FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
Texas High vs. Bishop Lynch Arkansas High vs. PG L-E vs. Gilmer New Boston vs. Hooks Regional
Maybe Texas High will face an athlete the caliber of Jarek Broussard down the road. But it's doubtful.
The same might be said of Dallas Bishop Lynch as a team. Again it's doubtful.
The Brousssard-led Friars spotted Texas High an early touchdown, then came from behind to beat the Tigers, 24-7, in their first game under new head coach Gerry Stanford on Friday night in the season opener at Tiger Stadium.
“He's a D-1 player and they're a great team,” Stanford said. We knew that coming in.”
Broussard scored twice in the first half, turning short passes from quarterback Sam Vrana into long runs, and set up a third score on a punt return. Meanwhile, the Friars' big and fast defense kept Coltin Clack on the run most of the night, sacking the junior quarterback, making his first career start, nine times.
Yet Stanford was upbeat after the game. “They're a defending state champion, and we had a lot of new faces out there,” he said. “Our offense moved the ball, then we would bog down. Our defense played really well at times, but they stayed on the field too long. The offense has to do a better job of keeping them off the field.
“I was pleased with our work ethic tonight. This was the first game for these kids and a new coaching staff. We'll look at the tapes, evaluate and make adjustments.”
Broussard caught six passes for 122 yards and also led the Friars in rushing with 42 yards on just 10 carries. Vrana completed
10 of 13 passes for 181 yards and three scores.
Texas High was held to a minus-six yards rushing. Clack completed 15 of 26 passes for 176 yards but was intercepted three times. Chris Lyles caught five passes for 73 yards, including back-to-back 20-yarders in the first half. Vonderick Stanley had three catches for 64 yards and the team's only touchdown. Tavailance Hunt had a team-high six catches for 43 yards.
While Clack was sacked five times for minus 30 yards in the first half alone, Broussard made Vrana look like he was in midseason form. Twice he eluded Texas High defenders for touchdown catches of 49 and 39 yards, but totaling many more. Vrana had to throw the ball barely beyond the line of scrimmage on both scores, Broussard taking care of the rest with his shifty moves and outstanding speed.
Broussard's second touchdown (39 yards) came with just 25 seconds left in the half after the Tigers were forced to punt when Clack was sacked twice in the final minute.
Not only did Broussard shine as a receiver but also in the kicking game. His 71-yard punt return early in the second quarter set up the Friars' go-ahead touchdown, Vrana connecting with Donavon Payne in the end zone on on 3rd-and-14 from the Tiger 15-yard line. The 6-4 Payne went up over a much-shorter Tiger defender to make the TD catch with 9:25 left in the second quarter.
That broke a 7-all tie, Broussard's 49-yard catch-andrun pulling the Friars even with 1:18 left in the first quarter. The TD ended a 5-play, 75-yard drive that was kept alive on two consecutive 15-yard penalties on 3rd-and-13 from the BL 22 yard line. The ball was obviously overthrown, but a Tiger defender ran into the receiver, prompting calls of pass interference and a personal foul. Two plays later Broussard took a short pass and turned it into the 49-yard score.
Texas High score first, Stanley, doing his best Broussard imitation, turning a short Clack throw into a 46-yard scoring play with 4:12 left in the opening period. The drive was 70 yards on five plays.
Clark threw for 119 yards on 8-of-12 attempts in the first two quarters, but was intercepted twice. Vrana was 7 of 10 for 138 yards and was also intercepted by Texas High's Davarian Malone.
The teams played even scorewise in the second half except for Carson Garrett's 26-yard field goal near the end of the third quarter.