Southlake Carroll gets revenge, dominates Byron Nelson to win 6A Division II regional title

Dragons pay back Bobcats after Byron Nelson stunned Dragons in regular season (photos, highlights)

Buck Ringgold, SBLive Sports | Dec 2, 2023

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - Southlake Carroll (13-1) suffered its lone loss to Byron Nelson (13-1) in the regular season.

No doubt, that loss was on the Dragons' minds when the two teams faced off in a UIL 6A Division II regional final and a District 4-6A rematch.

The Dragons got their revenge, and then some, rolling up a 42-0 lead by halftime and went on to end the Bobcats' season, 56-7, Saturday night at Choctaw Stadium.

Byron Nelson handed the Dragons their only loss of the season in a stunning 34-17 victory on Oct. 27, which help it clinch the district title.

The Bobcats reached their first-ever regional final after holding off previously undefeated Coppell, 52-45, in a high-scoring thriller behind a big performance from quarterback Tom Von Grote.

The Dragons had an easier regional semifinal win, coasting to a 45-14 blowout of Highland Park.

But they had a much easier time on Saturday as they thoroughly dominated the Bobcats and also forced five turnovers.

With the win, Southlake Carroll moves on to next week's 6A Division II semifinals, where the Dragons take on defending state champion DeSoto.

Scroll down for a live game thread and photos from Arlington.

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FINAL: SOUTHLAKE CARROLL 56, BYRON NELSON 7

southlake carroll byron nelson texas uil 6a division i playoffs 2023 169A9975 — Photo by Tommy Hays

POSTGAME

-- Dragon sophomore tailback Davis Penn rushed for 113 yards on 20 carries and three TDs. He also had another TD after running back a fumble on a completed pass play. Quarterback Graham Knowles was 13-of-16 passing for 224 yards and three TDs, and receiver Clayton Wayland caught seven passes for 123 yards and a TD.

-- Southlake Carroll displayed a balanced offense, gaining 216 yards rushing and 226 more passing for 442 total yards. The Dragons held Byron Nelson to 45 yards rushing, and 231 yards total.

-- Final score, Southlake Carroll defeats Byron Nelson, 56-7, and will advance to face DeSoto in next week's 6A Division II semifinals.

FOURTH QUARTER

-- Southlake Carroll gets its fifth takeaway with less than two minutes left as Ethan Greene picks off a pass in the end zone.

THIRD QUARTER

-- Southlake Carroll tailback Davis Penn scores his fourth TD, but in a rather unconventional way. A pass went to Brock Boyd, who fumbled. But Penn, trailing on the play, picked it up and went in the rest of the way for the six-pointer. Dragons up 56-7 with more than two minutes left in the quarter.

-- Byron Nelson finally gets on the scoreboard with 4:13 left in the third as QB Tom Von Grote runs in a keeper from a yard out.

-- Carroll uses up 6:20 of the clock to start the second half as the Dragons score again. Davis Penn scores from a yard out to make it 49-0 with 5:40 left in the quarter. It was a 12-play, 86-yard drive.

-- Carroll has fielded the second-half kickoff and is already in the red zone again, inside the Nelson 15.

HALFTIME

-- In the first half, Carroll had 286 yards of total offense while holding Byron Nelson to 85, 30 of which were rushing yards. Carroll QB Graham Knowles was 10-of-13 passing for 158 yards and two TDs, and senior WR Clayton Wayland caught seven of those passes for 123 yards and a TD. Junior TB Riley Wormley had 61 yards on six carries with two TDs.

-- Carroll takes a 42-0 lead into the halftime break.

SECOND QUARTER

-- And Carroll scores again with 24 seconds left before halftime as Davis Penn takes it in from 3 yards out.

-- Carroll gets its fourth takeaway on the night as Carter High intercepts a pass near midfield. Dragons on the move again with 1:35 left in the half.

-- Riley Wormley finishes off the drive with a 6-yard jaunt into the end zone. PAT from Kyle Lemmermann makes it 35-0 with 1:52 to go until intermission.

-- Clayton Wayland continuing to have a big night receiving for Carroll. He just caught a strike from Graham Knowles and takes it 44 yards to the Nelson 6-yard line.

-- Nelson was making a move, getting the ball inside the Carroll 30, but the Dragons' Trey Ferri picks it off around the 5 and has a lengthy return to near midfield. Ferri now has two picks on the night. 3:15 left in the half.

-- Carroll cashes in on the muffed punt, as well as a pass interference penalty on Nelson that put the ball at the 2. Two plays later, tailback Davis Penn darts up the middle from a yard out. 28-0 with 5:58 remaining.

-- The Bobcats force the Dragons to punt, but Carroll gets it right back as there is a fumble on the return attempt, and the Dragons' Jacob Marr grabs it in Nelson territory.

-- Carroll adds to its lead as QB Graham Knowles throws another brilliant touchdown pass, this time a corner route in the end zone to receiver Clayton Wayland from 24 yards out. Wayland has had an outstanding game thus far with at least five receptions. Kyle Lemmermann's PAT makes it 21-0 with 10:32 left until halftime.

FIRST QUARTER

-- The first quarter ends with the Dragons having the ball inside the Byron Nelson 35.

-- The Dragons force a turnover moments later, as LB Bridger Jense tips a pass, and teammate Trey Ferri comes down with it in Byron Nelson territory with 3:15 left.

-- Carroll makes it two TDs on its first two possessions. The latest was a 28-yard strike from QB Graham Knowles to a wide-open TE Jack Van Dorselaer, who caught it around the 10 and waltzed into the end zone. PAT makes it 14-0, Dragons, with 4:39 left.

-- Carroll quickly marches in with a four-play drive, finishing it off with a Riley Wormley 1-yard TD run. PAT gives Dragons a 7-0 lead with 9:29 left.

-- On Carroll's first offensive play, Riley Wormley sweeps around the left side for a 43-yard gain to the Bobcat 21.

-- Carroll's defense holds, as on a fourth-and-long from the Dragon 35, Wyatt Duffy and Dustan Mark converge for a sack.

-- Nelson's Jonathan Kabeya fields the opening kickoff around his 5 and takes it nearly 60 yards before being brought out of bounds at the Carroll 36-yard line.

-- Southlake Carroll will kick off to Byron Nelson to start this contest.

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