JESUIT DALLAS NOTES

Eagles Topple Rangers in Season Opener
A strong performance from TCU verbal commit Shawn Robinson vaulted the DeSoto Eagles, ranked sixth in the state by the Associated Press, past Jesuit Dallas, 47-13, on Aug. 26 at Eagle Stadium. Junior Jack Tabor found pay dirt for the Rangers in the fourth quarter, capping a game-high 14-play, 71-yard drive with a two-yard plunge into the end zone. Junior Parker Towns impressed on Friday, throwing for 83 yards on 11-of-18 passing, while senior Jacob Palisch completed five passes for 63 yards. Jesuit third year Israel Ollarzabal was 2-for-2 in field goal attempts, clearing the uprights from 22 and 34 yards and adding three touchbacks on four kickoffs. Senior John Wunderlick led the team in rushing with 49 yards on eight carries. Senior Connor Jackson made his two receptions count, averaging 27 yards per catch to finish with 54 receiving yards, while junior Alekzander McGlone tied Wunderlick with a team-high three receptions. Defensively, seniors Jack Metz and Jack Lynch joined junior Zachary Harry with three solo stops, while senior captain Jordan Rice secured two tackles for loss, totaling 21 yards. Junior Hank Bitterman snagged an 18-yard interception in the second quarter.
 
Rangers Continue Third Down Efficiency
Last Friday, Jesuit converted 8-of-17 third down opportunities against the DeSoto Eagles and were 4-for-4 in the fourth quarter, beginning the campaign in a manner similar to the team's success in 2015. The Rangers converted 54.5 percent of third down opportunities last year, including four occasions where Jesuit succeeded in converting over 65 percent of third downs. By comparison, the Ranger defense held opponents to a 35.0 third down conversion rate last season.
 
Jesuit Dealing Dual Threat Dominance
The unpredictable Ranger offense totaled 326 yards in the season-opener against DeSoto, which included 180 yards on the ground and 146 through the air due to several dual-threat specialists. Senior quarterback Jacob Palisch maintained the dual threat offense that landed him 9-6A Most Valuable Player honors last season, notching seven rushes on Friday along with five pass completions. Junior Parker Towns, who played a majority of Friday's contest, threw for 83 yards on 11-of-18 passing, adding 26 yards on four carries. Senior John Wunderlick ran the ball eight times for a team-leading 48 yards, snagging three passes for 14 yards. Senior defensive lineman Jordan Rice played both sides of the ball, making three total tackles including two tackles for loss and adding a 23-yard reception.
 
Last They Met….
Despite impressive performances by the Jesuit offensive skill positions, four Jesuit turnovers turned into three Plano East touchdowns, providing the difference in the Rangers' first loss of the season, 57-42, on Friday, Sept. 4 at Tom Kimbrough Stadium in Murphy, Texas. Palisch completed 20-of-36 passes for 206 yards, throwing for a touchdown and an interception while.  Adam Holtz '16 posted 137 net yards on the ground. Wunderlick and Connor Jackson additionally caught touchdown passes for Jesuit. Evan Jackson rushed for a pair of touchdowns, snagging 44 net yards of offense for the visiting Rangers. Defensively, Dane Bender '16 led the team in tackles with five solo stops and three assists. John Michael Priddy '16 scored seven tackles while Peyton Long '16 and Jack Metz each scored five tackles.  Metz added two tackles for a loss, totaling four yards. Miklo Smalls threw for 209 yards and three touchdowns, ran for 199 yards and two touchdowns, aiding a Plano East offense that finished the contest with 581 total yards of offense.
 
Last Time at the Cotton Bowl...
Jesuit last played inside the iconic Cotton Bowl on November 23, 2013 in the UIL 6A Football State Championship Area Round against Rockwall, a game the Rangers would capture, 46-26. Bo Schneider '15 finished the contest 12-of-23 for 206 yards and a touchdown, but the backfield duo of Orion Salters '15 and Matt Slovak '15 proved to be the difference. Salters rushed for 199 yards and three touchdowns, while Slovak found pay dirt twice with 137 net yards. Jesuit out-gained the Yellow Jackets in total yardage, 547-281, piling on 25 second quarter points to take a dominant, 32-13 lead at halftime.
 
Up Next…
The Rangers will open the 2016 home stand against Lake Travis from Austin, Texas at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 9. Meeting for the first time since the 2013 playoffs, the Cavaliers entered the year as a favorite to capture the UIL 6A State Championship, but fell in week one to Converse Judson. Jesuit will close a challenging non-district schedule against the Cavaliers prior before beginning play in the newly realigned District 9-6A against Coppell on Sept. 23 at Postell Stadium.

DESOTO NOTES
 
Plano East Drops Season Opener
A six-yard run by senior quarterback Miklo Smalls looked to send the Plano East Panthers to a 1-0 record, but Duncanville scored a game-winning defensive touchdown off of a fumble recovery with 59 seconds left, stunning the Panthers, 36-32, on Aug. 26. Smalls threw for 288 yards and three touchdowns, two of which went to Cameron Moore. The momentum-altering fumble was one of three turnovers on the evening by the Panthers, alongside two interceptions from Smalls. On the ground, Jonathan Meadors rushed for 84 yards on nine attempts. The Panther defense allowed 14 yards per pass and 4.9 yard per rush, forcing a pair of fumbles.
 
Panthers Building From Turnaround Season
Plano East head coach Joey McCullough enters his third year at Plano East after leading the Panthers on an incredible turnaround season. McCullough's first year at the helm of the program resulted in a 1-9 season and season-ending, seven-game losing streak, but the Panthers showed considerable improvement last year. A 7-4 record and subsequent playoff appearance placed the Panthers back on the map. Miklo Smalls threw 24 touchdown passes last year, finishing the year with 1,901 passing yards, also leading the team in rushing with 805 yards on the ground. Last season's success has been well recognized, as Plano East enters Friday's game ranked 15^th in the area according to the Dallas Morning News.
 
Hines Anchoring Defense
Currently ranked as the No. 2 inside linebacker in Texas by 247Sports.com, Anthony Hines III stands at 6'3'' with an impressive resume. Hines has logged an official visit to Texas A&M along with unofficial visits to Oklahoma, Ohio State, and Texas, earning an offer from Arizona State on May 21. In 2015, according to 247Sports, Hines recorded 205 total tackles, including 24 tackles for loss, eight sacks, three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery, ending the year by securing Texas Sports Writers Association (TSWA) Second Team All-State designation along with a first team all-district pick.
 
Scouting Report • Plano East      
Anthony Hines (Sr.) • No. 2 ILB • No. 11 Texas • Four-Star Recruit
Deiontae Watts (Sr.) • No. 23 DT •No. 48 Texas • Three-Star Recruit
Casey Verhulst (Sr.) • No. 100 OT • No. 145 Texas • Texas Tech Commit
Miko Smalls (Sr.) • No. 162 Texas • Rice University Commit
 
2016 OPPONENT ROUNDUP - WEEK ONE

Despite a 28-13 lead in the third quarter, 22 unanswered points by the Converse Judson Rockets resulted in a stunning, 35-28 upset of No. 2 ranked Lake Travis on Friday. Cavaliers' senior quarterback Charlie Brewer threw for 221 yards and a touchdown while rushing for 74 yards and a score, but the No. 10-ranked Rockets blanked Lake Travis in the fourth quarter to earn to the monumental win.
 
The Coppell Cowboys needed double overtime to topple the L.D. Bell Raiders, 28-21. After a scoreless first overtime, junior quarterback Brady McBride completed a touchdown pass for the go-ahead score. The cowboy defense shut the door on the Raiders to secure Coppell's first win of the season and only win of the week for UIL District 9-6A. McBride finished the game with 164 yards, three touchdowns and an interception while sophomore T.J. McDaniel rushed for 59 yards and a touchdown.
 
Richardson was blanked by Naaman Forest, 26-0, in their season opener on Friday. Despite 34 yards on the ground by Dyland Jackson, the Eagles only logged 48 total yards of offense and five first downs, compared to 16 first downs and 387 total yards, including 264 rushing yards from the Rangers.
 
Arlington Martin scored 36 unanswered points on Skyline, stunning the Raiders, 55-7, in the season-opener for both teams on Friday. Quarterback Terreon Randolph completed 9-of-18 passes for 123 yards with a touchdown, but six Skyline turnovers doomed the Raiders, who allowed 312 total yards of offense.
 
Despite holding a 21-17 lead at halftime, J.J. Pearce fell to McKinney, 55-35, on Friday. McKinney wide receiver Quinton Quirrenback torched the Mustangs for 276 yards on six receptions and four touchdowns, as quarterback Damon Witmer completed 11 passes for 214 yards. J.J. Pearce running back Otis Blanton finished the game with 176 yards and three touchdowns on the ground, including a 70-yard touchdown run in the first. Mustang quarterback Gray Rogers completed 19-of-40 passes for 208 yards and a touchdown, but threw four interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown.
           
Lake Highlands took a 17-10 lead with 6:30 remaining in the third, but a 14-point swing by the Mesquite Skeeters handed Lake Highlands a season-opening 31-26 setback on Friday. Wildcats quarterback Jakson Tomson threw for 138 yards, but did not log a passing touchdown. Lake Highlands running backs Corey Fulcher and Jordan Sutton ran for 200 and 127 yards, respectively, with Fulcher finding pay dirt twice. The Wildcats lost despite outgaining Mesquite in overall yardage, 477-379.
           
A 23-point first quarter for Flower Mound proved too much to overcome for the W.T. White Longhorns, who fell to the Jaguars, 65-14. W.T. White quarterback Ryan Sandoval threw for 148 yards, averaging 11.4 yards per pass, but four turnovers and 13 penalties for 89 yards doomed the Longhorns.
           
Scoring 42 unanswered points, Forney toppled Berkner, 42-10, in the Ram's season-opener. Nick McLemore logged a 33-yard field goal with 3:11 remaining in the first, but Berkner would not score again until the 3:39 mark of the fourth, while Forney averaged 20.4 yards per pass completion and 7.5 yards per rush, finishing the contest with 464 total yards of offense. Berkner runningback Terance Hargest recorded 121 yards on 21 carries.