Quarterback Will Bowers carried the ball 12 times for 143 yards and a TD in a 52-38 defeat of the Rockwall Yellowjackets at Dragon Stadium 9/15/17. The junior also passed for 4 TDs in the win. Photo by S. Johnson SnappedDragons.com
On Friday night, the Carroll and Rockwall offenses stagedbra shootout with the two squads combining for more 1,000 yards of total offensebrand 90 points.
But like in their season-opening win against Broken Arrow,brthe Dragon defense stepped up when it was needed most.
After surrendering 38 points over the first threebrquarters, Carroll held Rockwall off the scoreboard in the final period tobrpreserve a 52-38 victory to enter District 5-6A action with a 2-1 mark.
The Dragon offense, meanwhile, showcased its explosiveness, racking up 42brpoints in the first half alone and scoring three times on touchdowns of 48bryards or longer.
Rockwall opened the scoring with a 77-yard touchdown runbrfrom Lo'yer Bailey on the first play of scrimmage and led, 10-0, after thebrDragons fumbled the ensuing kickoff leading to a field goal for the YellowbrJackets.
But the Carroll offense simply couldn't be stopped whenbrit had possession.
TJ McDaniel trimmed the margin to 10-7 with a 48-yardbrtouchdown dash to get the Dragons on the board and Carroll took the lead when abr39-yard completion from the Dragon Pride Player of the Week Will Bowers to CadebrBell and 28-yard rush by Bowers paved the way for a 6-yard touchdown receptionbrby Preston Forney.
Rockwall would answer with its second touchdown of thebrquarter, but it would be the last time it led.
Carroll surged back in from when Bell hauled in a 61-yardbrscoring reception from Bowers on the final play of the first quarter.
Carroll would force turnovers on consecutive possessionsbrleading to a 21-0 run to move in front, 35-17, including a touchdown run andbrpass from Bowers.
McDaniel then continued his big night with a 69-yardbrtouchdown run for a halftime margin of 42-24.
The Yellow Jackets would strike first in the third quarterbrto get within 11 at 42-31 but could never get closer and the Dragonsbrre-established their 18-point margin when Bowers connected with Wills Meyersbrfrom 21 yards out with six minutes remaining in the third quarter.
Bowers finished 170 yards passing and four touchdowns onbrjust 10 completions to go with a breakout day on the ground. After totalingbrjust 25 yards rushing combined in Carroll's first two games, the juniorbrgalloped for 143 yards and a touchdown on 12 attempts against Rockwall.
Carroll's total on the ground finished at 371 yards thanksbrto 219 yards (7.8 per carry) and two rushing scores from McDaniel.
Bell was again the top target in the passing game withbrthree catches for 103 yards.
Carroll head coach Hal Wasson noted he was impressed withbrRockwall's skill players leading into the game and the Yellow Jacket receiversbrdidn't disappoint.
Jaxon Smith had 10 catches for 146 yards, while CameronbrCrayton pulled down six balls for 49 yards and a touchdown.
Fortunately, the Carroll defense forced three turnoversbron the night to offset Rockwall's big plays.
Ryan Thompson led the unit with 18 tackles, while MattbrWerner had 10 and a fumble recovery and Jake Fex contributed nine and a forcedbrfumble.
The Dragons are on bye this week before kicking off 5-6Aaction at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 29 at home against Flower Mound.
Southlake Carroll 52, Rockwall 38
Rockwall 17 7 14 0 — 38
Carroll 21 21 7 3 — 52
Scoring summary
First quarter
RW — Bailey 77 run (Talley kick), 11:43
RW —Talley 20 FG, 8:56
SLC — McDaniel 48 run (Koskay kick), 7:27
SLC — Forney 6 pass from Bowers (Koskay kick), 3:21
RW — Talley 13 pass from Clark (Poppen kick), 0:17
SLC — Bell 61 pass from Bowers (Koskay kick), 0:00
Second quarter
SLC — Bowers 24 run (Koskay kick), 11:24
SLC — Shrum 9 pass from Bowers (Koskay kick), 4:02
RW — Henry 7 run (Poppen kick), 1:30
SLC — McDaniel 69 run (Koskay kick), 0:52
Third quarter
RW — Crayton 33 pass from Clark (Talley kick), 7:54
SLC — Meyer 21 pass from Bowers (Koskay kick), 6:26
RW — Henry 2 run (Poppen kick), 2:26
Fourth quarter
SLC — Koskay 26 FG, 5:22
Dragon Offensive statistics:
Rushing — TJ McDaniel 28-219, Will Bowers 12-143, MatthewbrBroadway 1-6, Tavian Gould 1-3
Passing — Will Bowers 10-14-0 170
Receiving — Cade Bell 3-103, Hudson Schrum 2-24, TJbrMcDaniel 2-10, Wills Meyer 1-21, Tucker Slechta 1-6, Preston Forney 1-6
Dragon Defensive statistics
Ryan Thompson: 18 tackles
RJ Mickens: 11 tackles
Matt Werner: 10 tackles, one fumble recovery
Jake Fex: nine tackles, one forced fumble
Michael Parrish: five tackles, one forced fumble
Hayden Hayes: four tackles, one fumble recovery
Darryl Crockett: four tackles, one fumble recovery
Quinten Burton: three tackles, one sack