Southlake Carroll thoroughly steamrolls Byron Nelson in rematch, advances to face DeSoto
To say that the head coach Riley Dodge refocused his team after a regular season loss to Byron Nelson would be an understatement.
Southlake Carroll thoroughly dominated Trophy Club Byron Nelson en route to a 56-7 thrashing Saturday night at Choctaw Stadium in a Class 6A D1 quarterfinal. Both teams were drastically different from the October 27th matchup where Carroll lost to Byron Nelson 34-16 at Northwest ISD Stadium, and it was evident from the start.
Carroll head coach Riley Dodge said the team had to put their mind in the right place. He added the dominant win was “hard to believe” and that avenging the loss “makes it sweeter.”
“It wasn’t about revenge,” Dodge said. “It was about some way, somehow – Whatever it looks like – getting back on the bus and getting back home with a victory.”
In the district play win, Tom Von Grote passed for 174 yards and 2 touchdowns and running back Tucker James rushed for 185 yards and a score. In the rematch, Von Grote completed 9 of 19 passes. He recorded 149 passing yards, zero passing touchdowns and threw three interceptions.
Byron Nelson head coach Travis Pride said Southlake Carroll was seeking revenge and the Bobcats didn’t match their passion.
“I think we made some early mistakes,” Pride said. “I don’t think we played very physical. I think that sometimes the big game can get you. I’m super proud of our accomplishments this year. The kids have come a long ways and our program has come a long ways, but it was a big game for them tonight and I think we played like it was too big.”
James rushed for 35 yards on 13 carries in a game where the Dragon defense completely smothered the Bobcats. Southlake Carroll’s defense forced five turnovers while the offense kept control of the ball, giving up zero turnovers.
“Defense played amazing,” Carroll sophomore running back Davis Penn said. “I think we were more physical in that game.”
Penn powered Carroll with 146 rushing yards on 22 carries and 4 touchdowns. In the first matchup, the Dragons only totaled 4.1 yards per carry. In the rematch, Penn and Co. averaged 6.14 compared to Byron Nelson’s 1.96.
“We didn’t run the ball very well the first time,” Dodge said. “And we challenged them and they answer the bell.”
Quarterback Graham Knowles, a Georgia Tech commit, threw for 193 yards and 2 touchdowns, completing 13 of 16 passes and committing zero turnovers. His efficiency has been improving since the Dragons’ district loss, where he tossed three interceptions.
Knowles said the final score showcased Southlake Carroll’s hard work and determination.
“We won this game during the week, and today was an opportunity to go show how we prepared,” Knowles said. “We really hit the film room.”
Southlake starts and finishes strong
Southlake Carroll punched Byron Nelson in the mouth to start the game and just kept adding fuel to the fire. The Dragons scored on six of seven of their first half drives.
Byron Nelson defensive back Jonathan Kabeya, a BYU commit, returned the opening kick 59 yards, but the Dragon defense quickly stopped the Bobcats and forced a turnover on downs. Running back Riley Wormley opened the Dragons’ series with a 42 yard run and capped it with a 1 yard touchdown.
Wormley was taken out of the game, but Dodge said he could’ve gone in the second half if Southlake Carroll needed him.
After another unsuccessful Bobcat drive, Southlake Carroll embarked on an eight play, 69 yard drive that culminated with a 28 yard touchdown from quarterback Graham Knowles, a Georgia Tech commit, to tight end Jack Van Dorselaer.
In the second quarter, the Dragons added to their lead. The offensive line created a perfect pocket for Knowles, who passed to Clayton Wayland. He cut to the left corner of the end zone and hauled in a 24 yard touchdown.
Dodge said Knowles played in a mature fashion and said he didn’t allow his eyes to lie to him.
“As a quarterback, if you have the right eyes -- and through preparation -- you play fast,” Dodge said. “He played fast tonight and it was super steady.”
Later in the quarter, Southlake Carroll punted and it was muffed and recovered by Dragon defensive lineman Drew Davis. Knowles and Co. started at the 25 and capitalized with a 1 yard touchdown by sophomore running back Davis Penn to extend the lead to 42-0.
“I think we kind of shocked everybody,” wide receiver Brock Boyd said of the performance. “We even shocked ourselves a little bit.”
The Bobcats, in the second half, were able to get on the board with a 1 yard rushing touchdown by Von Grote but Southlake Carroll extended it’s lead with another touchdown from Penn. The sophomore recovered a fumble by Boyd and returned it 32 yards for the final score of the game.
“That’s a teammate play,” Boyd said. “That’s somebody that’s hustling. He got what he deserved.”
Southlake Carroll will face DeSoto in the state semifinal. Dodge said the time, date and location is still to be determined. Knowles said the team will treat the upcoming game like any other.
“Our end goal is to win state championships,” Knowles said. “So, we’re trying to get there, and we’re gonna keep hitting the film room. We’re gonna do our stuff.”
This story was originally published December 2, 2023 at 11:14 PM.
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