Avers, who had 132 yards on 19 carries and four touchdowns by halftime, finished with 217 yards and five touchdowns in the contest. Avers scored all but one of his team’s five first-half touchdowns, as Carroll built a 35-7 lead after two quarters of action.

Back-up quarterback Kyle Williamson started for an absent David Piland, who missed the contest due to illness. The Dragons offense didn’t miss a beat, as Carroll rolled up 670 yards of total offense. Williamson, who was 17-of-20 for 311 yards and two touchdowns, was 11-of-13 in the first half for 196 yards, including a 58-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Gentry in the second quarter that gave Carroll a 28-7 lead.

Williamson’s only miscues were two interceptions, one on the Dragons’ opening drive, as the quarterback’s second pass was picked off and returned to the Carroll 15-yard line. That play set up a 15-yard pass from Davian Harper to Earl Titus to give the Skeeters a 7-0 lead.

However, it was all Dragons from that point on, as Carroll scored six unanswered touchdowns to take a 42-7 lead early in the third after an impressive 85-yard touchdown run by Avers.

Carroll’s Gentry led all receivers with five catches for 155 yards and two touchdowns, while backup running back Paul Stevenson, who replaced Avers early in the third, rushed for 49 yards and a score.

Carroll’s defense shined brightly, holding Mesquite (0-4) to 194 yards of total offense. Although the Skeeters scored three touchdowns, two scores came after Williamson’s interceptions gave them great field position at the Carroll 32-yard line or better, and the other came on a 101-yard kickoff return by Titus early in the second half.

Now, the Dragons prepare for their biggest test thus far – a much-anticipated match-up with perennial power Galena Park North Shore at 6 p.m. Sept. 26 in Corsicana. Carroll missed its chance for the scheduled contest last year due to the cancellation of games among Houston area schools affected by Hurricane Ike.

Get the full version of this article at The Southlake Journal and full Southlake news at www.southlakejournal.com.