Azle improved to 4-1 thanks in part to big night from McAlister against Arlington Heights

It took awhile, but Azle finally got its hurry-up offense in gear to subdue Arlington Heights, 50-21, Thursday night at Clark Stadium.

Azle improved to 4-1 overall and remained unbeaten in District 3-5A at 3-0. It has not lost since the season opener to Grapevine, 23-22.

It was not until its fifth possession that Azle managed to hit paydirt. Quarterback Drey Owen spearheaded the attack. The Hornets were also helped by their defense when they forced Heights to punt from its 4-yard line.

Beginning play at his 43-yard line, Owen ran 10 yards for his team’s initial first down. Two plays later, the senior threw to Eric McAlister streaking down the left sideline for a 40-yard touchdown with 10 minutes before half.

It was the first of three touchdown catches by McAlister who finished with eight receptions for 125 yards.

Until his scoring strike to McAlister, Owen was 0-for-6 passing to start the game. After that, he completed 12 of 16 passes with no interceptions for 175 yards and three touchdowns.

Owen also ran for a score which he did on the Hornets’ next possession. He ran 27 yards to culminate a five-play, 58-yard scoring drive. It gave Azle a 17-0 lead. For the game, Owen rushed for 118 yards on 16 carries as he skillfully faked handoffs to running back Jacob Lee and followed his interference.

Lee and Owen made a rushing tandem. Lee ran for 74 yards on 15 carries and two touchdowns, 12 and 13 yards both in the third quarter.

However, following Owen’s touchdown run, Arlington Heights (1-4, 1-2) finally got its offense going when Lamarcus White took over as quarterback. The junior directed his team to a nine-play, 75-yard scoring drive ending with Bryce Long’s 23-yard run.

It made the score, 17-7, in favor of Azle with 2:01 until halftime. After being sacked for a three-yard loss on his first play, White rushed twice for 18 yards and completed both of his passes for 14 yards on the drive.

The quarterback White replaced though, Travis Keetch, came back in the second half and completed a 75-yard touchdown pass to Myles Brawley.

But Azle was not finished. Beginning play at its 33 with less than two minutes before halftime, Owen steered his team again in hurry-up mode with a nine-play scoring drive that ended with a two-yard scoring toss in the back of the end zone lobbed over the head of the defender to a leaping McAlister with 8.4 seconds left. Owen completed all four of his passes on the drive for 40 yards.

However, Arlington Heights still nearly scored a touchdown of its own just before intermission when Bradley took a short pass from White, crossed the field breaking tackles for 49 yards before he was pushed out-of-bounds at the 3 as time expired.

Until their first touchdown, Azle had squandered a couple of first quarter scoring opportunities. A.J. Gonzales intercepted a pass at the Heights 30-yard line and returned it to the 16. But the Hornets had to settle for Nicky Quevedo’s 33-yard field goal and the game’s first score.

Moments later, Ricky Firman recovered a fumble at the Heights 8-yard line, but four plays netted only three yards and Azle came up empty.