The 2018 District 5-6A Champions, the Southlake Carroll Dragons (10-0), will face their first challenger on the road to the state championship, the Coppell Cowboys (7-3) this Saturday in Dragon Stadium.
This is Carroll's first time facing Coppell since the 2014 season, but the rivalry and competition between the two teams is still alive and well.
When asked earlier in the week how the Dragons were going to transition to playoffs, head coach Riley Dodge said it was most important to focus on their work ethic.
"It's win or go home now, so it's all hands on deck," Dodge says. "These kids are like none other. You tell them to work they'll work, and we're going to take it to another level."
The Dragons remained undefeated throughout both non-district and district play, while the Cowboys fell to three teams: Allen, Hebron and Lewisville.
The Cowboys are led by junior quarterback Drew Cerniglia, who has thrown for just under 850 yards and ten touchdowns this season, with a 69 percent completion rate. Look for key linebackers on the Dragon defense to make big plays when the Cowboys employ the passing game, as Cerniglia has already thrown six interceptions this season.
In the passing game, Rasheed Noel leads the offense with four touchdowns and just over 200 receiving yards.
Senior Jonathon McGill follows closely behind with three touchdowns and 282 receiving yards. This is McGill's fourth year starting for the Cowboys at wide receiver, and like the Dragons' own TJ McDaniel is also an SMU commit. McGill has been know to be versatile on the field, as well as a threat to opposing defenses.
The run game has proven to be more effective than the passing game for Coppell, with the Cowboys posting over 1,500 yards. Senior running back Ryan Hirt receives most hand-offs from Cerniglia, with 831 yards and seven touchdowns notched in his belt this season.
Coppell's offense would not be complete without its multiple Division I linemen, including No. 64 senior tackle Trevor Strange and No. 77 senior tight end and tackle Jack Lookabaugh.
In order to be successful, the Dragon defense will need to hold the Coppell offensive line, and contain both the pass and run game by keeping an eye on McGill and Hirt. Look for standout members of the Dragon defensive line to make big blocks in order to protect Bowers and give him more time in the pocket.
Coppell also has a very notable defense with strength and size both on the line and in its linebackers. Senior linebacker Xavier Brown is very active on defense and a main threat to opposing offenses. Freshman outside linebacker Walker Polk has taken the defense by storm weighing in at 6'1" and 200 pounds in just his first year.
In order to get points on the board, Bowers will need to execute plays quickly and get the ball out of the pocket as soon as he can to avoid the Cowboys' defensive line. Bowers and his many receivers will also need to keep an eye out for both Coppell corners, whose size makes them difficult to get by.
The Dragons kick off against the Cowboys on Saturday at 2 p.m. in Dragon Stadium.