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Dawson faces sinking Santa Fe
Published November 5, 2009
PEARLAND — The Pearland Dawson football program is only in its second year of varsity play but the Eagles have surpassed many expectations and in two weeks will play in their first playoff game.
But before the postseason begins, Dawson (4-2 district, 7-2 overall) will wrap up the District 24-4A schedule on the road at 7 p.m. Friday against the slumping but unyielding Santa Fe Indians (3-3, 6-3).
“We’re excited for the playoffs,” Dawson coach Eric Wells said. “As a team and a coaching staff, making the playoffs was one of our main goals. The reality was a whole lot of people didn’t believe we could do it. But we felt like we could get to Week 11, and now we’re focused on finishing district with a win and going into the playoffs peaking at the right time.”
While the Eagles already know they are playing on past the regular season, the Indians are scrambling to save their playoff hopes.
After a 6-0 start to the year and three straight wins to open 24-4A, Santa Fe has lost its last three games and could miss the playoffs with another loss. The Indians could still make the postseason with a loss to Dawson, depending on the results of other games Friday, but a victory would assure a playoff berth.
“Santa Fe is a dangerous team,” Wells said. “Right now they control their own destiny — a win and they’re in. We know they won’t be holding anything back.”
Exactly where the Eagles will be seeded in the postseason and who they face in the first round of the postseason will depend on the outcome of this week’s games.
Dawson is tied with Friendswood (4-2, 6-3) for second place in 24-4A, but Friendswood holds the head-to-head tiebreaker via a 21-6 win Oct. 16. Both teams will play in the Division I tournament, and if they finish the regular season with identical district records, Friendswood would get the top seed.
But if Dawson beats Santa Fe and Friendswood falls to La Marque (2-4, 4-5), Dawson would get the top Division I seed.
The top-seeded Division I team from 24-4A will face Lamar Consolidated (3-5) to open the playoffs, and the No. 2 seed would square off against 23-4A Division I top-seeded Foster (6-3).
“The No. 1 thing for us is to finish out the season with a big win,” Wells said. “We haven’t talked about the playoffs or who we’re going to play. Santa Fe is the top priority. They’ve played with everybody in the district and have beaten a lot of good teams.”
The Indians’ stout defense has slipped to fourth in district and is giving up 263.6 yards a game. The Eagles’ defense has climbed and is ranked third at 246.1 yards a contest.
“Santa Fe has a good defense and held a lot of teams to less yards then they’re used to,” Wells said. “They play physical, and we have to play physical with them.”
Dawson is averaging 363.6 yards of offense a game, trailing only Angleton (398.1 yards) in 24-4A play. But the Eagles have the most balance and have gained 1,868 yards on the ground and 1,404 yards through the air.
Senior do-everything quarterback Darian Lazard leads the Eagles with 1,353 yards passing with 12 touchdowns and two interceptions and 754 rushing yards with eight scores.
Dawson junior receiver Marcus Vaughn has 34 catches for 589 yards and six touchdowns.
Santa Fe’s offense is paced by junior running back Joseph Walton, who leads the district with 1,085 yards and 16 touchdowns.
Junior receiver Domingo Morales accounts for almost half of the Indians’ yards through the air and has 30 catches for 479 yards and four scores.
“Santa Fe is a much-improved team,” Wells said. “We’re expecting their best fight. It’s going to be a battle.”
Jim Levesque is a sports writer for The Facts. Contact him at 979-237-0161.
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