Southlake Carroll absorbs early punch from Allen, rolls past Eagles in state quarters
Mike Hawkins took the first play from scrimmage 75 yards for an Allen touchdown.
It was a punch in the face of the Southlake Carroll defense, which is stringing together one of its best seasons in recent memory. The Dragons came into Saturday’s game allowing 12.4 points per game.
The Allen touchdown must have woken up the beast.
Carroll followed Allen’s score with 34 straight points in a total dominating victory over the Eagles, 47-21, in a Class 6A Division 1 state quarterfinal at UNT’s Apogee Stadium.
Carroll (14-0) advances to the state semifinals for the second straight season to play the winner of Duncanville and DeSoto, which is scheduled for Saturday night in Frisco.
The Dragons scored on their second drive which was capped by a Kaden Anderson 18-yard touchdown pass to South Carolina committed receiver Landon Samson.
That tied the game at 7 with 6:18 left in the first quarter.
It took less than a minute for Carroll to take its first lead, 14-7 when an Allen pass attempt bounced off a receiver’s hands and into the chest of Carroll defensive back Avyonne Jones (Wisconsin commit).
Jones returned it 34 yards for the touchdown.
Carroll continued to impose its will on the Eagles as star junior running back Owen Allen scored three rushing touchdowns in the second quarter, all from the 2-yard line.
His first came nine seconds into the second quarter to up the Dragon lead to 21-7.
Carroll got another takeaway on the ensuing Allen drive when the Eagles caught a pass and fumbled. Max Reyes knocked the ball loose and Logan Anderson recovered at the Carroll 48.
The Dragons answered with an 8-play 52-yard drive capped off by Allen’s second rushing touchdown to make it 27-7 with 7:26 left in the first half. The extra point was blocked.
Allen punted and Carroll scored again after an 11-play 69-yard drive on Allen’s third score with 2:18 left in the period. The Eagles would end the bleeding right before halftime on a 7-yard TD pass from Hawkins to Jacob Brasher.
Anderson added an 8-yard touchdown run to extend the Carroll lead to 40-14 early in the fourth. Backup running back James Lehman scored late in the period. Owen Allen finished with 30 carries for 143 yards and three touchdowns.
Anderson threw for 156 yards on 12 of 23 passing. Samson caught five passes for 54 yards and a score and Boston College commit RJ Maryland added three grabs for 68 yards.
Hawkins led the Eagles with 300 yards passing and 98 rushing. Jordyn Tyson had six catches for 158 yards.
