SOUTHLAKE – The festive atmosphere at Dragon Stadium quickly turned to nervousness for the Southlake Carroll faithful as the home team encountered some early interference from Lake Highlands.
The disbelief eventually gave way to relief as Southlake Carroll rocked Lake Highlands, 42-10, Friday night.
The victory was the 49th in a row for defending state champion Carroll (1-0), which tied Abilene for the most in Texas big school history.
Carroll goes for the record next Saturday on national television as it hosts Miami Northwestern.
With former Carroll coach and his father Todd Dodge in attendance, Carroll quarterback Riley Dodge threw four touchdown passes to add to an already impressive highlight reel. But he also threw a few passes he might regret.
Carroll scored 12 seconds into the game but soon fell behind, 10-7 after Lake Highlands took advantage of two interceptions.
Lake Highlands senior quarterback Jacob Andrews scored on a three-yard touchdown run, six plays after senior defensive back Mike Sims secured the first interception.
On Carroll's next series, Dodge threw another interception, this one to Lake Highlands junior Austin Dodge. Lake Highlands converted the turnover into a field goal.
From the second quarter on, however, it was all Carroll.
Senior wide receiver Ethan Cunningham's 15-yard touchdown reception from Riley Dodge put Carroll back in front for good, 14-10.
Senior running back Tre Newton, who had 108 yards in 19 rushes, scored on a 5-yard touchdown run late in the first half. Newton and Dodge, who finished with 349 yards on 19 completions in 31 attempts, then hooked up on a screen pass late in the third quarter for a 48-yard touchdown that gave Carroll a 35-10 lead.
Senior linebacker Derek Tomlin scooped up a Lake Highlands fumble in the fourth quarter and returned it 23 yards for a touchdown to finish the scoring.
