Rogers accounts for five touchdowns as Mansfield Lake Ridge gets by Dallas Lake Highlands
Chandler Rogers and the Mansfield Lake Ridge offense brought their A game to their playoff opener Friday night.
Rogers passed for 230 yards and accounted for five touchdowns as the Eagles rolled past Dallas Lake Highlands 45-35 in a 6A Division II bi-district game at Newsom Stadium. Lake Ridge (8-2) advances to the area round, where the Eagles will face Denton Guyer at 2 p.m. Nov. 24 at Pennington Field in Bedford.
Lake Ridge started fast, putting up 31 points in the first half. Rogers opened the scoring with a 15-yard pass to Isaiah Ordaz. He found Keyland Johnson twice for touchdowns in the second quarter, including a 12-yarder with 4:28 to go in the half and a 17-yard with 44 seconds left before halftime.
“They took away some things so we had to throw the ball,” Lake Ridge coach Kirk Thor said. “And we threw it well.”
Rogers, who passed for four touchdowns, also scored on a 20-yard run in the first quarter and finished with 109 yards rushing.
Lake Highlands (6-5) running back Khamondre Phillips scored on an 11-yard run two minutes into the second quarter to cut the Lake Ridge lead to 17-14. Phillips rushed for 106 yards in the first half and finished with 140 on 17 carries.
Lake Ridge built a 45-14 lead, but Lake Highlands rallied for three straight touchdowns – helped by two onside kicks – in the fourth quarter to get to within 10.
Game was over when: Rogers connected with Johnson over the middle for a 77-yard touchdown on the first play from scrimmage of the third quarter. That score extended the Lake Ridge lead to 38-14. The Eagles added another score late in the third on a six-yard run by fullback Paiton Echols.
Play of the game: Rogers threw a 17-yard bullet to Johnson on third-and-11 with 44 seconds to go in the first half. That impressive throw turned a tight game into a 17-point Lake Ridge lead. Johnson finished with three catches for 106 yards and three touchdowns.
Offensive player of the game: Rogers’ big first half – 145 yards and three touchdowns passing and a 20-yard scoring run in the first quarter – helped the Eagles build a 17-point halftime lead. He completed 16 of 21 throws and passed for fourth touchdowns.
Defensive player of the game: Lake Ridge safety Willie Collins picked off a Lake Highlands pass, setting the Eagles up at the Lake Highlands 39. The Eagles scored three plays later for a 31-14 lead.
Unsung hero of the game: Lake Highlands quarterback Jackson Thomson passed for 298 and two touchdowns and rushed for 87 yards and two TDs. His effort made the Eagles sweat out the fourth quarter.
What’s next? Lake Ridge moves on to the area round and will take on Denton Guyer at 2 p.m. Nov. 24 at Pennington Field.