The Southlake Carroll Dragons (11-0) dominated the Coppell Cowboys (7-4) 54-10 Saturday to advance on to the second round of the 2018 Texas State Football Playoffs.
Quarterback Will Bowers and the Dragon offense recorded almost 400 rushing yards and just over 200 receiving yards against the Cowboys. Senior running back and Dragon Pride Player of the Week TJ McDaniel recorded a total of five touchdowns, including both rushing and receiving. Bowers threw for over 150 yards with a 78 percent completion rate.
The Dragon defense was dynamic against the Cowboys giving up just ten points. They lived in the Cowboys backfield allowing -25 yards rushing while compiling 19 tackles for a loss with eight sacks. Hunter Colton racked up three sacks, while Alex Kingston, Sam Matin, Cameron Shoupp and Thomas Wrehe each recorded one. Matin added to his defensive resume with a safety late in the game for the Dragons as well. Graham Faloona led the defense with 13 total tackles.
In their first meeting since 2014, there was no love lost between either team, but the Dragons quickly took control of the game early in the first quarter.
Carroll struck first with a 69-yard touchdown run from McDaniel, following a three play drive on their first possession of the game. An extra point from Joe McFadden made the score 7-0 with just under 11 minutes left in the first quarter.
The Cowboys punted on fourth and one on their first possession of the game, turning the ball back over to RJ Mickens and the Dragons return team. A 19-yard pass from Bowers to John Manero added another six points to the board, and another extra point from McFadden had the Dragons leading 14-0 after only two possessions.
The Dragons scored again on their third possession of the first quarter with a 24-yard rush from McDaniel, his second rushing touchdown of the game. Silence from the Cowboys would give Carroll a 21-0 lead going into the second quarter.
Carroll notched another three points midway through the second quarter thanks to another solid kick from McFadden.
Coppell finally got on the board with a 42-yard field goal to make the score 24-3 heading into halftime.
The Dragons came out firing in the second half with McDaniel's first receiving touchdown of the season 28-yards into the end zone. Another extra point gave the Dragons a 31-3 lead.
McDaniel recorded his fourth touchdown of the night with a five-yard rush into the end zone to further the gap 45-3.
The Cowboys scored their first touchdown of the game from a 37-yard pass into the end zone, narrowing the gap by seven, 10-45.
The Dragon defense had their hand in scoring with a safety from Matin, after tackling the Coppell ball carrier in the end zone. The Dragons put the game out of reach at 54-10 with one final touchdown from Matthew Broadway - his first varsity touchdown of his career.
Next up on the road to the state championship, the Dragons face the DeSoto Eagles in the area round of playoffs at 2 p.m. Saturday, November 24, at Vernon Newsom Stadium in Mansfield. The last time the Dragons and Eagles met was last season, when Carroll knocked DeSoto out of the regional round.
Tickets can be purchased through Etix beginning at noon on Sunday, November 18. There will be no Dragon Stadium ticket sales this week.