By EJ Holland
Non-district play is over.
As most coaches like to put it, the Texas high schoolbrfootball season has transitioned to its second stage. Southlake Carroll will open up District 7-6A play on Friday night.
The Dragons are currently 3-1 and riding a three-game winningbrstreak after a loss to Austin Westlake in the opener. The offense has found anbridentity with Mason Holmes at quarterback, and the defense is growing up quickly.
“We feel like we're improving week to week, but now, thebrstakes are a little higher,” said head coach Hal Wasson. “We're a team ofbrhabit, so our routine won't change. But we have to go out there and make thebrmost of everything this time of year.”
The first step towards adding another district championshipbrtrophy to the display case will be earning a victory on the road against abrtough Coppell team.
The Cowboys are 3-2, but both losses came against qualitybropponents — Oklahoma power Broken Arrow and defending 6A DII statebrchampion Cedar Hill.
Coppell lost all-district running back Charles West and abrcouple of its mammoth offensive linemen from a year ago, including ConnorbrWilliams, who now starts at Texas. But its philosophy hasn't changed much.brCoppell is averaging nearly 200 yards on the ground per game.
Joe Fex is the bell cow for the Cowboys. The junior hasbrrushed for 486 yards and two touchdowns. Sophomore quarterback Brady McBridebronly averages 169 yards passing per game, but he's been efficient, throwing 11brtouchdowns and no interceptions.
“We have to be good on our run defense,” Wasson said.br“They've actually thrown a little bit more this year. They do a lot of pass-runbroption with McBride. They use him on rollouts, and if something isn't there, hebrcan tuck and run. We have to be ready.”
Coppell will try to establish its ground game, keep thebrclock moving and play tough defense. Led by linebacker Tyler Bell, the Cowboysbrare giving up just 21 point per contest. But Southlake Carroll's offense isbronly getting better. The Dragons have scored more than 40 points in their lastbrtwo games.
“We have to go out there, and do a good job of distributingbrthe football,” Wasson said. “When we're running and throwing successfully, youbrpresent defenses with a problem. That's been a big asset for us.”
Wasson added that his team is ready for the hostilebrenvironment and that the key to coming away with the “W” will be to continuebrbeing themselves despite the pressure that comes with the second season.
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