Friday, March 29, 2024

Dragon Football Advance to UIL State Championship Game

In their first semifinal appearance since 2011, the Dragons defeated Duncanville 34-27. The Dragons will head into the state final and take on Austin Westlake on January 16 at AT&T Stadium for the UIL State Championship.

The Dragons were led by an impressive rushing attack from sophomore Owen Allen and a shutout performance from. the Dragon defense in the second half.

Allen finished the game with 192 yards on 33 attempts and two touchdowns. Throughout the game, Allen broke multiple long runs and evaded defenders with his speed and ability to bounce off of big hits. The performance put Allen over the 2,000-yard mark for the season. Junior quarterback Quinn Ewers threw for 168 yards and one touchdown. His touchdown pass came late in the first quarter on a beautifully delivered pass to junior Landon Samson. Samsom ended the game with four catches for 88 yards.

The Dragon defense stepped up after halftime and shut the Panthers’ high scoring offense down. Senior defensive back Cinque Williams had quite a few huge plays in the game, but none were bigger than when he jumped the route on a crucial play for Duncanville and came away with the interception. The offense immediately rewarded Williams for his inception by punching in the game-sealing touchdown from 45 yards out.

The Dragons will advance on to take on the 13-0 Austin Westlake Chaparrals, who are coached by former Dragon Football head coach Todd Dodge. This matchup was slated to be the season opener for the Dragons, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic and schedule changes, the match was canceled.

The Chaps come into the game with one of the state’s highest performing defenses, and the Dragons are one of the state’s top offenses. This will be the Dragons’ tenth appearance in the UIL State Championship game. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at AT&T Stadium in Arlington on January 16.

An image of a family bowling and dining

Photo of a solar eclipse