24 hours in Mansfield: How Aledo and Southlake Carroll’s title dreams died | Opinion
.png "High school sports editor Charles Baggarly breaks down how Aledo and Southlake Carroll’s title hopes died. Aledo head coach Robby Jones (left), Frisco Lone Star head coach Jeff Rayburn (middle) and Southlake Carroll head coach Riley Dodge (right).")
Southlake Carroll and Aledo had comfortable leads over DeSoto and Frisco Lone Star, respectively, in their state semifinals over the weekend at Newsom Stadium in Mansfield.
But in the span of less than 24 hours, the two local high school football powerhouses, both No. 1-ranked teams in the state and championship favorites, saw their leads and seasons crumble.
Star-Telegram high school sports editor Charles Baggarly breaks down what exactly went wrong with the Dragons and Bearcats.
How did Aledo lose this one?
In Aledo’s loss to Lone Star in a Class 5A Division I semifinal Friday, it wasn’t necessarily a case of, “What did the Bearcats do wrong?”
It was a situation in which an undeniable Lone Star offense controlled the ball, scored at will and managed the clock. Aledo did miss several chances to put the game away after taking a commanding a 42-21 lead in the second half.
An onside kick recovery and the points that came after finished off the Rangers’ comeback.
The recovery was nothing short of miraculous. First, Lone Star’s Davian Groce timed it down to the millisecond. If he had crossed the 40-yard line any earlier, he would have been offside, resulting in a dead-ball penalty and a re-kick.
Second, Groce flashed some speed to get in a position where he could recover the ball while ensuring it traveled 10 yards. He ended up touching the ball 13 yards away from the kick with room to spare.
And most importantly, the kick was placed perfectly. Groce and Lone Star kicker Landon Mohr appeared to be on the same page.
What could Aledo have done differently? Well, it looked as if the Bearcats were hesitant to attack the ball, as if they wanted to avoid touching it. All of a sudden, they weren’t in a position to recover despite the ball going well past the 10-yard mark.
When Aledo fell behind on Zach Forbish’s 5-yard TD catch, it also only had 30 seconds to respond. The Bearcats’ offense was productive and efficient all night, except for one interception on what looked like a miscommunication.
They just didn’t have ample time to put together a game-tying drive, which resulted in a lateral attempt in the final seconds that was recovered by Lone Star. It was a desperate but necessary move, with the clock ticking.
Aledo’s defense, on the other hand, could’ve had a better game. The unit allowed 637 total yards. Entering the game, the Bearcats had allowed 17 points or fewer in every game this season, even against strong programs like Denton Ryan and Denton Guyer.
Lone Star had 28 points at the half.
Groce, a Florida signee, had 331 total yards and four TDs, while sophomore quarterback Trey Wright, a clear star in the making, rushed for 179 yards and passed for 366 yards, accounting for eight TDs.
The unit also allowed a 48-yard completion to Groce while Lone Star was pinned at the 1-yard line. It was arguably the most important play of that series and sparked the Rangers’ final 14 points.
With the effectiveness and the confidence Lone Star had, it seemed the Rangers would have thrived against any defense in Texas high school football.
What went wrong with Southlake Carroll?
Southlake Carroll was expected to win a championship this year. But although the Dragons made it look easy at times, getting to a championship is an extraordinarily tough task for any program.
That’s because there are unbelievably talented and deserving teams like DeSoto. The Eagles were the better team Saturday in a Class 6A Division II semifinal. A clutch ability to seize the momentum, facing a 37-21 deficit, is evidence of that.
Similar to Aledo and Lone Star, both offenses were undeniable. DeSoto controlled the game at the right time, which powered the Eagles to victory.
DeSoto’s SaRod Baker was the player of the game with 346 yards and four TDs, although a semi-unnecessary 99-yard TD to run out the clock padded his stats. He got better as the game progressed, helping the Eagles seal the victory.
Obviously, there was some controversy with a few plays.
Before we dive in — whatever an official decides is never the deciding factor of a game. There are one million other things that a team can control. Amid the heartbreak and some frustration, Carroll head coach Riley Dodge congratulated DeSoto, and the Dragons took the loss on the chin, owning up to their mistakes.
A lot of people will focus on the final play — that’s what they’ll remember years from now, as Carroll came one inch from staying alive.
In the end, officials definitely got the call correct. Multiple video angles and photos showed quarterback Angelo Renda was short of the goal line.
What’s unfortunate is that the line judge, the closest official, signaled a TD. It gave Southlake Carroll false hope — and that call is the line judge’s domain. He is the one everyone in Newsom Stadium was looking to for a decision.
As a result, officials who were farther away were forced to step in and reverse the call. The fact that had to happen is unfortunate for everyone involved. Clearly, the line judge could’ve and should’ve waited. We’re all human, and we all make mistakes.
What was arguably a more critical call occurred late in the third quarter, when DeSoto started to claw back, cutting the lead to 37-29. On a Carroll punt, a flag was thrown after what appeared to be an illegal block in the back in the end zone, which would’ve resulted in a safety, giving the Dragons a 39-29 lead and the ball.
The officials picked up the flag, deeming there wasn’t a penalty on the play.
Dodge did not receive an explanation for the TD reversal or the picked-up flag in the end zone. The communication between the officials and Dodge could have been better, as he deserves to at least understand their thought process.
In the end, several plays within the Dragons’ control fell flat.
Football is a game of momentum. The Dragons had it in the first half, while DeSoto had it when things mattered in the second, with the help of an 85-yard pick-six. Renda, as well as the entire offense, didn’t have the best half.
The Dragons had three chances to tie it before the final play failed.
On that final chance for Carroll, three DeSoto players launched themselves at Renda, operating as human projectiles. This wasn’t a play where a defender could make a normal tackle. The goal for DeSoto was to deliver a big hit and stop Renda at all costs with blistering speed, force and impact.
The final drive fell flat. To question Renda’s toughness because of the failure to score on the last play, however, is a pretty ridiculous thing to do. He would’ve had to either truck through three flying defenders or fire a pass over the middle to Brock Boyd, who had two defenders all over him.
That’s an unrealistic expectation even for a proven, ultra-competitive athlete who arguably wanted to win more than anyone else on that field.
Renda, a Pitt signee, will finish his career in Southlake with one of the best resumes in program history — considering Carroll’s outstanding past QBs, that’s saying something. He is set to potentially receive national recognition for his accomplishments.
In his senior season, he passed for 4,226 yards and 46 TDs and rushed for 557 yards and eight TDs.
Southlake Carroll and Aledo won’t be taking the field in the state championship games this week at AT&T Stadium. It’s a stunning result, but the Dragons and Bearcats fell to two determined and worthy opponents due to some critical mistakes.
That’s how hard it is to win a Texas high school football state championship.
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