Linebacker Clark Parr had 21 tackles in the Dragons' 28-24 win over Coppell.
by Robert Halliman
If there's one thing we've learned about the Dragons so farbrthis season, it's that no moment is too big for Hal Wasson's gritty ballbrclub. After two dominating wins overbrWest Texas opponents, the Dragons passed another huge test, narrowly defeatingbrbitter rival Coppell 28-24 in the 7-6A district opener.
With five games already in the books this season, SouthlakebrCarroll's late game execution has been nothing less than spectacular, as Carroll'sbroffense has found ways to get in the end zone when it mattered most. Manufacturingbranother late game scoring drive, Ryan Agnew once again looked calm, cool andbrcollected when other quarterbacks may have folded under the pressure.
On the late-game 10 play drive capped off by Li'l JordanbrHumphrey's 1-yard touchdown run Agnew said, “It came down to driving down thebrfield with two minutes and change and it really didn't phase us. Our offense isbrcapable of scoring at any time, it doesn't really matter the situation, we justbrhad to trust each other and do what we are capable of.”
After starting the season with several injuries to thebroffensive line, the big guys up front have made tremendous strides as keybrmembers of the Dragons front five have returned at different parts of thebrseason opening up huge holes for Humphrey who is averaging more than 7 yardsbrper carry. The junior running back topped 100 yards for the fourth straight gamebrwith 116 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries.
After leaving the game late in the first half of last week'sbrcontest against Abilene, Ryan Agnew returned with one of his better outings forbrthe green and white, completing 27 of his 34 passes for 291 yards and abrtouchdown. Senior Parker Fentriss ledbrall receivers with nine catches for 135 yards and score, while running backbrGrant McFarlin provided Carroll's only other offensive touchdown.
Tim Wasson's defense struggled mightily against the runbrsurrendering 355 yards on 50 carries. At the heart of it all was Coppell's all-everythingbrrunning back Charles West, the defense stepped up when it mattered most onlybrallowing 24 points to a Coppell offense that has averaged 36 points per game. Senior linebacker Clark Parr was the Dragon Pride Player of the week. He had a monsterbrgame, leading the Dragons with 21 tackles, while Purdue commit Andy Chelfbrfinished second on the team with 11.
The Dragons travel to Birdville ISD next week to take onbrdistrict foe Richland (3-3). Kickoffbrbegins Friday night at 7:30 p.m.