Meeting the challenge: Southlake Carroll 38, Byron Nelson 23

Owen Allen does what he does best -- run for daylight.

The Dragon has awakened!

SOUTHLAKE – Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss.

Southlake Carroll emerged from a spell of rainy-day dreaming last night and handily captured another district championship – its fifth straight under coach Riley Dodge.

As it turns out, the much-discussed, highly anticipated showdown between the Dragons and the unbeaten bully-boys of District 4-6A – the Byron Nelson Bobcats – turned out to be not so dramatic after all.

Oh, it had its moments of anxiety for sodden Carroll fans and exultation for the rowdy Byron Nelson crowd that braved rain, thunder and lightning in hope of watching its heroes dispatch the haughty, undeserving Dragons.

But alas for the swaggering Bobcats – who were averaging 55 points a game as the state’s No. 1 scoring offense – those moments came early and lasted only briefly.

At that point, the showdown became a showcase for the awesome talents of Carroll’s superstar running back, Owen Allen, who rushed for 216 yards and racked up a personal record of five touchdowns.

Eye-popping performance

Allen, whose off-field modesty and genial manner belie his ferocity on the field, credited his eye-popping performance to his coaches’ gameplan and his offensive line.

“People can say that I took over the game and carried my team on my back, but that’s never how it really is,” he told Dragon Radio, which had just characterized the game in such heroic terms. “When I’m doing well, it’s because things are going well for the big guys up front.”

That’s undoubtedly true – and bless Allen for being smart enough to realize it.

But it also was his damn-the-torpedoes running style and never-surrender attitude that shook the Dragons out of their early-game lethargy. It emphatically ended the stream of vitriol and insult that had wafted eastward all week from Trophy Club, home to the Bobcats and Southlake’s next-door neighbor.

Byron Nelson, perhaps inspired by last night’s rain showers, sprang to a 13-0 lead with lightning speed. Its first score – a 44-yard bomb from veteran Nelson quarterback Jake Wilson to favorite receiver Gavin McCurley – came after only a 5-play series kicked into overdrive by speedster Aaron Darden’s 24-yard dash. A 2-point conversion attempt failed.

Carroll responded feebly to the challenge with a 3-and-out, and Wilson picked up where he left off. He guided the Bobcats on a 12-play, 82-yard drive that ended with another TD pass to McCurley. Presto! Nelson led 13-0 with 3 minutes left in the first quarter.

  “But like in most fairy tales,” wrote the Fort Worth Star Telegram’s Brian Gosset in his game story, “you never want to wake up the dragon.”

Particularly when that dragon is named Owen Allen.

Over the course of the next 15 minutes, as described by Dallas Morning News writer Lia Assimakopoulis, Allen rushed for 138 yards and scored 3 TDs to put the Dragons in the lead, 21-13, at the half.

Allen-up-the-middle

The first of those scores came on an 8-play drive, 7 of them runs by Allen straight into the teeth of the Bobcat defense. The only deviation from Allen-up-the-middle was a 24-yard pass from Carroll quarterback Graham Knowles to Clayton Wayland.

Allen’s 3-yard smash across the goal line was his 20^th rushing score of the season and the beginning of a 31-point unanswered scoring spree by the now aroused Dragons.

The second Carroll score also was all Allen and came after the first of two key first-half stops by the Carroll defense that stalled key Nelson drives and doused its hopes.

When the Bobcats failed to convert on 4^th down at the Dragon 27, Allen carried the Dragons downfield before scoring from the 8. On one 19-yard carry, he displayed what makes him so special.

After breaking through the Nelson line at its 37, Allen emerged into the secondary slightly off-balance. Lurching upright, he was hit from behind and nearly went down. Wrenching himself free of the Bobcat’s grasp, he crashed into another defender and bounced sideways, once again almost toppling. Still churning forward, he finally was brought down by a host of Bobcats at the 18. He scored two plays later.

The last Dragon score of the first half occurred after Carroll stalled a Bobcat drive at its 35 and forced a punt. Allen then spearheaded another drive that included a stunning 41-yard Knowles pass to Jacob Jordan (2-59) that brought the Dragons to the Nelson 6. Allen wrapped things up with a jolt across the line.

Cade Parks (52) and Nigel Fodor (29) wrap up Byron Nelson quarterback Jake Wilson.
With only an 8-point lead at halftime, the Dragons could ill afford to rest on their laurels. And they didn’t. Kicker Tyler White booted a 39-yard field goal to open the second half for the Dragons, and Allen would add a couple of more TDs.

A comeback crushed

The Carroll defense, which had held its opponents to an average of 9 points a game before meeting the Bobcats, couldn’t completely stifle the talented Wilson (24 of 33, 250 yards, 2 TDs). But he was pressured all night and saw his 3^rd-period comeback effort crushed before it ever had a chance to develop.

In the closing seconds of the 3^rd, the Bobcats kicked a 37-yard field goal by Pierce Dahlin to narrow the gap to 31-16. Then, just when it looked like Allen and company were poised to ice the game, Carroll fumbled the ensuing kickoff and Nelson recovered on its 46.

With rising hope, Wilson quickly took his team to the Dragon 15 despite constant harassment by Carroll defenders. He was sacked twice, the second time by the worthy Cade Parks, a play that snuffed out the Bobcats’ last flicker of hope. Two plays later, they turned the ball over on downs.

Another rushing series later, Allen whipped across the goal line to end Dragon scoring. Nelson would add a meaningless TD by Landon Farco with less than 2 minutes left, and then it was over.

Before the game, Dodge had freely admitted that Allen was the key to the Dragon offense, and not just because the rainy conditions – the game was delayed by lightning for 80 minutes – supposedly favored the ground game.

Allen has been the fierce heart of the Dragon offense all year, but especially after injury sidelined quarterback Kaden Anderson for the year.

With the untested Knowles now at the helm, the focus turned increasingly on Allen and his running mate, junior James Lehman (10 for 91). They haven’t disappointed.

After the game, his coach gave Allen – who has now rushed for over 6,500 yards and 105 TDs in his 4-year Dragon career – his due.

“He’s the best running back in the state of Texas for a reason,” he told the DMN. “Look at the stats. You don’t have to go too far to figure that out.”

Cinderella story

As radio commentators pointed out, it’s not often that you see two undefeated teams face each other this late in the season. For that reason alone, a lot of attention was directed at the matchup. Another reason for all the hoopla, of course, is that the public loves a Cinderella story.

And Byron Nelson fits that bill nicely. Only last year, it fell to Carroll 68-7 – a soul-draining, ego-destroying affair that could have demolished many programs. Instead, the Bobcats went on to make the playoffs, an astounding comeback that was only reinforced by their domination of opponents this year.

We’ll see if Bryon Nelson can sustain the progress it’s made. Winning traditions aren’t forged out of a single season. Certainly, its fan base has a lot to learn about handling success gracefully. The hateful chatter directed at the Dragons in recent weeks went beyond the normally good-natured trash talk that accompanies most games.

Haters gotta hate, I guess. It served one good purpose, though. Carroll coaches used the provocative dribble – and the media’s total focus on Byron Nelson’s storybook season while largely ignoring the Dragons’ equally impressive credentials – as a motivational tool.

Southlake, of course, is used to being the bad guy everyone roots against. It’s an attitude fueled by Carroll’s phenomenal success over the years and the public perception (largely accurate) that it’s a haven for the rich and privileged.

Dodge, who grew up in Southlake and is a product of the Dragon program, said his players consider it a point of pride that every team they play consider a victory against Carroll as a season-making event.

“It’s a group that’s had a target on their back from day one coming off a semifinal run in the playoffs last year, and these guys continue to answer the bell,” he told the DMN.

 No easy route

The Dragons, de facto district champs, end their regular season next Thursday against Keller Fossil Ridge. Next week’s final games will determine whether the Dragons play in Division I or Division II. 

Neither route to the state championship will be a cakewalk. In fact, Division II, the so-called small-school division of 6A, may prove the tougher path this year. Carroll most often qualifies for Division I.

But the manner in which the Dragons rose to smite the ascendant Bobcats bodes well for a deep playoff plunge. In their first real challenge of the season, the Dragons passed the test, bless ’em. Watch out, Fossil Ridge, the Dragon has awakened!

Go Dragons! 

Owen Allen lunges for the goal line. He crossed it five times last night. 

Setting the stage: Southlake Carroll 42, Northwest Eaton 7

 

The Dragons enter the field in the 2021 game against Eaton. They won that one, too.

No ifs and buts

SOUTHLAKE – The Northwest Eaton Eagles came to Dragon Stadium last night with fire in their eyes and murder in their hearts. They may not have believed they could beat the 7-0 Southlake Carroll Dragons, but they were determined to give it one helluva try.

And they did. But for a handful of dreadful missteps by Noah Lugo, a sophomore with scary good potential, they might have made a game of it.

As the saying goes, however, if ifs and buts were candy and nuts, we’d all have a merry Christmas.

Instead, Carroll shook off some 1^st quarter lethargy and dispassionately assessed the Eagles for what they are – a young team full of fight but short on experience. Then the jaws of the Dragon snapped shut and Eagle feathers fluttered metaphorically around the combatants.

Slender hopes

The Eagles may have pinned slender hopes of success on the possibility that the Dragons would be distracted and off-balance as Carroll looked toward next week’s high-stakes matchup with the Byron Nelson Bobcats.

Anticipation and preparation have been underway all season for that clash, which will be a classic battle of the unbeatens for the District 4-6A championship. My palms get sweaty and my breathing shallow just thinking about it.

Even if the Dragons had been caught napping – an unlikely event with a Riley Dodge-coached team – the double-threat Lugo kept shooting himself in the foot, then quickly reloading and shooting himself again. And again.

Thus he sank in the ensuing chaos – taking the hapless Eagles with him.

His troubles started early.

Wicked speed

On the first drive of the game, Lugo flashed his credentials – wicked speed and a rifle arm – and moved his team effectively. Then he dropped back and fired downfield. Carroll defender Carter High spoiled the party by intercepting the missile at the Dragon 40. Three bruising runs later, superstar Owen Allen raced 25 yards for the first Carroll score, which he had set up on the preceding play by a 33-yard scamper through the entire Eaton defensive line.

Just as he did here in 2021, Owen Allen had no trouble keeping Eaton at bay last night.
Things didn’t improve for the stumbling Eagles on its next possession. Lugo ended a steady, inexorable march to the Carroll red zone when defensive back Conner Hill stepped in front of another errant throw.

At that point, both teams seemed to lose focus. The Dragons couldn't capitalize on Hill's interception, turning the ball over after failing to convert on 4^th down. The Eagles returned the favor by going 3-and-out, but Carroll sputtered ineffectively and called on kicker Tyler White to punt it away, a chore White is rarely called upon to endure.

The Eagles could do no better and lined up to punt again. Then, just like that, things changed.

The worthy Conner Hill, who was a beast all night, blocked the punt.

From the Eaton 30, Allen drove the ball to inside the 10, where Dragon quarterback Graham Knowles scored on a 6-yard keeper.

That broke the game open, setting up a 28-point 2^nd quarter that brought the Eagles back to earth.

Sadly, at least for Eaton fans, Lugo, with 2 INTs already haunting him, contributed to that scoring spree. In attempting to rally his team after Carroll’s second score, he fumbled the ball on his own 26.  Five plays later, Allen scored his second TD of the night from the 4.

Allen's third, and final, TD came later in the period when he staged an electrifying 42-yard TD run that left Dragon fans and most of the Eagle defense gasping. After making a mad-bull rush through the Eaton line, he angled right and targeted the end zone, shifting into 4th gear inside the 20 to leave defenders scattered in his wake.

Leaning on the run

Carroll leaned heavily on its running game to vanquish the Eagles. A knowledgeable friend of mine believes that Carroll coaches -- with an eye to their still-new-to-the-job quarterback -- played it safe, devising a game plan designed to ease him into the job and build confidence, rather than display aerial dexterity. Makes sense to me, particularly when you have at your beck and call the services of Allen and sturdy running mate James Lehman.

To absolutely no one's surprise, Allen was his usual unstoppable self, ending the night with 162 yards on 12 carries. Lehman would rack up 142 yards on 18 carries.

Knowles also rushed for 2 TDs, his quick 6-yard dive mentioned above and a head-first keeper from the 1 before he retired for the night at the end of the 3^rd period.

He finished with 9 completions on 19 attempts for 91 yards and 1 passing TD – a 20-yard arc to Jacob Jordan that closed out scoring in the first half. His favorite receivers’ numbers reflected the conservative game plan: Clayton Wayland had 4 receptions for 52 yards and Jordan had 2 for 36, most of those on his TD grab.

That’s not a terrible night, by any means. But it’s not the aerial production Dragon nation has come to expect, thanks to the keen skills and unflappable leadership of Kaden Anderson, injured two games ago and now lost for the season.

 Knowles performed well in his first varsity start last week again Keller Central. And he was more than adequate last night.

But he'll need to take a significant step forward to face Byron Nelson's ferocious defense and keep up with its charging offense. Can he do it? That's why we play the game.

As for the Dragon defense, its starting unit staged another shutout, keeping the Eagles scoreless until a trash-time TD run by Lugo late, late in the 4^th quarter.

It captured 3 turnovers and blocked a punt. And when Lugo wasn’t losing control of the rock, he was dodging defenders in his backfield. He managed only 65 yards in passing, completing 11 of 21 throws. He was better on the ground, gaining 73 yards on 17 carries.

His rushing total was only 1 yard short of that of leading Eaton rusher Ja'Mari Harris, who enjoyed most of his success early.

Classic in the making

Now the Dragons must turn their full attention to Byron Nelson, who like the Dragons has been pushing around the lesser lights of 4-6A all season. The Bobcats dispatched Keller Central 56-24 last night, defeating a team the Dragons bested 49-3 only last week.

In perhaps a better common-opponent comparison, Bryon Nelson beat Keller 45-17 the week after Carroll struggled with the Indians before ruining their perfect season 38-35.

What does all that mean? Honestly, not much. 

Every game has its own dynamic. It's governed by different factors and influenced by a host of intangibles. That's what makes football such a fascinating, infuriating and often mysterious game.

One thing is certain: Next week’s contest has all the makings of another classic – a gut-busting, stem-winding, jim-dandy free-for-all that will showcase Texas high school football at its very best. And glory be, it’s a home game!

Go Dragons!

The Eagles had a better team in 2021, but the end result was the same.

Passing the test: Southlake Carroll 49, Keller Central 3

 

The Dragons head into the final 3 games of the regular season with a 7-0 record.
A sense of relief

KELLER – On a night dominated by Southlake Carroll’s sensational Owen Allen, who scattered Keller Central’s defensive linemen like so many tenpins in a bowling alley, it was the steady, self-effacing and efficient performance of quarterback Graham Knowles that had heads in Dragon Nation nodding in relief and satisfaction.

Knowles, a 6-6, 215-pound junior, has demonstrated acceptable aptitude in replacing the redoubtable Kaden Anderson late in games dominated by Carroll. Then, last week, he was thrust into the spotlight by the season-ending injury Anderson received in the Dragons’ nail-biting win over the Keller Indians.

Questions abounded. Chief among them: How would Knowles handle the pressure of being the starter for a premier program with high expectations of success? Was he up for the task of helping guide the high-flying Dragons on their quest for another District 4-6A title and another shot at winning their ninth state championship?

Cool as a cucumber

Knowles answered the first question rather handily. He appeared cool as a cucumber all evening, keeping his hand steady on the tiller even when the Carroll offense encountered heavy seas in the game’s opening minutes.

Uncharacteristically, the Dragons coughed up the ball on their first two possessions of the game – the second when Knowles was blindsided as he hesitated a tad too long in searching for an open receiver. But Knowles responded calmly to the turmoil, steadying the troops and leading them in scoring drives on their next six possessions.

Along the way, he completed 12 of 14 passes for 120 yards and 2 touchdowns. Not bad for his debut as a starter, wouldn’t you say?

Knowles, modest to a fault, gave credit where he felt it was due.

“Coach (Dodge) came up with a great game plan,” he told Dragon Radio. “He made it very easy for me. I followed the game plan and it all worked out.”

As for answers to the second question, they will be determined in due time. First, there is a district title to win. With three games remaining, the biggest remaining hurdle for the Dragons in capturing the 4-6A crown is the undefeated Byron Nelson Bobcats, who have been mercilessly smashing opponents all year.

They face a hurdle of their own tonight, when the Bobcats host Keller in what could be a real humdinger. The 5-1 Indians came dangerously close to defeating the Dragons last week, only to be thwarted by a Carroll interception in the closing minutes of the game.

The talented Indians, stinging mightily from their lost perfect season at the hands of Carroll, will be eager to work out their frustrations on somebody. Byron Nelson could have its hands full. Let’s hope so.

A dirty shame

The injury to Anderson is a damned, dirty shame. He’s a great kid with loads of talent and great potential. He showed both when he stepped in last season to replace nationally acclaimed quarterback Quinn Ewers, who abandoned his senior year at Carroll to pursue the NIL college bonanza. Ewers is now soaring high as starting signal-caller for the Texas Longhorns.

With Anderson at the helm, the Dragons had a perfect regular season, won the district handily and made it to the championship semifinals. This year, he had worked hard to perfect the timing, trust and instinct with his receiving corps that bedevil defenders and score touchdowns.

In his wake, Dragon fans gathered in Keller ISD Athletic Complex to see how Knowles fit into the equation. We were gratified to see that not much has changed.

Despite a gameplan that relied heavily on the sturdy Allen, Knowles scored passing TDs of 25 and 9 yards respectively, both to leading receiver Jacob Jordan. In addition, he showed speed and toughness in a 14-yard dash to the end zone that was negated by penalty.

Denied glory himself, Knowles handed the ball to James Lehman three plays later, and the junior running back cruised over the goal from 3 yards out.

Lehman, who carried 11 times for 77 yards, often gets overshadowed by the dazzling Allen. But he is a clutch player, speedy and dependable, and racked up 2 TDs in his own right last night.

Owen Allen cruised serenely past the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the season.
Allen, of course, shined brightest in the Dragon constellation. He sailed over the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the season and made two TDs, which sent his career TD total to 100.

Ineffectual push

His best run came in the decisive 2^nd quarter, when he broke through the Charger line with ease and raced toward the end zone 64 yards away. As he neared the 20, only one Central defender stood between him and the goal line. Allen juked left and the Charger could only give the bruiser an ineffectual push from behind as he accelerated for paydirt.

Before the game, Dragon radio reported that the Keller game marked the 8^th time Allen has rushed for more than 200 yards and the 18^th game in which he has scored at least 3 touchdowns. He came tantalizingly close last night to extending both records, compiling 195 yards on 12 carries and accounting for 2 TDs.

Both Lehman and Allen ran confidently behind the mammoth (by Carroll standards, at least) offensive line, which dominated the game from start to finish. It is a key to Carroll’s rushing success, a fact quickly acknowledged by its rushers.

The Dragon defense was solid, limiting the Chargers to a single 33-yard field goal (the Big Guys blocked another attempt) while sacking Charger quarterback Kelden Ryan a number of times and frustrating him the rest.

Senior linebacker Nigel Fodor was a defensive standout, recovering two of the three Charger fumbles. His second occurred after Carroll had pushed the lead to 35-3 with a 5-yard plunge by Allen midway through the 3^rd quarter.

 On the second play after the ensuing kickoff, Ryan was decked in his own backfield and yielded up the ball to the greedy Fodor, who seized it at the Central 9 and dashed for the sideline to show his cheering teammates. Knowles immediately zipped a pass to Jordan in the end zone.

Less than a minute had passed since the last Dragon score.

Central is a young team, dominated by hungry sophomores full of fight. But the youngsters were seriously overmatched by the Dragons, despite Carroll’s fledgling quarterback and a secondary that had been reorganized just before the game to accommodate players returning from injury.

Flashy and quick

Ryan, a sophomore with bright prospects, completed 11 of 13 passes for 130 yards. While flashy and quick, he did most of his running in his own backfield to evade the Dragon defenders who haunted him all night.

Admittedly, it’s always dangerous to draw too many conclusions from Carroll’s success against the Chargers, who have managed to beat only lowly Haltom so far this season. The superiority it exhibited last night may evaporate quickly when it comes up against a Bryon Nelson or the Murderers Row that awaits it in the playoffs.

I suspect it’s that realization that fueled a host of critical remarks in my section of the stadium last night, both about Carroll’s slow start and its desultory (to some eyes) response to the meager Charger threat.

Late in the game, a friend of mine observed, “You know, what does it say about us that we’re so critical of a team that’s ahead 49-3.”

Hmm, he may have a point.

Next week, the Dragons meet the Haslet Eagles at home. It’ll be another test for the young Knowles and another chance for Dragon fans like me to brood moodily about the looming threat of the Byron Nelson Bobcats.

Go Dragons!

Can the Dragons repeat as District 4-6A champions? Stay tuned!

Battle of unbeatens: Southlake Carroll 38, Keller 35

 

As usual, the great Owen Allen led the Dragon offensive attack.
A tale of two turnovers

SOUTHLAKE – The unbeaten Keller Indians pulled into Dragon Stadium last night full of fight and confidence, thirsty for revenge against a rival program they haven’t beaten since 1999.

And they almost got it. Mercy me, if they didn’t come very damned close.

At first, it appeared the battle between the unbeaten Keller Indians and the equally unsullied Southlake Carroll Dragons would turn into a shootout, with each team scoring whenever it touched the ball and the victor determined by who had the ball last.

After all, both the Indians and the Dragons reached paydirt on their first three possessions – and rather easily at that. Keller scored its first touchdown in three plays – including a beautiful 44-yard toss from quarterback Tre Guerra to Tre Griffiths – and its second in only five.

Dragon quarterback Kaden Anderson proved equally adept at moving his offense up and down the field, guiding a powerful ground game that featured the unstoppable force that is superstar running back Owen Allen.

Defensive struggle?

But eventually, both defenses managed to tone down the offensive fireworks, and it looked like the game might transition into a defensive struggle.

Almost midway through the second quarter, the Carroll D finally got to the efficient Guerra, sacking him at his 26 and then breaking up a desperation third-down pass to force a punt.

That break in serve by the Dragons would prove crucial as the night wore on.

During the subsequent Dragon drive, Indian defenders kept Allen mostly in check and forced Carroll to settle for a 37-yard Tyler White field goal, which gifted it with an oh-so-narrow 24-21 lead.

Both offensives struggled to regain the initiative as the first half wore on. Finally, with less than two minutes left on the clock, the Indians clawed their way into Dragon territory and scored on a 10-yard Guerra pass to Amarion Henry. They thus sauntered into halftime with a four-point lead. Trust me, that doesn’t happen often at Dragon Stadium.

The third quarter proved decisive. The Dragons managed to hold the threatening Indians in check while scoring 14 unanswered points, thanks to an 8-yard dash by Anderson and a 1-yard plunge by Allen.

Quarterback Kaden Anderson left the game hurt last night but under his own power.
The latter score proved costly for the Dragons – just how costly is yet to be seen.

On a 3^rd-and-2 from the Keller 17, Anderson darted right and fought for yardage along the right sideline, injuring what is believed to be his leg in the process.

As is the nature of high school football, the extent of Anderson’s injury is under wraps. One hopeful sign is that he walked off the field under his own power without a noticeable limp. He did not return, however.

Backup Graham Knowles took over the offense, and Allen advanced the ball across the line on three successive plays.

Uncomfortable lead

While Carroll held a 38-28 lead as the 3^rd period closed, it didn’t feel like a particular comfortable one. And for good reason. Because that’s when the game transitioned yet again into what it will always be remembered as – a tale of two turnovers.

Turnover No. 1 occurred when Keller raised blood pressures throughout Dragon Nation by capitalizing on a rare misstep by Allen to stage a desperate, last-gasp comeback.

It began when Knowles set up shop on the Carroll 44 after a Keller punt. He immediately zipped a ball to Allen in the flat, and the senior bullied his way to the Keller 5, where he prompted coughed up the ball, a gift that the Indians accepted with wild celebration.

Guerra moved his team to the Dragon 28, then handed the ball to Jayden Hart, who hit a wall going up the middle. Instead of toppling, darn him, Hart bounced to the left and sped into the end zone. Keller, with almost 5 minutes left in the game, now trailed by only 3.

On the very next drive, the invigorated Indians held Carroll to a 3-and-out. Fielding the ensuing punt at its 23, Keller had 2:31 to move the length of the field and score the winning TD. It had momentum, it had desire and it had the raucous support of its fans, who very nearly filled the visitors side of Dragon Stadium. (That’s what having a 5-0 record will do for you.)

James Lehman charges in for a 1st quarter touchdown.
It was tough sledding, but Guerra and company fought their way to the Keller 42. There, it faced a 3-and-15. Guerra dropped back and lofted a pass downfield, where senior Dragon cornerback Logan Lewandowski watched it float toward him. He grabbed it, stumbling to the 40. Carroll ran out the clock, and my section of the stadium heaved a deep, cleansing breath.

Make a play

“All it comes down to is, we’re up,” Lewandowski told Dallas Morning News reporter Shawn McFarland. “All we’ve got to do is make one stop. The pressure is on them. We just had to make a play, and we did.”

So Carroll takes a big step toward the District 4-6A championship, burnishing a bright 6-0 record, the fourth time it has done so in the past five years.  (Thank you, DMN, for that tasty statistical tidbit. Here’s another: Carroll has won its last 29 consecutive district games.)

The Dragons face one more serious district hurdle -- the Byron Nelson Bobcats, who also sport an unbeaten record and slapped around Haltom 65-7 last night. Luckily, Carroll meets the fearsome Bobcats on Oct. 28 in the comfortable confines of Dragon Stadium. Three days before Halloween, it could be a scary show!

The aggrieved Indians, who played well enough to win, now fall to 5-1, their ambitions shattered once again by the hated Dragons. But beating Carroll on its home turf is no easy thing. It takes more than just skill and desire, which perhaps explains why only a tiny handful of teams have managed it. A certain football magic dwells there, a place where tradition is cherished and protected fiercely.

But give them credit. The Indians, who now must prepare for Byron Nelson next week, put on an impressive show and succeeded in one thing. They put the fear of God into the swaggering Dragons, who before last night had easily beaten down their first five opponents and enjoyed shutouts against its last two.

A misjudgment

Lewandowski admitted he and his comrades misjudged the Indians.

“I think we got a little cocky,” he told the DMN. “We had a great week of practice, but we’ve got to come out and show that we had a good week. They came out and hit us in the face. Adversity always hits in the games, and we bounced back from that.”

Coach Riley Dodge said last night’s donnybrook provided a learning moment for his youngsters.

“I told them at halftime, ‘We’ll find out what type of character we have,’” he related to The News’ McFarland.

Next week, the Dragons take a short jaunt down FM 1709 (or if you prefer, Southlake/Keller Boulevard, depending on where you are) to meet Keller Central in the rickety KISD Athletic Complex. The 1-5 Chargers should provide a breather of sorts for the Dragons before their big test against Byron Nelson.

Go, Dragons!

Cornerback Logan Lewandowski's 4th quarter interception probably saved the game for the Dragons.

Massacre of Buffalos: Southlake Carroll 62, Haltom 0

 

Plenty of drama remained left last night after the glamour guys took a seat.
When the working stiffs shine

NORTH RICHLAND HILLS – You could make a persuasive case that the high points of the mismatch last night between Southlake Carroll and Haltom came after Carroll’s starters had retired to the sidelines for a well-deserved rest.

Up until that point, the natural excitement usually associated with Friday night football had been muted by the scope and the scale of the beatdown administered to the Buffalos (0-5, 0-2 in District 4-6A) by the rampaging Dragons.

Since the opening kickoff, Carroll (5-0, 2-0 in 4-6A) had methodically and dispassionately skinned the helpless Buffalos – much like the buffalo hunters in the 1870s decimated the bison herds of the Great Plains.

The Dragons scored on their first nine possessions, rolling up 608 total yards to the Buffs paltry 160. Quarterback Kaden Anderson connected with 8 different receivers in completing 13 of 16 attempts for 238 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Running rampant

James Lehman, who ran in tandem with rusher supremo Owen Allen, rumbled for 2 TDs and caught a 27-yard strike from Anderson for a third. (Leading receiver Jacob Jordan accounted for Anderson’s other TD, a 39-yard missile capping a 70-yard drive.) Despite the reps assigned to Lehman, Allen still rolled to 108 yards on 16 runs and scored a TD.

Meanwhile, the Dragon D harassed, pursued and pummeled Haltom quarterback Ashton Moore, intercepting him once and holding him to 130 passing yards. His runners struggled to eke out an embarrassing 30 yards. Moore compiled -13 yards for his attempts to run the  ball himself.

Twice, Moore managed to lead his team deep into Dragon territory, but Carroll’s defensive unit quickly ended the threats by unceremoniously sacking him.

In other words, it was business as usual, just another day at the office for the masters of District 4-6A: an efficient and thorough thrashing by Carroll’s rampaging offense and strangling defense.

Ho-hum. Move along, folks. Nothing to see here.

Except there was. There was plenty to see for those of us who stuck around after Carroll's glamour guys surrendered the field and the working stiffs of the action squad took over. Because the backups had their moments last night. Oh, boy, did they.

One special moment came at the beginning of the second half when senior running back Todd Mallory replaced Allen and Lehman.

Tough as nails

Mallory – a tough-as-nails runner who plays with the ferocity of a hungry cougar – has seen plenty of action so far this season. But because he runs behind a backup O- line, he’s had limited opportunities to shine. And he comes into games when the end result is no longer in doubt and the game plan is to end the bloodshed with no further injuries.

But when the backups take over, you can’t expect them to operate at anything other than maximum effort. They want to score touchdowns and shut down offenses. And last night, they did just that.

Behind Mallory’s bruising running and backup quarterback Graham Knowles’ passing, Carroll, already leading 35-0, moved steadily downfield. A 12-yard pass from Knowles (7-11, 108 yards) to Caden Jackson brought the Dragons to the Haltom 2. Mallory took the handoff and burst across the line for the first varsity touchdown of his high school career.

He was immediately surrounded by his offensive line, who hugged him and pounded him on the back. When he reached the sideline, his other teammates repeated the drill. The delight of his entire team was apparent even from the stands.

After the game, head coach Riley Dodge was equally pleased, praising Mallory for his intelligence, his hard work and his dedication.

In a postgame interview, a laconic Mallory was asked how it felt to score his first varsity touchdown.

Without elaboration

“It felt great,” he said without elaboration. Urged by radio announcer Chuck Kelly to provide details, Mallory paused a moment, then added reluctantly, “I got the ball, saw there was only one guy between me and the endzone. So I lowered my shoulder and went in.”

A couple of serious challenges face the Dragons as they chase another district title.
A man of action, not of words, Mallory must have liked the attention because he tacked on a second TD later in the game.

That scoring run came after another one of those high points I mentioned. The Dragons faced an impossible 4^th and 18 at the Haltom 29. In normal times, they’d have settled for a Tyler White field goal. But not on the first play of a 4^th quarter when they already led 49-0. So Knowles lofted a high arching prayer to receiver Evan Watts inside the 5-yard line.

Both Watts and a Buff defender watched and waited as the ball descended. At the last moment, Watts lost his footing and toppled backwards. The Buffalo defender, still on his feet, reached for the ball, but bobbled it, exhausting its speed and altering its trajectory. It dropped on top of Watts, flat on his back, and he seized it with the fervor of a drowning man reaching for a life buoy.

After a moment of stunned silence, the Carroll side of the Birdville Fine Arts/Athletic Complex exploded in glee. Who says there’s no drama in a blowout? On the next play, Mallory added the cherry on top of the sundae with a 3-yard TD plunge.

But that wasn’t the end of the show. The Dragon D, now in the hands of kids who rarely get to see action under Friday night lights, handed a final indignity to Haltom’s overwhelmed quarterback.

After Mallory’s second TD pushed the score to a ridiculous 55-0, Moore dragged his dispirited troops to their own 38, then sent a pass spiraling downfield. Dragon junior defensive back Zach Engelhardt intercepted it and carried it to the Buff 46.

Dazzling run

Then Parker Thompson, the third Dragon quarterback to take the field, staged a dazzling 38-yard run to the Haltom 8. We don’t see much of this kid, but he’s a gamer. On the next play, Thompson flashed through the line for the Dragons’ final score and perhaps a team record. Before joining Anderson on the sideline, Knowles had zipped a 16-yard TD pass to Jack Van Dorselear. How many times have three Dragon quarterbacks scored in a single game?

Last night saw the second shut out by the Dragon defense in as many weeks. It has toughened quickly into a solid unit approaching elite status. How good can these kids be? That’s hard to say since they've yet to be seriously challenged offensively.

For instance, a chill ran through me when the Buffs’ Moore managed on separate plays to connect with receivers Jaylon Mason and Jeramiah Sanders for passes of 52 and 39 yards, respectively. Neither drive ultimately amounted to anything. But as a friend of mine who is an authority on high school football pointed out, those kind of lapses in the Dragon secondary can be exploited by the juggernauts waiting for the Dragons in the playoffs.

Thus far, District 4-6A hasn’t been much of a proving ground, although that could change before the dust settles and a district champion emerges. Upcoming matchups with 4-6A opponents Keller and Byron Nelson could offer proof of the pudding, regarding both Carroll’s defense and its heralded offense, which is cruising along like a souped-up Chevy Malibu. (Yes, kiddies, that used to be a thing.)

Carroll gets a bye this week, time to rest, recuperate and refine. Then it faces the first of the tough 4-6A nuts it must crack – the Keller Indians at Dragon Stadium on Oct. 7. The 4-0 Indians meet Keller Central (1-3) tonight and should be able to handle the Chargers without too much trouble.

Challenges ahead

The Dragons are another matter entirely. With a bye week to prepare, I like Carroll to spoil the Indians’ unsullied run.

Byron Nelson, now 5-0, 2-0 in 4-6A, would dearly love to be a Dragon slayer when it arrives in Dragon Stadium on Oct. 28. It is scary good this year.

The Bobcats humiliated Denton Braswell 79-20 earlier in the season. And they obliterated Keller Timber Creek 69-2 last night. As you recall, the Falcons were the team Carroll whipped 51-0 just last week.

“I guess that means Byron Nelson is better than we are,” my friend joked last night as we walked to our cars.

“I don’t think I’m ready to accept your algorithm on this,” I replied with a grin.

But Byron Nelson is no joke, and chances are that the Oct. 28 matchup, the ninth game of the Dragons’ regular season, will be a battle for the 4-6A title. What a delicious prospect.

The bye week will give this Dragon fan an opportunity to complete Halloween decorations. The kids are grown, but Marice and I still enjoy putting up ghosts and goblins around Gunnels Manse. We're a bit daft, but it keeps us young.

Speaking of spooky, perhaps Haltom was trying to get a jump on the holiday when it attired the Buffalos in brilliant orange jerseys and pants. It reportedly was the first time they had ever appeared in such startling splendor. If they hoped to distract, distress or discombobulate the Dragons – alas, they were, oh, so very mistaken.

Happy bye week and … Go, Dragons!

The Dragons' two most important district games will take place in lovely Dragon Stadium.

Starting with a bang: Southlake Carroll 51, Keller Timber Creek 0

 

Southlake celebrates its 8th Lone Star Cup, the ultimate recognition of excellence by the UIL.

A decidedly emphatic win

SOUTHLAKE – Southlake Carroll entered the District 4-6A race with a bang last night. Make that several bangs. A plethora of bangs, in fact.

The overmatched Keller Timber Creek Falcons fled Dragon Stadium with shredded wings and tails full of buckshot, administered – figuratively speaking, of course – with the remorseless precision of a hunter on the first day of dove season.

How bad was the slaughter? Bad. Plenty bad.

Timber Creek managed only 29 yards of total offense. The two quarterbacks it sent into the grinder combined to lose a total of 70 yards on the ground, mostly by being dragged down behind the line as they pursued errant snaps.  In the air, their feeble attempts to reach their bedraggled receiving corps were batted disdainfully away.

The Dragon defense – which has been scary good in the first four games of the season – revealed itself last night as a steely-eyed, black-souled pack of assassins who very well could help carry Carroll to its much-desired and long-delayed ninth state championship.

Carroll defenders harassed Falcon quarterbacks Lior-jire Mendji and Anderson Lewis all night, forcing two fumbles by Mendji in the first three minutes of the game. Later came a Mendji interception and a couple of blocked punts. Folks, the Big Guys put on quite a show.

Fumbling around

Disaster unfolded early and progressed quickly for the Falcons. The first fumble, recovered by senior linebacker Jack Petkus, set up a 7-yard TD sprint by runner extraordinaire Owen Allen that initiated Dragon scoring.

A Homecoming photo from the recent past. Things haven't changed.
Mendji managed to fall on the second – which occurred after a bad snap on the second play of the very next drive. Unfortunately, he was in his own endzone when he did it.

Before you knew it, as Dragon fans settled into their seats after tearing themselves away from their Homecoming tailgating, Carroll led 9-0.

Senior lineman Cade Parks was his usual disruptive self, a danger to Falcon runners and blockers alike. Linebackers Aaron Scherp and Logan Lewandowski covered Timber Creek receivers like custom-made suits.

Even when things looked up for Timber Creek, the Dragons quickly snuffed out hope.

After the Falcons blocked a Carroll punt and set up shop on the Dragon 21, Scherp was the one who spoiled the party. The junior snagged a Mendji pass and bullied his way to the 31. Quarterback Kaden Anderson flipped a 9-yard pass to Caden Jackson and then handed the ball to Allen.

Allen charged through the line and shook off several tacklers. He looked certain to fall, but nimble as a cat, he recovered at last moment. He sprang into the secondary and turned on the speed. At the 20, he was met by 2 – or perhaps it was 3 – Falcon defenders. He wouldn’t get away this time. Or would he? Allen staggered, started to tilt and then pulled a spin move as slick as any Olympic skater. He sped unchallenged to the endzone.

Like most Dragon starters, Allen only played the first half. He still managed to gain 80 yards and 3 touchdowns on only 5 carries. I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating. It’s a privilege to watch this young man play football.

Turning over the shop

Anderson completed 11 of 14 passes for 149 yards and 2 TDs before he turned the shop over to junior Graham Knowles. Knowles played for most of the 2nd half, completing 9 of 14 passes for 136 yards, including a 16-yard pass at the end of the 3rd quarter to junior receiver Trey Ferri (6-52) to ring up Carroll’s final score.

Knowles and Ferri could get plenty of playing time this season, particularly if the Dragons continue to bash opponents in the same fashion they blew up the hapless Falcons. That could translate into another solid offensive core next season.

As usual, Anderson’s favorite receiver was junior receiver Jacob Jordan, who caught four passes for 81 yards and 2 TDs.

His first came in the initial period when he snatched a 42-yard Anderson pass. He set up the second when he fielded a Falcon punt and carried it to the Timber Creek 14. A procedure penalty sent the Dragons back to the 19, and a pass to Ferri cost Carroll another yard. Undaunted, Anderson found Jordan at the 1, and the receiver bulldozed his way over the line.

Now leading 16-0, the Dragons saw nothing but clear skies free of Falcons for the rest of the contest.

Three important things happened last night.

First, Carroll won its opening district game, staging the kind of soul-ripping, spirit-draining, brain-freezing takedown that should send shivers up the spines of its District 4-6A brethren.

Right now, the second-best teams in 4-6A appear to be the Keller Indians, 4-0 for the season and 1-0 in district, and the Byron Nelson Bobcats, also 4-0, 1-0. Keller defeated Haslet Eaton 35-28 last night, and the Bobcats smashed Keller Fossil Ridge 55-15.

The Dragons play the Indians on Oct. 7 in Dragon Stadium, but they’ll have a bye week to prepare for the upstarts. They face Byron Nelson on Oct. 28, also at home. If Carroll continues on its current trajectory, it could be a truly fearsome obstacle for both teams.

Second, the Dragons officially were presented with their 8th Lone Star Cup, the award given by the University Interscholastic League to the most successful program across all UIL competitive events.

In many ways, winning the cup is the ultimate honor for a school. It represents the comprehensive success of a school and its devotion to academic and athletic excellence, not just proficiency in any given event or sport.

It was an inspiring and emotional sight at halftime to see the hundreds of Carroll students who competed in UIL events gather to be recognized in the center of the outline of Texas formed by the Dragon Marching Band.

And third, it was Homecoming for the Dragons, and they observed it in the time-honored way by thrashing their opponent.

Homecoming games often are blowouts. Although coaches deny it, everyone knows they schedule patsies for Homecoming to make sure an untimely defeat doesn’t spoil the celebration.

 Last night was no exception. The mismatch eventually became tedious to watch, particularly during the hard slog through the final period. Even the Timber Creek band appeared ready to call it a day when it launched into “Hey, Baby” late in the 4th.

Considering the number of times these teams have played each other, it’s hard to imagine Timber Creek’s band director doesn’t know that Carroll always plays that tune in the waning moments of a Dragon victory. It’s one of the traditions we’re so insistent on protecting.

Rude and tasteless

For the Falcon musicians to play it – in Dragon Stadium no less – at that point in the game seemed rude and tasteless. But I won't launch into another band rant lest you think I’ve got a complex or something.

Besides, no harm done. Timber Creek’s presumptions didn’t deter the Carroll band one iota. While its rival’s version still was echoing around the stadium, it provided the authentic article for the die-hard Dragon fans who still languished in the stands.

Homecoming means mums, of course, and in Southlake they frequently are big (very) and ostentatious (wildly).

At halftime, one young woman visited her parents sitting a couple of rows below me. She was hot and sweaty and had long since shed her mum – seven large white mums and a teddy bear mounted on stiff cardboard the size of a trashcan lid. It now was slung over her shoulder like a knapsack -- a classic example that there can be too much of a good thing.

Speaking of Homecoming, Carroll head coach Riley Dodge told a funny story on himself on Dragon Radio last night. Play-by-play man Chuck Kelly asked Dodge if he had given his wife a mum for the occasion.

Dodge laughed and said no, and then related his first encounter with the mum tradition as a youngster at Carroll High.

“I didn’t know anything about it, really,” he said. “In fact, I was so clueless that I got my freshman girlfriend a boutonniere instead of a real mum.

“That didn’t go over well, at all. Not at all. It wasn’t a great move by the young Riley. I never did that again. Lesson learned.”

 What’s next

On Thursday, the 4-0 Dragons meet the Haltom Buffalos at the Birdville Fine Arts/Athletic Complex in North Richland Hills, which despite its name is a good venue for football. Alas, it could be a long night for the winless Buffalos.

Perhaps it’s a good thing that buffalos are no longer an endangered species because I fear more than a few hides could be decorating the stadium by game’s end. (I know. It’s a graceless allusion, but I just couldn’t help myself.)

Go Dragons!

A rousing start to District 4-6A play is something to celebrate.

High note: Southlake Carroll 47, Cedar Hill 6

 

There's no better way to enter district play than with a spotless record.

A loud noise amounting to nothing

Please note: This post has been edited to correct inaccurate information about the Sept. 16 game. Apologies.

SOUTHLAKE – Southland Carroll’s pre-district schedule ended on a high note last night.

And I'm not talking about the noise coming from the visitor’s side of Dragon Stadium, where the Cedar Hill Longhorn Marching Band was making a damned nuisance of itself.

 On the field, the Longhorns, now a disappointing 0-3 for the season, were rendered largely speechless by a merciless Dragon team, which now sails into District 4-6A with a spotless record.

Carroll head coach Riley Dodge told The Dallas Morning News he couldn’t be happier with his team’s hot 3-0 start.

“We still have a lot of things to clean up, but we accomplished what we wanted in non-district,” he said. “We got a lot of questions answered, so I really like where we are at heading into district.”

Carroll capitalized on a series of Longhorn miscues, running roughshod over the Cedar Hill defense, limiting the proud Longhorns to a single score, then rudely stuffing the Longhorns’ curious attempt at a 2-point conversion. They trailed 40-6 at that point.

Operating behind his superb offensive line, Southlake quarterback Kaden Anderson (9-13, 116 yards) passed for three touchdowns, one each to receivers Jacob Jordan, Clayton Wayland and James Lehman.

Running amok

Lehman rushed for an additional TD, as did star running back Owen Allen, who rolled to 109 yards on 11 carries, and junior backup quarterback Parker Thompson, who closed out Dragon scoring late in the game with a 17-yard sprint behind a substitute front line.

 Even kicker supremo Tyler White got into the act, booting a pair of field goals, including a 48-yarder early in the first period to begin Carroll’s march through Cedar Hill’s finest.

Dragon defensive leader Cade Parks was everywhere, providing the spark for the surging Carroll D. He recovered a couple of Longhorn fumbles and spent more time in the Cedar Hill backfield than starting quarterback Anthony Edwards. Parks and his comrades kept Edwards (9-21) on a short leash, holding him to a puny 71 passing yards.

From where I sat, it looked like Longhorn running back Jaylen Jenkins had a decent night, scoring Cedar Hill’s lonely score. Then I looked up his stats. He gained only 38 yards in 14 carries. Pitiful for him, brilliant for the Dragon D.

“We played lights out defensively,” Dodge told The News. “The defense gave our offense short fields all night, so we didn’t have to do a whole lot. Sometimes it doesn’t have to be flashy or cool; you just have to get the job done.”

At times, the Longhorn looked completely hapless. After a 3-and-out on their first possession, their kicker flubbed the punt, setting the Dragons up on their own 43.

Cedar Hill managed to hold the Dragons to White’s field goal, but Edwards quickly fumbled the ball on the following first snap from center. While Cedar Hill managed to fall on the ball, Edwards was sacked on the very next play.

Heavy pressure

Forced to punt, the Cedar Hill kicker, under heavy pressure, folded again, and the Dragons started their next drive on the Cedar Hill 49. They extended their lead to 10-0 after Anderson connected 14 yards with Lehman in the end zone.

Cedar Hill then seemed to come out its coma momentarily. On its next series, Edwards led his team into the Dragon red zone, despite the harassment his receivers were getting from Dragon defensive back Logan Lewandowski.

They got as far as the Carroll 5 before the Dragons dug in and pushed them back. But when the Longhorns attempted a 26-yard field goal, Carroll lineman Wyatt Duffy blocked it and fell on the ball at the 25. Allen took over, capping a bruising series of runs with a dramatic 34-yard surge in which he broke free of the enveloping arms of a Longhorn defender and staggered another 10 yards to the Cedar Hill 27. From there, Anderson found Jordan in the left end of the end zone.

Now leading 17-0, the Dragons never looked back.

This is the 14th time the Dragons have started the season 3-0 since 2000.
Cedar Hill, on the other hand, couldn’t seem to tell its backside from the hole it was digging for itself.

When it began its next drive from the Dragon 25, Edwards promptly fumbled the ball, which Parks claimed as his own. The Dragons were forced to settle for a 36-yard field goal by White, extending their lead to 20-0.

But Carroll’s beatdown was far from over. The next play, in fact, harkened back to the days when Todd Dodge, father of Riley, was Southlake coach. The elder Dodge promoted the idea of “killing the will” of opponents by piling on the points until he broke their spirit. It was a factor in the four state championships he brought to Carroll.

Dad’s philosophy

The younger Dodge is known to espouse his dad’s philosophy, and he demonstrated it last night.

 On the next kickoff, White sent an onside kick squibbing Cedar Hill’s way, and the race for the ball was on. The Longhorns initially fielded it, but in the subsequent scrum, Dragon Michell Paulson ended up with it.

Five plays later, Allen took it 8 yards for yet another Dragon score. To add insult to injury, Carroll tried for a 2-point conversion, the kind of knife in the gut the senior Dodge would have loved. It failed, but when the half-time buzzer rang, the scoreboard read 26-0. Carroll had made its point.

Now, a few words bout the damned Longhorn band.

It didn’t show up at Dragon Stadium until the end of the first half, whether because of traffic or merely bad planning.

As a result, perhaps it felt it had to made up for its tardiness. Or perhaps that’s just the way it performs at all Longhorn games to give support to the team, distract its opponents and inspire its fans. I don’t attend those games so I don’t know. Frankly, I don’t care.

Full volume

What I do know is that during most of the second half, the band, seated in the western section of the visitor’s side of Dragon Stadium, blasted one freaking song after another at full volume, mostly when Carroll had possession of the ball.

I probably sound like that crusty old coot who’s continually ordering the neighborhood kids off his lawn. And I know, I know it’s not uncommon for a team’s band to offer musical support from the stands. Like most fans, I love it when the Carroll band gets involved in the game.

But most programs refrain from deliberate attempts to impact play on the field. They moderate the volume or don’t perform at all when play is in progress on either side of the ball. Not last night.

The Cedar Hill band fully intended to be painfully loud. To be utterly obnoxious. To be totally irritating.

Mission accomplished.

I was only mildly put out at the boorish behavior until the visitors launched another full-throated number that completely overpowered the Dragon band’s version of “Hey, Baby,” a popular signal of another Dragon victory.

THAT, pardner, was a step too far.

It wasn’t a coincidence or merely an unfortunate example of bad timing. It was an in-your-face f-you to our kids on the field and their parents, relatives and friends in the stadium. It showed, in my opinion, a definite lack of class.

Cedar Hill has a rough road to travel as it enters district competition. District 11-6A is one of the state’s toughest, including powerhouses like Duncanville, DeSoto and the Mansfield schools. Given the state of its program at this point in the season, Cedar Hill is likely to get battered unmercifully.

My friends and family know that I believe in kharma – what goes around comes around. If I’m right, the Longhorns, bless ’em, could be headed toward a needed lesson in humility.

As for the Dragons, they begin district play next Friday, meeting Keller Timber Creek in Dragon Stadium. It's Homecoming, folks, and that means mums -- and plenty of 'em. Forget the days when mums could be pinned on your date's blouse. 

These days, many of the girls need sturdy ropes to hang them around their necks. John Prine said it best: "It's a big old goofy world."

Go Dragons!

Dragon Nation is ready for another District 4-6A championship.