Stewart Johnson
Overcoming a half-time deficit to take down the Keller Indians 38-35 last week took a serious toll on the Dragons. Senior Quarterback Kaden Anderson sustained a season-ending injury, leaving much in question for head coach Riley Dodge and the entirety of Dragon Nation. In typical “next man up” mentality, the Dragons (7-0, 4-0) handed the Keller Central Chargers (1-6, 1-3) their third straight loss 49-3.
In addition to losing a team captain, the Dragon offense was without one of the area’s top passers in Anderson, who had already thrown for 1,130 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Enter backup quarterback Graham Knowles. The junior has already proven to be an efficient passer, having thrown for 313 yards and three touchdowns in cleanup action entering Thursday’s matchup against the Chargers.
Behind another outstanding effort from the offensive line, the Dragons kept the Chargers’ defensive pressure at bay and the pressure off of Knowles. In all, five different Dragons rushed for 358 yards and five scores. Owen Allen steamrolled the Chargers at a pace of 16.3 yards per carry, adding 195 yards and two touchdowns to his eye-popping career numbers. James Lehman added another 77 yards and two scores of his own, while Todd Mallory rushed for 54 yards and the game’s final touchdown for the Dragons.
Despite the rushing prowess, the Dragon Pride Player Of The Week honors go to Knowles for his heady play under tough circumstances. Knowles was almost perfect under center, throwing 14 of 15 (93.3%) for 120 yards and two scores. He connected through the air on two occasions with fellow junior wideout Jacob Jordan.
Once again, the Dragons’ defense stood strong, giving up just three points on a late second-quarter field goal. The Chargers had little choice but to pass the ball often to overcome the deficit. However, the secondary led by Logan Anderson and Carter High was up to the task, recording eight and six tackles respectively. The Dragons also recorded five sacks, blocked a kick and recovered three fumbles during the lopsided victory.
The Dragons will now have an extra day to focus on the V.R. Eaton Eagles (3-4, 2-2), who are coming off a 38-31 victory over Keller Timbercreek. The Pink Out game will be played at Dragon Stadium at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 21.
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