On the strength of a stingy defense that gave up only 31bryards rushing, the Dragons managed a fourth-quarter comeback Friday to winbrtheir opener at Broken Arrow (Oklahoma) 21-14. However, this week the Dragons maybrface their stiffest test in non-district play (and perhaps the season) Fridaybrwhen they head to UTA's Maverick Stadium to take on Arlington Martin.
Senior Audricke Gaines paced a stout Dragon running game with 151 yards and 2 TDs on 22 carries as Carroll defeated Arlington Martin 37-14 at Dragon Stadium. Photo courtesy of S. Johnson SnappedDragons.com
The Warriors posed little challenge to the Dragons lastyear in a 37-14 loss but enter this season’s contest ranked No. 11 in thebrregion (others receiving votes) after displaying their offensive prowess lastbrweek in a 57-26 rout of Dallas Skyline.
“We're moving on to an even bigger challenge,” said HalbrWasson, Carroll head coach. “Against Broken Arrow, we faced a team that was bigbrand physical and really strong on the lines. Martin is a different animal.brThey're a fast and athletic team that is going to show us a lot of different formationsbrand sets.”
The Warriors are stocked with big-play ability on offensebrand it starts under center with dual-threat quarterback Juma Otoviano — whobrplayed running back against Carroll in 2016.
Last week, Otoviano threw for 134 yards (10-of-22brpassing) while rushing for 96 yards and four touchdowns on 17 carries.
Martin racked up 324 yards and eight touchdowns on thebrground as a team (6.6 yards per carry), including two touchdowns from TrebrHenderson (eight carries, 54 yards) and another from Kentrell Smith (sevenbrcarries, 78 yards).
Brayden Willis led the Martin receiving corps with fivebrreceptions for 73 yards.
“They have guys that can make plays all over thebroffense,” Wasson said.
Defensively, Martin showed well against a potentiallybrexplosive Skyline offense led by versatile quarterback Velton Gardner.
And while Gardner posted impressive individual statisticsbr(215 yards passing, 141yards rushing, three total touchdowns), the Martinbrdefense more than made up for its yardage allowed by forcing five turnovers.
Wasson anticipates seeing multiple blitz packages againstbrMartin's odd-man front, which will be a key test in protection for Carroll'sbrbackfield — an area in which Wasson was already hoping to see improvement frombrfollowing the Broken Arrow game.