Momentum, Season End for Dragons
No Excuses as Football Team’s Playoff Run Halted by Bowie
By Zach Warner
The Southlake Journal
Whether it’s a toe-to-toe shootout or a one-sided blowout, losing a high school football playoff game stings.
Ask Allen, which lost a one-point thriller to Carroll on Nov. 21. Then ask the Dragons, who saw their season end unceremoniously in a 24-point loss to Arlington Bowie last Friday.
But what might have added to Carroll’s pain in its 45-21 loss to Bowie was the fact that the Dragons were sky-high after their 35-34 double overtime win the week before over Allen, the defending 5A Division I state champs. Accomplishing big things, including a run for another title of their own, was looking very possible.
Instead, Carroll’s momentum suddenly hit a brick wall. Dragons coach Hal Wasson said the reason why Carroll (11-2) saw its impressive season halted by the Volunteers (10-2) was pretty simple.
"They made the plays at the right times and we didn’t," said Wasson, whose team fell in the 5A Region I semifinal round for the second time in his three years at the helm. "It’s one of those things where when you’re at this round of the playoffs, you’ve got to make plays.
"We had four turnovers, and you can’t do that in the playoffs," he said. "We didn’t make tackles and we weren’t getting the stops that we needed to make."
On the stat sheets, things looked pretty even. The Dragons finished with 424 total yards, while Bowie ended up with 432. But mistakes – little and big – cost Carroll a trip to the 5A Region I final this weekend.
Three interceptions by Dragons quarterback David Piland, a muffed punt by Brett Renger and two missed field goals by kicker Cade Foster hurt. The miscues were uncharacteristic, but all happened in the span of one game. Three of the four turnovers resulted in scoring drives for the Volunteers.
Carroll’s inability to threaten offensively in the second half and plenty of big Bowie plays against the Dragons’ defense all added up to end Carroll’s season.
"We ended up with [424] yards in total offense, but we never seemed to get into a rhythm," Wasson said. "[Bowie] had something to do with that and maybe we had a little bit to do with it as well. … It wasn’t just one domain of things, it was several things.
"Bowie has a good football team. They went four rounds [in 2007] and they’re no stranger to the playoffs. … They were here for a reason."
Looking at the way the Dragons looked flat at times just days after winning an emotional, high-energy contest over Allen raises the question: Was Carroll battling a let-down?
Wasson said practice during the week was not indicative of that. The team appeared locked in and focused for its next game.
"It’s about taking care of business," said Wasson, who’s compiled a 30-7 record with Carroll. "When you lose a game, you feel like you didn’t bring your ’A’ game, and that’s pretty much it.
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