Powerless to resist: Southlake Carroll 70, Keller Central 7

 

The Carroll Dragons hosted an overmatched Keller Central squad last night, and it wasn't pretty. 

Hapless and hopeless

SOUTHLAKE – What can you say about a game in which the high point of the night for the losing team came on the first play of the night by its opponent?

You can say, “Better luck next year, Keller Central. And don’t let the gates of Dragon Stadium hit you in your thoroughly beaten, bruised and possibly bloodied backside on your way home.”

Too harsh? Maybe. One thing’s for certain, though. The winless Chargers were both hapless and hopeless against the Dragons last night. And the pitiable survivors don’t have much time to lick their wounds before they meet District 4-6A’s other behemoth, the upstart 7-0 Byron Nelson Bobcats.

That contest is next Friday, and I don’t envy the task of Central coaches in getting their bedraggled players prepared for the next lashing. It’s been a miserable slog for Keller Central this season, but the last 14 days have been particularly brutal.

Last week, the Chargers fell 55-3 to Haslet Eaton, not exactly a powerhouse this year. And after last night’s bloodbath in Dragon Stadium, one of the worst defeats in school history, the task of readying these youngsters for the game against Bryon Nelson may require hypnosis followed by shock therapy.

An unkind night

Last night wasn’t kind to Keller teams, who were knocked around like ten pins all over the district. While the Dragons were de-energizing the Chargers, the Bobcats ripped open the Keller Indians 67-3.  

Last night’s tale of the tape reveals the utter futility of Central’s labors against Carroll in the comforting confines of Dragon Stadium. Beating the Dragons at home is always a life-and-death struggle, even for much better teams than the Chargers.

Here’s how things stacked up:

-- Total yards: SLC 679, KC 67

-- Rushing yards: SLC 321, KC -12

-- Passing yards: SLC 358, KC 79

-- First downs: SLC 22, KC 3

-- SLC held Central scoreless, even against backups, from the 11:06 mark in the first quarter.

Any questions?

For many Dragon fans, the contest began on a definite down note. Rumors were filtering through Dragon Nation that Carroll’s leading receiver, senior Jacob Jordan, had broken his foot and probably was out for the season.

Sympathy and hopes for a quick recovery go out to Jordan and his family, of course. He’s an Oklahoma commit with a promising future so the injury must be a bitter disappointment.

But when he reportedly was seen on the sideline with a cast extending almost to the knee, the reality of the rumor hit knowledgeable Dragonheads like a sledgehammer: Quarterback Graham Knowles had just lost his favorite receiver at a critical point in the season.

Bad news arrives

Significantly, the bad news arrived only two weeks before the Dragons’ biggest test of the season: a matchup on Oct. 27 with Byron Nelson that will almost certainly determine the champion of District 4-6A.

This disturbing reality was just settling in as the Chargers kicked off last night’s contest. The now sidelined Jordan was the Dragons’ regular kickoff returner, so senior Caden Jackson had eased into his place.

 Fielding the ball near the goal line, Jackson only managed to bring it to the 19, prompting some of us superstitious types to wonder if this was the beginning of a bad-luck loop that might derail what thus far has been a solid, frequently superb, season.

On the first play from scrimmage, that irrational fear grew substance and sting. When Knowles handed off to junior Riley Wormley, a Colleyville transfer who missed the first part of the season because of eligibility problems, the junior veered toward the right corner, where a Charger defender stripped the ball and fell on it.

Two plays later, while the Dragons still were shaking out the cobwebs after the un-Carroll-like turnover by the promising Wormley, Central quarterback Chevy Andrews, connected with Christian Hogan, who darted 19 yards for the first score of the night.

Shocked into hyperdrive

Thankfully, however, that Charger-administered shock seemed to jolt the Dragon offense into hyperdrive.

On the ensuing kickoff, Knowles promptly took charge, taking two plays to even the score. He handed off to Jackson, who barreled to the 31, then flipped a pass to senior Clayton Wayland, who raced 69 yards for a TD.

Early in the next Charger drive, senior linebacker Aaron Scherp, who had a superlative game, intercepted an Andrews pass and set Carroll up on the Central 23. Wormley got 2 yards, then Knowles hoisted an arcing pass to sophomore supreme Brock Boyd in the end zone.

Looming on the horizon is an epic Oct. 27 showdown with the undefeated Byron Nelson Bobcats.

The Dragons never looked back, and the Chargers never looked worse.

Carroll’s entire offensive arsenal was on full display. Jackson (7 catches for 92 yards) stepped into Jordan’s role without a quiver. While he scored no touchdowns, he made key receptions that kept drives alive and was the Dragons’ leading receiver.

Knowles was simply sublime. On time and on target, he threw for 4 TDs, completing 94 percent of his passes (16 of 17) for 259 yards. Moreover, he targeted more than a half-dozen receivers, throwing scoring passes to three, Carroll’s first TD to Wayland (3-88), a 36-yard strike to junior tight-end Jack Van Dorselaer, and two to Boyd (3 for 36), one for 21 yards and the other for 5.

Dazzling performance

But Wormsley was brilliant, as well. He rushed for 106 yards on 9 carries and made 3 TDs.

He dazzled Dragonheads in the 2^nd quarter when he grabbed the ball from Knowles and plowed 69 yards to the end zone. His other TDs came on a run of 13 yards and a dramatic 2-yard leap over the pile to close scoring for the first half.

It appears the anticipation with which Carroll fans have awaited UIL approval for Wormsley to play has not been in vain. He’s a gamer and gives the appearance of someone who’s just hitting his stride. With the playoffs looming ever closer, that’s very good news indeed for Dragon Nation.

Forging ahead, Carroll can also count on the services of Wormley’s running mate, sophomore Davis Penn, who got significant playing time against the staggering Chargers. He rushed for 75 yards on 10 carries, including a bruising 36-yard gallop on the Dragons’ last scoring drive before the half.

It’s been a long time – perhaps never – since Carroll has had such a deep and formidable stable of running backs. Head coach Riley Dodge, with a knowing look, calls Wormsley and Penn a “double-headed monster.”

Let’s just hope they can scare the bejeezus out of Bryon Nelson. Is that too much to ask?

Truly frightening

I’ll tell you what was truly frightening last night: the Dragon defense. It played lights out all night. While it couldn’t prevent the first and only Charger TD, it snuffed out several Central scoring chances created by Dragon miscues.

When the Chargers recovered a Penn fumble and returned it to their 49, the D-line dug in and forced a punt that led immediately to Wormley’s 69-yard dash to the end zone.

Senior Dustan Mark ruled the interior line, flattening any Charger ball carrier with the temerity to come near him. Senior defensive back Trey Ferri roamed the flats, disrupting timing, disorienting receivers and generally making a nuisance of himself.

Scherp was the first among equals, intercepting a pass that set up a Carroll TD and repeatedly sacking and harassing the Charger quarterback. He and defensive back Zack Engelhardt seemed to be everywhere. Nothing got past them.

Watching the action

As is my practice, I stayed in my green seat long after the outcome of this mismatch had been decided. Mostly because I wanted to watch the action squad take the field.

And it didn’t disappoint.

Sophomore Angelo Renda and junior Carter Lind both saw playing time and performed well under center. Renda even ran the ball 45 yards for a TD at the opening of the final quarter, arriving in the end zone untouched and exultant. And why not?

Junior running back Christopher Glenn carried a lot of the rushing load in the second half. Zach Hays saw playing time and scored on a 2-yard plunge early in the second half.

In the passing game, sophomore Luc Jacquemard snagged a 42-yard Carter Lind pass to close out scoring for the Dragons.

Next up for Carroll is Eaton, which will host the Dragons on Thursday. The Dragons would do well not to look past Eaton in contemplating their decisive clash with Byron Nelson.

But that’s unlikely. One of the hallmarks of a Riley Dodge team is that it is always prepared and focused on the task at hand. The Byron Nelson game is important, without doubt the most important of the season so far.

But beating the Bobcats and winning the district trophy is not the ultimate Dragon goal. Winning a ninth state championship is the pot of gold this team is seeking. Beating Nelson and winning district merely are means to an end.

Getting it

Fort Worth Star Telegram sportswriter Charles Baggerly gets it.

In a pregame story about the Carroll program, the young Baggerly (he's a 2023 TCU grad) offered praise for the perennial excellence of Dragon football.

“The goal for a program as elite as Southlake Carroll, however, is to win championships, not compete for them. The Dragons are built for more than just a run, and they understand their potential is limitless….

“Although the Dragons have a long way to go, it appears Dodge and Co. have the right winning formula and talent to capture greatness.”

I hope he’s right. But even if he’s not, it'll be fun to be along for the ride, doncha think?

I won’t be writing a post about next week’s game. My son is getting married, and my family is traveling to the Pacific Northwest to participate in the festivities. Some things – not many, I grant you – are more important than football. (Who knows, with a two-hour time difference, I may still be able to catch part of the game. Thank God for the Internet!)

Go Dragons!

For Southlake Carroll, winning district is important, but it's not the ultimate goal. Winning state is.

Unbeaten mismatch: Southlake Carroll 56, Keller 10

 

Junior Riley Wormsley makes his much-anticipated debut against the Keller Indians. 

No dragon-killers in sight

KELLER – The undefeated Keller Indians had every reason to believe they could be dragon-killers last night, and the home side of Keller ISD Athletic Complex was nearly filled with Indian fans who came to see the butchery.

And why not? The Indians were playing on their home field and thus far had dispatched their foes with relative ease.

More than anything, they had last year’s Keller-Southlake donnybrook to boost their confidence. That unbeaten Indian squad came within a hair’s breadth of defeating the Dragons on their hallowed home turf.

Only a last-minute interception by senior defensive back Logan Lowandowski ended a Keller threat to erase the Dragons’ slender 38-35 lead.

Desperate encounter

Most Dragonheads, looking at the evidence, surmised that this year’s Keller squad was even more talented than last year’s. Ergo, we expected another desperate, hair-raising encounter.

Brother, were we wrong, wrong wrong.

Carroll roared into Keller, seized control early and laid waste to the upstarts, scoring TDs on 8 of its next 9 possessions. The sole exception to the Dragons’ march of destruction occurred when a Keller defender managed to intercept a Graham Knowles pass after his receiver tripped and fell.

Redemption came quickly, however. Only two plays later, Dragon defensive back Zach Engelhardt returned the favor and grabbed an errant pass by Keller QB Beckham Robinson. Knowles and company quickly converted the interception into the 5^th Dragon score.

 Lights out

While the Dragon offense was ravaging Keller’s wilting D-line and overwhelmed secondary, the Carroll defense was playing “lights out.”

Jack Van Dorselaer coasts into the end zone after a 91-yard gallop.

 
That’s how Carroll head coach Riley Dodge described his defense’s effort against Keller to The Dallas Morning News.

An apt description if ever there was one for the smothering blanket the Dragon D threw over the hapless Indians. It held Keller scoreless until well into the 4^th quarter after most Carroll starters had retired for the night.

It snared two Robinson interceptions and ended Keller’s only real scoring threat of the night by forcing a fumble at the Dragon 1 while sullen Indian fans watched in silence.

Robinson, who has feasted off opponent defenses all season, threw for 215 yards. But Keller’s only TD came when Robinson flipped a pass to wide receiver Tre’ Griffiths (6-179), who evaded backups and raced 89 yards to the end zone.

Face of catastrophe

Kicker Gabriel Ogura added to Keller’s paltry total with a 35-yard field goal booted with less than a minute left. Frankly, it seemed rather pathetic, and not the noble attempt to retain some pride in the face of catastrophe that Keller intended it to be.

Once again, the Dragons’ leading scorer was young Davis Penn, a sophomore standout whose audacity, slippery speed and hard-nosed running style remind a lot of us of rusher supremo Owen Allen, now attending the U.S. Air Force Academy.

Penn, who rushed 10 times for 62 yards, scored three touchdowns last night, demonstrating once again he’s the go-to guy when yards get hard to come by inside the 5 and when a sprint up the middle for a first down is needed to keep the drive alive.

But his stellar performance was overshadowed by the debut of junior Riley Wormsley, who ran for 109 yards on 15 carries and scored his first  TD as a Dragon.

Wormsley was forced to sit out the first five games of the season when the UIL state executive committee decreed back in August that his transfer to Southlake from Colleyville Heritage was done purely for athletic reasons. That’s a major UIL sin, and it ordered him to sit out the season.

Fair is fair

Here's my trouble with the UIL action. While it voted to bench Wormsley, the UIL’s governing body approved at the same time the transfers of several other talented athletes in cases that closely mirrored that of Wormsley. Fair is fair, ain’t it?

Graham Knowles and Davis Penn, who combined for six TDs last night, share a moment.

But would you believe it? Fair play prevailed in the end – at least for Wormsley. Because last week, the SEC reconsidered its original decision and decreed he can play.

“I’m just glad I’m going to be able to be with the team,” Wormsley told The Dallas Morning News’ Myah Taylor after the game. “It’s been a struggle going through the process of not playing. Being a kid again, it feels great.”

Riley Dodge said the youngster – a three-star recruit who’s attracted the interest of TCU, Texas and Oklahoma – started his Dragon career in fine style.

“He did good,” Dodge told Taylor. “It was his first football game, so it was like a scrimmage for him. Practice is a little bit different than the game, so he’s just going to get better and better.”

That’s great news because Wormsley looked pretty special last night.

He proved to be an elusive runner, unafraid of contact but often quick enough to evade it.

Looking dazed

His best moments came after a Keller punt. Wormsley took the handoff at his own 27 and headed for the barn, leaving Indian defenders looking dazed. He finally was tackled at the 9, 64 yards from where the play started.

Two plays later, he got the payoff, carrying the rock into the end zone to make the score a ridiculous 49-0.

Wormsley’s addition to the lineup gives Carroll’s running game real depth to its running game. Senior James Lehman, who showed great promise last season before getting in mid-season, didn’t get playing time last night, but he’s a real threat going forward.

By adding a potent ground attack to its offensive arsenal – which already features the dependable Knowles and an experienced and talented receiving corps – Carroll stands poised to make this a season to remember.

Knowles performed superbly last night, completing more than 70 percent of his passes (10 of 14). He rushed 21 yards for one TD and threw two others, a 91-yard strike to tight end Jack Van Dorselaer and a 22-yard toss to Jacob Jordan (5 catches for 62 yards).

Van Dorselaer’s TD thrilled Dragonheads. An Indian punt had pinned Carroll at its 7-yard line. Wormsley ground out two yards, then Knowles found Van Dorselaer coming across the flat, connecting with him near the left sideline. Seizing the ball greedily, the junior tight end raced untouched the length of the field.

Added dimension

Van Dorselaer brings an added dimension to the Dragon passing attack, a fact Dodge acknowledged in a post-game interview with Fort Worth Star-Telegram writer Charles Baggarly.

“I’m so happy we were finally able to get him free,” Dodge said. “When he gets a head of steam, he can run with the best of them.”

Backup QB Angelo Renda ended scoring for the Dragons in grand fashion. Coming into the game after the Indians failed to make a 43-yard field goal, he handed the ball off to Christian Glenn for a short gain, then hefted a 27-yard TD pass to senior Clayton Wayland, giving the Dragons a 56-0 lead with most of the 4^th quarter to play.

Sophomore Davis Penn rolled to three TDs against the Indians. He's a gamer.

Last night’s win reduces the number of unbeatens in District 4-6A to two, the Dragons and the Byron Nelson Bobcats, who Carroll faces Oct. 27 in Trophy Club in the most anticipated District 4-6A matchup of the year.

The Bobcats take on Haltom tonight. They are heavily favored. In point of fact, it’ll be a bloodbath.

So it’s entirely possible, probable even, that both Carroll and Nelson will be undefeated when they meet later this month.

Upcoming doozy

The winner of that contest, and it should be a doozy, will almost certainly become the 4-6A champ.

Keep in mind that more than just bragging rights comes with a district championship. It has tangible benefits in the playoffs. District champs get homefield advantage in the first round and face weaker opponents.

After seeing the Dragons in action last night against a credible team – and, trust me, Keller is a sound ball club, the lopsided score notwithstanding – I think they have an excellent chance to win district and make a deep plunge in the playoffs.

Who knows, perhaps this is the year. Another state championship. Wouldn’t that be sweet?

Go Dragons!

Riley Wormsley is congratulated by his new teammates after his first TD as a Dragon.

Sophomores’ delight: Southlake Carroll 66, Haltom 14

 

Davis Penn, shown in action against Flower Mound Marcus earlier in the season, scored 3 TDs against Haltom.

They should have stayed home

SOUTHLAKE – A trio of Southlake Carroll’s talented sophomores – the game against the Haltom Buffaloes placed in their tender hands – took a firm grip on things last night and made the hapless Buffs wish they’d saved themselves the trip to Dragon Stadium’s hostile environs.

Davis Penn, who has been mighty impressive thus far this season, came into his own against the Buffs, crashing into the endzone three times while amassing 210 rushing yards on only six carries. I’ll save you doing the math in your head. That’s an average of 35 yards a carry.

Penn scored on the second Dragon drive of the night, running three straight plays after the Carroll secured great field position following a 3-and-out by the Buffaloes. From Haltom’s 44, the sophomore pushed first to the 34, then to the 11 and finally into pay dirt.

Quick scores

His score, which sent the Dragon ahead 14-7, came on only the Dragons’ fifth play from scrimmage. Their initial score came on the second play of the game when senior Caden Jackson scampered 56 yards through stunned Buffalo defenders into the end zone.

Penn’s heroics were just beginning, however. After Haltom failed to convert on a 4-and-6 in the second period, the Dragons set up shop on the Buff 44. On the first play of the drive, Penn broke through the line and sped untouched to score. Four minutes later, after the Dragons forced another Haltom punt, Penn electrified the Dragons’ Homecoming crowd by sprinting 76 yards to the goal, leaving Buff defenders staring mutely in his wake. 

Less flashy, but no less impactful, was the sturdy play of Angelo Renda. Renda has gotten playing time in most of the Carroll games this season, but it’s been long after those contests have been decided and the starters retired to their rest.

Last night, however, Renda started the game for the ailing Graham Knowles, who was banged up during practice this week – if the online streaming commentators are to be believed.

The Dragons scored 721 yards in total offense against the lowly Buffaloes, who managed only 267.

Knowles reportedly suited up last night and was prepared to play in case of an emergency – Renda suffering an injury, let’s say. But he was benched against Haltom out of an excess of caution and – I strongly suspect – because head coach Riley Dodge wanted to see how the soph handled himself in a low-stakes game against an overmatched opponent.

Happy news

The happy news is that Renda did just fine, completing 80 percent of his passes (16 of 20, if you’re keeping count) for 217 yards and 2 passing TDs. There were a few opening-night jitters that a more talented opponent might have been able to capitalize on. But the young Renda has nothing to be ashamed of in his starting debut.

Both of his scoring strikes went to the night’s third sophomore star – receiver Brock Boyd, who snagged 7 passes for 100 yards. His first TD came after a 38-yard reception near the end of the first quarter which gave the Dragons a 21-7 lead. Boyd’s second closed out scoring in the first half when he caught a 16-yard pass to extend Carroll’s cushion to 45-7.

Carroll’s mastery over the Buffs wasn’t unexpected. But it was brutal in execution. The Dragons scored on all but two of their possessions. And their dominance presented Carroll coaches with an opportunity to give quality playing time to their backup players, those splendid kids who dwell largely out of the limelight, but whose role in helping the starting players prepare each week is invaluable. Invaluable and a key to Dragon success.

It’s a fact that Riley Dodge learned at the knee of his father, the legendary Todd Dodge. The senior Dodge never missed an opportunity to direct attention to the backups and to publicly acknowledge the vital role they play getting the Dragons ready for their next opponent.

He gets it

Not every coach understands that, choosing to devote time and energy to his elite players. But Riley Dodge gets it, bless ’im. And I think that understanding is one of the things that has made him such a rousing success in this, his very first, head-coaching job. Who knows? Before all’s said and done, he could be even greater than his dad. Wouldn’t that be something?

As for last night, it was satisfying to watch players we don’t see very much make a big impact on the field. Junior rusher Christian Glenn (11 attempts for 87 yards) accounted for 2 Dragon touchdowns last night on runs 18 yards and 12 yards.

He and senior Jake Erwin (13-62) carried the ground game for most of the second half.

Third-string quarterback Carter Lind (5-5, 71) saw significant playing time, and he secured the Dragons’ final score with a 27-yard dart at midpoint in the final quarter to senior Erik Bussman.

The Dragon defense kept Haltom’s low-wattage offense dim and flickering all night, limiting the Buffs to 267 total yards compared to the Dragons’ 721. 

Quarterback Ashton Moore could complete only 6 of 14 pass attempts for a puny 104 yards. He rushed 14 times for only 27 yards. Success for Moore was largely confined to a connection with receiver Ishmeah Jalloh (4-93), who darted 28 yards for a meaningless TD late in the slaughter.

The only other bright spot for Haltom came early, when RB Devan Ramirez Powell raced 40 yards down the right sideline to bring the score to 14-7. That run momentarily pumped life into the sagging Buffaloes, who had just watched the Dragons effortlessly score back-to-back TDs in a handful of plays.

The ensuing onslaught

Dreams of making a fight of it died quickly, however, in the ensuing onslaught of Carroll scores.

Next week is a bye week for the Dragons. It comes at an opportune time, considering the absence tonight of the worthy Graham Knowles. It gives him another week to heal and to return energized and ready for the rest of the season.

Because while Angelo Renda epitomized the “next man up” philosophy that governs the Southlake program – and while he proved equal to the challenge – I think all Dragonheads would feel better with Knowles under center as Carroll plunges into the middle of a district race that’s heating up nicely.

Carroll faces the Keller Indians on Oct. 5, and the Byron Nelson Bobcats await on Oct. 27. Both are road games against the programs that appear to pose the most serious threats to Dragon hopes of repeating as District 4-6A champion.

Keller and Byron Nelson are both 5-0 for the season and 2-0 in 4-6A play. Keller destroyed Keller Central last night 35-8, and the Bobcats demolished Timber Creek 63-26.

Fall's here (hooray!) and high school football is in full swing. Strap yourselves in tight, boys and girls. From here, the road gets a little bumpier. But that just makes the ride more exciting, don't it? 

Go Dragons!

The Dragons enjoy a bye week, then journey to Keller on Oct. 5 to meet the surging Indians.

Storming into district: Southlake Carroll 44, Keller Timber Creek 0

 

Senior Jacob Jordan evades a Timber Creek Falcon on his way to a TD. He got two last night.

Raining misery and mayhem

KELLER – Dark, forbidding clouds loomed over the KISD Athletic Complex last night, but the storm coming for the Keller Timber Creek Falcons wasn’t meteorological in nature.

It was a football maelstrom orchestrated and delivered by the Southlake Carroll Dragons, who rained misery and mayhem on the hapless Falcons as both squads began District 4-6A play.

   The Dragons pounced on Timber Creek early and often, shutting down its offense and casually brushing aside its defense, despite a sloppy performance that had diehard Dragonheads blushing in embarrassment.

Hardly noticeable

Against a better team, three interceptions, a pair of near-fumbles and a mishandled punt might have signaled disaster. But Carroll’s dominance over the Falcons was so complete that its missteps hardly were noticeable.

In dismantling Timber Creek with such brutal efficiency, the Dragons announced in no uncertain terms that they expect to repeat as District 4-6A champions.

At this point, who’s going to argue with them? The 3-0 Byron Nelson Bobcats, perhaps. The Dragons best be prepared for their pre-Halloween encounter on the road with the opportunistic ’Cats, who destroyed Keller Fossil Ridge last night 52-7.

Against the beleaguered Falcons, Carroll took early ownership of KISD Athletic Complex. On its first two drives, the Dragons took only two plays apiece to put points on the board.

 The Dragon D, which in the words of its coach played “lights out” all evening – scuttled the first Falcon possession by sacking quarterback Lior Mendji twice – the second on a 4-and-15 at his own 48.

Pass and run

Carroll quarterback Graham Knowles, a Virginia Tech commit, then threw a 43-yard pass-and-run to his leading receiver, senior Jacob Jordan. Sophomore phenom Davis Penn zipped the final 5 yards and put the Dragons ahead.

Defensive back Trey Ferri corrals Timber Creek quarterback Lior Mendji. 

On the ensuing kickoff, the defense – led by rampaging lineman Dustan Mark – held the Falcons to a 3-and-out, first stuffing a Creek runner for an 8-yard loss before defensive back Trey Ferri almost picked off a Mendji pass. Ferri, who has grabbed interceptions in each of the last two games, almost got his hands on a couple more of Mendji attempts.

After Jordan returned the Falcon punt to the Creek 41, Knowles hit Caden Jackson with a 5-yarder before senior Gray Young rumbled 36 yards for the second Carroll score in the space of 2 minutes.

Head coach Riley Dodge told the Fort Worth Star Telegram’s Charles Baggerly that his defensive unit, which held Timber Creek to only 138 total yards, performed last night with relentless intensity.

“All 11 on the field,” Dodge said. “Just being dialed into the game plan. I think the biggest thing is just playing fast and physical.”

He singled out Mark for particular praise.

“He’s the defensive player of the year in our district for a reason,” Dodge said. “We have a lot of seniors on defense that have played a lot of football. The veterans communicate well together, so we’re playing faster now.”

In a preseason article in 76092 Magazine, safety Aaron Scherp, another defensive star, elaborated on the D’s camaraderie.

‘Trustworthy group’

“We have 11 seniors on the defense starting,” Scherp told writer Carlos Mendez. “We’re a tight, trustworthy group. We’re going to be closer than any other group because we all grew up together. Eight of us went to the same middle school.”

Jordan, an Oklahoma commit, was the offensive standout last night, making 7 catches for 168 yards. He accounted for two scores, a leaping catch between two Falcons to close out the first quarter and a full-body-extension catch in the end zone to put the Dragons up 28-0 at halftime.

He also talked to the Star-T’s Baggerly after the game.

Jordan spoke of the chemistry he has built with Knowles (16-22, 2 TDs) over the years.

“That’s my guy,” Jordan said. “I have a ton of trust in him.”

For Knowles, last night was a bit of a mixed bag. On the one hand, he completed 73 percent of his passes, hitting Jordan twice in the end zone. And his accuracy in throwing the long ball showed marked improvement.

But those two interceptions dampened the celebrations a bit. Perhaps the weather played a role. A light but steady rain fell from the middle of the first period until almost halftime. That soaked everything, including yours truly. But it seems churlish to bitch about something so longed-for and seldom-received, doesn’t it?

Sophomore Davis Penn heads for the end zone, leaving Falcons in his wake.

Besides, weather is something that affects both teams equally, and it seemed Southlake was having most of the trouble last night with ball security.

Plenty to say

If I know Dodge, he will have plenty to say about the subject. And his kids will listen. The coach knows, and so do his young charges, that now – early in the season and against weaker foes – is the time to work out the kinks and get the timing right.

I’m no expert, but the eye test tells me that Carroll’s offense is jelling into the potent force it must have to flourish in the post-season.

That’s the goal, you see, for premier programs like Southlake Carroll, for whom district play is just the prelude for the main event, the UIL football playoffs.

Carroll’s offensive fireworks settled down in the second half. It could manage no more than a 27-yard Kyle Lemmermann field goal in the third period.

Penn (15 carries for 83 yards) made a 3-yard jaunt across the goal line to open the 4^th period, and backup quarterback Angelo Renda zipped a 31-yard pass to senior Erik Bussmann to close out Dragon scoring.

Renda, a junior who clearly has designs on the starting spot next year, showed poise and confidence in the pocket during his minutes on the field. True, he was responsible for the Dragons’ third interception of the night, but he’s a backup, after all.

Looked promising

Junior Christian Glenn, who is listed on the roster as a wide receiver, also was given some rushing duties last night and looked promising. Late in the game, he battled 19 yards to move the ball from midfield to the Falcon 31. That’s where Renda connected with Bussmann for the Dragons’ sixth TD.

Next week, Carroll will host the Haltom Buffaloes for Homecoming. The Buffs are not expected to make much of a stir in 4-6A this year. Anything can happen, of course, this being high school football.

I’m a superstitious soul so I won’t predict a cakewalk. But most likely, it’ll turn into a pleasant stroll with dessert at the end.

And it’s Homecoming, folks, so Mum’s the word!

Go, Dragons!

Head coach Riley Dodge speaks to his Dragons after their first district win.

Successful road trip: Southlake Carroll 31, Cedar Hill 6

 

Quarterback Graham Knowles heads for the endzone.

Not a clash of titans, but …

Greg Riddle knows a lot about high school football. And he should.

He’s been covering the subject since 2000 for The Dallas Morning News and doing an admirable job it.

That makes the headline on his online game story about last night’s contest between Southlake Carroll and Cedar Hill all the more curious. “Southlake Carroll cruises past Cedar Hill in matchup of former dynasties.” (Emphasis mine.)

Riddle’s story didn’t actually support the premise suggested in the headline that the Carroll Dragons and the Cedar Hill Longhorns are washed-up has-beens. Was it, after all, just another contemptible example of digital clickbait?

Of course it was. And shame on the DMN for sacrificing accuracy for a few extra clicks – if in fact that’s what the fraudulent headline produced.

Riddle, to his credit, went to some pains to point out the past glories of the two programs – the Dragons’ four state titles in five years, a 79-1 win streak under Todd Dodge that is part of Texas high school football legend. Cedar Hill’s nine-year span in which it reached the finals four times and took home three trophies.

He points out that in 2006 – a year in which both schools won state titles in 5A (then the largest classification), Divisions I and II – a contest between Longhorns and Dragons “would have been one of the best matchups in state history.”

A lot has changed

“Both were among the greatest dynasties in Texas high school football history, but a lot has changed since then,” he writes. “Friday’s game at Cedar Hill’s Longhorn Stadium was a matchup of two teams headed in opposite directions.”

The Dragons, of course, are the team headed upward. Under coach Riley Dodge, Carroll has plunged deep into the playoffs each year he’s helmed the team. As Riddle rightly points out, Carroll is poised to do so again this year and last night “showed that it may have the talent to make a run at another state title.”

As you can see, our local heroes fared very well under the DMN microscope. My beef with Riddle – and it’s a small round steak, not a big ole T-bone – is his willingness to dismiss Cedar Hill as down for the count.

It’s only too true that Cedar Hill is in a down cycle and has been for several years. But that’s the nature of high school football. There are ups and downs. Graduation poses the single greatest challenge for high school coaches in sustaining quality and success.

Rare is the program that manages to mitigate the “down” cycle and keep the Ws coming. Carroll happens to be one of that rare breed.

But winning a state title isn’t easy – even if all the cards fall the right way. In Texas, which offers the best high school football in the nation (is this really open to debate?), the playoffs from start to finish are a battlefield, a struggle marked by endurance, luck and discipline. (Yes, athletic ability plays a role, too! 😊)

Revisiting the mountaintop

 Carroll, with eight trophies on display, knows that better than anyone. It’s been 2011 since the Dragons last scaled the highest peak, but there’s no shame in that. They will revisit the mountaintop in good time.

As will Cedar Hill. Of that I have little doubt. And I suspect that the worthy Riddle – who I’ve never met but respect mightily – knows that, too.

But not this year. As the Longhorns demonstrated last night, they’ve got a lot of work to do.

Christian Glenn races toward the endzone in the closing moments of the game. 

The stars of the night probably were Dragon defenders, who stifled the Longhorn offense, forced three turnovers and a number of costly mistakes, and knocked starting quarterback Jaylen Thomas out of the game.

Oh, yes, and they held Cedar Hill scoreless until the fourth quarter when RB Ashton Blake broke through Carroll’s line of defensive backups, who had just taken over for the starters, and ran 70 yards for the only Longhorn score. A 2-point conversion attempt failed.

Kyler Granville-Gilbert, a senior listed on the roster as a wide receiver, took over for the injured Thomas, but together, they could manage only 71 passing yards for the night.

On the ground, the Longhorns compiled 272 yards, including breakout runs by Blake and Zhalylen Scott. That eclipsed Carroll’s 218. But it accounted for nothing other than Blake’s meaningless late-game sprint.

Playing lights out

“Defensively, we were lights out all night,” Riley Dodge told the DMN’s Riddle. “They were relentless and never got bored with success. Cedar Hill is a good football team. They really run the football. Our guys had a great week of preparation and did an unbelievable job.”

The Dragons high-scoring offense, led by Graham Knowles, had a mostly quiet night. After averaging more than 60 points against its first two opponents, Carroll settled for 31 last night, all on the ground.

Senior James Lehman (7-25) rushed for two TDs, Knowles (14-22, 180) added a third, and kicker supreme Kyle Lemmermann booted his first field goal of the season – a 22-yarder that gave the Dragons a 24-0 lead.

The offensive highlight of the game – at least from where I sat – came from the defense in the final quarter.

The Longhorns, operating near mid-field, were trying to convert a 4-1 when Granville-Gilbert couldn’t handle a bad snap and the ball flew free.

Senior defensive lineman Wyatt Duffy scooped it up and rumbled 46 yards to the endzone. It was the second consecutive game that one of the Dragons’ Big Guys has scored a touchdown. Glory be.

A rousing start

The game – played in a 104-degree cauldron – got off to a rousing, if toasty, start. It took the Dragons only 1 ½ minutes to get on the scoreboard.

After Carroll marched purposefully downfield – with Knowles connecting with receivers sophomore Brock Boyd (5-52) and senior Jacob Jordan (4-32) – Lehman capped the drive with a 5-yard payoff up the middle.

On the ensuing kickoff, Cedar Hill bobbled the ball, and junior Christian Glenn, racing downfield, pounced on it at the Longhorn 10.

Licking their chops, the Dragons lined up for another score. But Davis Penn, Carroll’s leading rusher with 116 yards on 11 attempts, was buried behind the line.

Knowles dropped back on the next play and looked for a receiver in the endzone. But his pass was intercepted, and Cedar Hill took it to the 22, ending the threat.

Carroll wouldn’t score again until the middle of the second period. At that point, a Dragon drive, highlighted by a 45-yard Knowles pass to senior Caden Jackson (2-64), carried Carroll to the Longhorn 15. From there, Knowles darted in for the second Dragon score.

Cedar Hill could do no better than a 3-and-out, and the Dragons capped first-half scoring with Lehman’s second TD of the night.

But the heroics weren’t over for Southlake’s finest.

With seconds left in first half, Thomas quickly led his Longhorns to the Dragon 35, where the Dragon D buried him behind the line. Then, two plays later, Dragon defensive back Trey Ferri, waiting at the goal line, intercepted Thomas’ last-gasp throw.

It was Ferri’s second interception in as many games. Earlier in the half, Ferri had missed by inches another Thomas pass. This kid has an instinct for the ball and roams the secondary like a hungry predator.

An interesting sighting

Riddle’s game story included a tantalizing tidbit that escaped the notice of most Dragon fans, I suspect. He spotted star junior running back Riley Wormley on the sideline, wearing a jersey top.

Wormley, a transfer from Colleyville, was forced by the UIL to sit out this year because he transferred to Southlake for athletic reasons, a serious no-no, particularly for closely scrutinized programs like Carroll.

Call it sour grapes if you will, but it’s only fair to point out that the holier-than-thou UIL seems to turn a blind eye to other programs facing similar circumstances. (I know, I know. It’s complicated.)

Regardless, it’s clear that Wormley – who enjoys collegiate interest from Texas, Oklahoma, TCU and others – already is preparing for his senior year in the Dragon lineup. That’s a prospect to warm a Dragonhead’s heart.

But one season at a time. District play begins next week, with the Dragons traveling to ramshackle KISD Athletic Complex to face Keller Timber Creek.

Word is that the Falcons are likely candidates to make the playoffs in District 4-6A. Maybe so. I don’t expect a cakewalk on Thursday, and I’m sure Timber Creek would love to play the role of Dragon-killer this season. All I can say to that is: Bring it!

Go Dragons!

Pre-district romp: Southlake Carroll 57, Flower Mound Marcus 15

 

Trey Ferri spoils the party by reeling in an errant Marcus Marauder throw.

Mission accomplished!

SOUTHLAKE – Dustan Mark, a 6-4, 235-pound behemoth who provides the muscle, gristle and fury of Southlake Carroll’s perennially undersized defense, confided to a pre-season interviewer that he had set a special goal for his final year as a Carroll Dragon.

“I kinda said to myself that my senior year, I’m gonna get a touchdown,” he told 76092 Magazine’s Carlos Mendez. “I don’t know how that’s going to happen – a fumble recovery, an interception – but I’m going to get a touchdown. That’s my goal this season.”

Well, Mr. Mark, you can check that box: Mission accomplished.

For the Dragons, Mark's endzone scamper occurred at just the right moment, jolting awake a dozing Carroll team that had allowed Flower Mound Marcus to hang around long after the Marauders should have been rounded up and corralled.

More than half-way through the 3^rd period, the Dragons led by only 21-12 and had committed a series of missteps rarely seen in Carroll’s disciplined program.

A blocked Kyle Lemmerman punt and a James Lehman fumble in the end zone had caused a restless stir to waft through the home side of Dragon Stadium.

Carroll fans then watched in frustration as another Dragon drive stalled at the Marcus 39 and Lemmerman took his place for another punt attempt.

Booting the ball

A delay-of-game call – another rarity in these parts – pushed the ball back to the 44, and that’s where Lemmerman – perhaps still smarting from his earlier blocked attempt – booted the ball inside the Marauder 5, where the Dragons pounced on it at the 2.

Marcus clawed its way to the 9, where disaster struck. As Marcus quarterback Dane Parlin hopelessly juggled a snap over his head, the ball bounced free.

James Lehman fights for yardage.

Mark – who had spent a good part of the night harassing Parlin – scooped it up and threw himself over the goal line with the desperation and exuberance of a man leaping on the last train from a doomed city.

I don’t know about you, but it does my heart good when one of the Big Guys, who perform most of their game-saving heroics in the shadows cast by the offensive stars, finally gets his closeup – in the full glare of Friday Night Lights.

After Mark’s triumph, the Marauders would manage only a 34-yard Owen Gall field goal for the rest of the game, while the Dragons swept the sleep from their eyes and scored on their next four consecutive drives.

Long-ball struggles

Just as he did last week, Dragon quarterback Graham Knowles struggled with the long ball, overthrowing at least two of his receivers as they sped through the endzone.

But he completed 15 of 23 throws (65%) for 203 yards and one TD, a 15-yard toss to tight end Jack Van Dorselaer, before handing the reins to sophomore Angelo Renda.

Knowles also ran for another two scores, zipping 9 yards before diving into the endzone with 12 seconds left in the first half, and later jogging undisturbed 5 yards across the line.

 It was Carroll’s ground game that racked up the points last night. Sophomore Davis Penn was spectacular, rushing for 123 yards on 19 carries and scoring twice. His first TD came late in the 1^st quarter on a 2-yard plunge, and his second was a 17-yard sprint at the beginning of the 3^rd..

 By then, Carroll’s 43-15 lead had the marching band kids reaching for the sheet music to “Hey, Baby,” as if they hadn’t long since memorized the song that declares a Dragon victory.

Lehman, 9 carries for 56 yards, began scoring for the Dragons. Marcus’ first drive of the night was slowed, then stopped, first by a Parlin sack by Mark (he would have three by night’s end) and by a wild snap by the Marauder center that sent Parlin scrambling into his own red zone. Alas for Marcus, it would be the first of many.

Waltzing in for the score

Now set up on the Marcus 21, the Dragons quickly glided to the 8, from where Lehman waltzed into the endzone. Knowles and Penn would each add their pair, and backup Christian Glenn wrapped things up with a 7-yarder as Dragon Stadium began to empty.

 Parlin would end the night with respectable passing numbers, considering his troubles with his center. He completed 15 of 21 passes for 203 yards and one score. But he was intercepted twice, once by senior Trey Feri to set up Davis Penn’s first score, and again by sophomore Austin Bussman, who prevented a Marcus touchdown in the final period when he snared a Parlin pass in the endzone.

The two Marauder TDs came within 4 minutes of each other in the 2^nd quarter. The first was set up by Lemmerman’s blocked punt, which handed Marcus a short field. Parlin took full advantage, scoring on a 4-yard run five plays later.

During the next series, the Dragons turned the ball over on downs, and Parlin immediately connected with receiver Karic Grennan, who raced 67 yards to bring the Marauders to within 2 – 14-12.

But they missed both extra-point tries, tangible evidence of their struggles and of the effectiveness of a swarming Dragon D. In fact, it obliterated the Marauder ground game, limiting it to a laughable 18 yards in the second half.

Carroll's swarming defense held Marcus to 18 rushing yards in the second half.

The beleaguered Parlin’s rushing stats were appalling. He lost 110 yards on seven carries, most of which he spent chasing errant snaps.

Be a Belle!

A special moment occurred during half-time last night. The Emerald Belles, perhaps the state’s best high school drill team (no brag, just fact), were celebrating their 60^th anniversary. More than 400 former Belles joined their contemporaries on the field for a dance routine to the music of “We Are Family.”

The Belles, who have appeared on national TV and performed for most of the area’s professional sports teams, are a special bunch. Their group motto is “Be Kind, Be a Belle,” and these young women, from all accounts, take it seriously.

They work long hours to perfect their routines, and it shows with every performance. They are adored by young and old alike.

After the Belles' halftime extravaganza, one squad member visited her family sitting directly behind me. As she sat serenely on the steps beside her parents’ seats, she immediately was surrounded by a crowd of excited young girls eager to bask in her reflected glory, a mob scene she endured with admirable grace.

Hurrah to the Belles, young and old. Long may they rule!

Road trip, anyone?

Next week, the Dragons travel to Cedar Hill for the beginning of a two-game road trip. The Longhorns aren’t the terrifying ogres of years past, but they still will present a better pre-season test of how good this team is.

I don’t expect Carroll to roll up the numbers in Cedar Hill that it has enjoyed the last couple of weeks again El Paso Eastwood and the Marauders.

True, the Dragons whipped the Longhorns 38-7 last year. But the up-and-down cycles of high school football aside, Carroll still must face the hallmark of the Cedar Hill program – talented, well-coached athletes.

Cooler temps are on the way! Aren’t they? Surely, surely they are.

Go Dragons!

Sophomore Davis Penn led Dragon rushing with 123 yards and 2 TDs.