ARLINGTON — Southlake Carroll High School’s football team is heading to the 6A Division II state quarterfinals (AKA Regional Finals) after a 45-14 win over Highland Park in a Regional semifinal playoff game at Choctaw Stadium on Friday.
Southlake Caroll started quickly, scoring on its first three drives and relying on its running game to break the contest open with two long rushing touchdowns as part of a 21-point second quarter.
After holding Highland Park to just three yards on its first possession, Southlake Carroll drove right down the field and took a 7-0 lead on a 33-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Graham Knowles to tight end Jack Van Dorselaer.
A blocked punt on Highland Park’s next drive helped add to the lead, as Carroll started with the ball at the three-yard line and needed just one play to go up 14-0.
Knowles added another touchdown pass on the first play of the second quarter to give the Dragons a 21-0 lead, and Highland Park finally got on the board with a touchdown pass from Parker Thompson to Canon Spackman late in the second quarter. However, the Scots had a hard time stopping the Dragons’ rushing attack, and running backs Davis Penn and Riley Wormley each ripped off long touchdown runs to give Carroll a 35-7 halftime cushion.
The running game continued to carry the game for Southlake Carroll as Penn rattled off 61 more yards to open the third quarter and found the end zone from eight yards out to make it a 42-7 game.
Highland Park managed to move the ball better in the second half, threatening to score as runningback Wilson Axley took off on a long run toward the end zone but fumbled the ball before he could cross the goal line. Southlake Caroll recovered the fumble and added a field goal to pad an already insurmountable advantage, while Highland Park added a late touchdown pass.
Wormley and Penn combined for 335 rushing yards and three touchdowns, while Knowles threw for 132 yards and two touchdowns with an interception.
Thompson led Highland Park with 189 passing yards and a touchdown pass.
Southlake Carroll (12-1, 6-1 District 4-6A) will play the winner of Saturday’s Regional game between Trophy Club Byron Nelson (12-0, 7-0 District 4-6A) and Coppell (11-0, 6-0 District 6-6A) next weekend.
Highland Park’s season (11-2, 7-1 District 7-6A) is over after advancing to the 6A Regional round for the first time, although the Scots have advanced well past the round playing at other levels.
