Dragons Knock Off Abilene 38-24, Reach Region Final

ARLINGTON – The Carroll Dragons’ football team continues to make a big impression in the Class 5A Division II playoffs. This time, the Dragons knocked off defending state champion Abilene 38-24 in a thrilling Region I semifinal at Cowboys Stadium Saturday night.

The Dragons head to the fourth round and face a rematch with District 7-5A mate Denton Guyer in the Region I final. The game is set for 2 p.m. Saturday at Mansfield ISD’s Vernon Newsom Stadium. Guyer defeated Carroll 28-14 at Dragon Stadium in the regular season finale.

Carroll (10-3) upended Abilene with two huge second-half touchdown connections between quarterback Kenny Hill and receiver Sabian Holmes, who doubles as a starting cornerback. The biggest was a 94-yard play that gave Carroll a 14-point lead with 10:23 left in the game. He also added a 30-yard scoring reception that opened the second half and gave Carroll a 24-17 lead.

The Dragons’ defense also played a major role in the victory with a red-zone interception by cornerback Shaun Hoagland and a fumble recovery by linebacker Will Davis in the first half.

Like they have all season, the Dragons ran the ball effectively. Running back Paul Stevenson had 126 yards while Hill added 96 and two TDs. Zach Thomason chipped in a 5-yard TD run to give Carroll a 14-10 lead in the first half.

Playoff victories are all about big plays and limiting mistakes. Carroll came up with one big play after another and didn’t have a turnover (forced two) and had only one penalty for 15 yards.

PLAYOFF TICKET INFO

Tickets will be sold at CSHS and CHS Tuesday through Friday from 10 am-1 pm and  the Dragon Stadium Athletic Office from 8 am-4 pm on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. The Dragon Stadium office will also open for ticket sales on Friday from 8 am-12 pm. Pre-game tickets will be $6 for students and $8 for adults. All tickets at Mansfield’s stadium the day of the game will be $10.  Parking at Mansfield will be $5.