was superb, zipping
the ball to six different receivers on his first six passes of the night. He
blithely dismissed the achievement, telling Waters in a post-game interview that
he was just hitting whoever was open..
“These are great players, and they all make plays,” he
said. “We were clicking in the first half.”
And indeed they were. Junior running back Brooks
Biggers, a welcome addition to the Dragon lineup, scored the second Carroll TD when
he capped a 9-play, 92-yard drive with a 1-yard dive into the endzone
Then the Carroll D, playing another excellent game,
forced the Hawks to punt after linebacker William Chen broke up a 3-and-8
attempted pass. Two plays later, Renda lofted a 44-yard pass to a diving Boyd
in the endzone, sending the Dragons into an insurmountable 21-0 lead as the 1st
quarter ended.
At that point, Hebron put together its only effective
drive of the game, doggedly marching 75 yards in 11 plays to set up Brock’s TD
toss to Hoke.
For Dragonheads, some of the best news of the night –
other than the win against a tough opponent, of course – was Penn’s return to
the Dragon lineup.
Penn tore his ACL last season and missed most of the
Dragon run to the state championship game. He was sorely missed. His absence –
along with that of running mate Riley Wormsley, also felled with an ACL injury –
probably spelled the difference in the state final against Austin Vandegriff.
Testing the waters
Head coach Riley Dodge held Penn out of the season
opener against Midland and only used him gingerly last night as the senior tested
the waters.
He was a big part of a 75-yard drive that showcased
Southlake’s offensive might. It included a 65-yard pass to Gunter, a reverse
run by wide receiver Brock Boyd, bruising runs by Biggers and Renda, and even a
5-yard toss to Penn.
And it culminated with Penn’s 7-yard dash to the
endzone that extended the Dragon lead to 28-7.
Penn was still vibrating with pleasure when he spoke
to the Star-T’s Waters after the game.
“It was amazing,” Penn said. “Just to finally get back
out there. Incredible feeling. Now to build on that next week and rest of the
season.”
Dodge spoke for Dragonheads everywhere when he said it
was “great to have one of our team leaders out there.”
“I’m so proud of the way he has come back,” Dodge told
Waters. “He is such a big part of this team.”
Biggers finished Dragon scoring just as the first half
closed. After a Hawk drive stalled at the Dragon 20, Hebron failed to make a
37-yard field goal.
Taking control
Carroll then took control. Fueled by Renda passes of 11
yards to Gunter, 39 yards to Knowles and 18 yards to Boyd, the Dragons moved to
the Hebron 7. From there, Biggers churned forward, leaped a defender at the
goal line and tumbled into the endzone.
It was a humbled and dejected crew of Hawks who
trudged into the locker room at half. Luckily for them, their night was
nearly done.
The Dragons launch District 4-6A play next week
against Byron Nelson on the road. The Bobcats, who have dedicated their season
to former coach Travis Pride, who died suddenly in the off-season – challenged Carroll
last season for the district championship.
The Dragons won that battle and are favored against
the Bobcats. In a bit of a shocker, Byron Nelson fell to Lewisville this week, 38-21.
Playing at home, it’ll be eager to redeem itself.
Once past the Bobcats, Carroll faces Euless Trinity, which likely will enter that matchup undefeated. It'll be eager to snatch the district crown from the reigning Dragons.
As noted here frequently, it’s almost always football
magic when these two tradition-rich programs face each other. While the two
school may be located only 10 miles apart, the communities of Euless and Southlake
couldn’t be more different.
And yet, despite the socio-economic differences,
the two fan bases regard each other with respect – and even admiration.
On the field, however, it’s another matter.
Trojan-Dragon games are bruising, no-holds-barred affairs, chock-full of discipled emotion and
well-coached physicality. Expect a great game on Sept. 19 in Dragon Stadium.
In the meantime, here’s hoping for clear skies and mild
temps next week in Justin.
Go, Dragons!
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