Southlake Carroll endures 4-hour weather delay before football playoff game
Fans waited at Choctaw Stadium for more than four hours for a Class 6A Division II regional playoff clash between Southlake Carroll and Prosper that was originally scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday.
The game finally kicked off just before 11:15 p.m. and, eventually, the Dragons seized a 49-31 victory at 1:42 a.m. Saturday.
“We put a lot of work into playing a game on Friday,” Carroll head coach Riley Dodge said. “Obviously, we had a lot of delays, stops and starts. Felt like we had 20 meetings underneath Choctaw just trying to figure out what was going on. Credit to coach [Tyler Moore] over there. ... We both decided we want to get this football game in, and, you know, there was no other option.”
With consistent lightning in the area, the game could not be played. There was also rain, although that wasn’t the issue. With every lightning strike within eight miles, a 30-minute timer reset.
Dodge said the team listened to music and tried to stay loose while waiting.
“This isn’t our first rodeo,” Dodge said. “We’ve had two delays this year. So, our kids knew how to handle it.”
Carroll’s Parker Harris, who accounted for three touchdowns and an interceptions, said the Dragons ate beef sticks during the break, which sparked a beef chant during Dodge’s postgame speech.
Throughout the delay, fans rushed to the Starbucks inside Choctaw for a much-needed caffeine boost. The line was out the door.
Fans voiced their frustration on X, saying there was no communication at Choctaw Stadium — the scoreboard showcased a weather delay but did not provide other updates.
To reschedule a game, both head coaches must agree on several details. A time and venue have to be set, which can be complicated. Both programs will want an even playing field at a neutral site, if possible. In this instance, both wanted to play.
Securing a venue on short notice can be challenging. The programs would have had to find somewhere that can staff the game on short notice on a holiday weekend.
The UIL permits games to be played on Sundays, but only in extreme circumstances, such as weather delays.
Carroll (13-0) will play Denton Guyer (11-2), a 24-21 winner Friday over Byron Nelson, in the Class 6A Division II quarterfinals at a time and place to be determined.
This story was originally published November 28, 2025 at 11:12 PM.
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