Rockwall Clinches 11-6A District Championship At Tyler Lee’s Expense, 65-35

ROCKWALL -- Tyler Lee was completely zapped of energy at the break. The team walked off the field while Rockwall sprinted off to its own locker room in celebration.

Unless the Red Raiders could score, at minimum, 37 points in the second half, it was over. And there were no miracles Saturday at Wilkerson-Sanders Stadium in the Metroplex.

Rockwall hammered Lee, 65-35, to claim the District 11-6A championship for a second straight year. The Red Raiders (4-5, 3-3) now need to win their regular season finale against Naaman Forest while also needing Sachse and Rockwall to defeat Rowlett and Garland, respectively, next week to reach the postseason.

There were some excellent individual performances despite the outcome.

Quarterback Zach Hall completed 19 of 25 passes for 235 yards and a touchdown while also running for 147 yards and three scores. Datavion Thacker rushed for 90 yards. Isjuwan Barker caught six passes for 126 yards and a score.

But the defense gave up 44 points in the first half alone to Rockwall (6-3, 6-0).

The unit didn't even keep Rockwall out of the end zone until the opposition's 10th possession -- with 7:57 remaining in the game. That stop came with backup running back Camron Ast in the game, and he still finished with 74 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries.

While Lee couldn't come near the 37-point first half deficit, the team did show some heart after halftime.

Hall helped rally the team back into its opening drive of the second half with a 26-yard pass to Barker on 2nd-and-28 from the Red Raiders' own 15-yard line before a gain of zero yards on third down.

A Rockwall offsides penalty on fourth down negated a turnover on downs and then Hall connected with Tyrec Grayson for a 54-yard touchdown throw to cut the deficit to 44-14.

Dante Johnson recovered Lee's ensuing onside kick and Hall led the team on a 10-play, 49-yard scoring drive capped on a 6-yard keeper to make it a 44-21 game.

Rockwall recovered the next onside kick with 6:30 left in the third quarter.

Two plays later, quarterback Will Reed found Cameron Crayton on an out route for a 64-yard touchdown strike to steal any shred of momentum remaining for a Lee comeback.

Arguably Lee's best defensive series came in the opening minutes.

The Red Raiders won the coin toss and elected to receive the second half kickoff. Rockwall drove 73 yards in 14 plays through the game's first 6:18, and it had to convert a 4th-and-two in addition to a 3rd-and-three before reaching the red zone.

Reed made it a successful drive by checking down to fullback Luke Termin underneath the coverage for an 8-yard opening score.

Hall ran for 33 yards on Lee's first offensive play but threw an interception two plays later -- his first this season.

Running back Cameron Broach made Hall pay, a 14-0 lead for Rockwall, after an 8-yard plow.

Lee's quarterback retaliated the very next snap with a 75-yard touchdown through the middle of the defense and then up the right sideline. However, Rockwall answered 10 seconds later with Reed's 71-yard throw to Cole Talley for a 21-7 advantage.

Hall guided he Red Raiders 72 yards the ensuing drive. The team missed a 19-yard field goal after being held for a 1-yard loss on 3rd-and-goal from the Rockwall 2-yard line.

Rockwall scored the final 23 points before the break. Three touchdowns and a Lee offensive holding penalty in the end zone for a safety.

Lee closes district competition at 7 p.m. Thursday against a Naaman Forest team still seeking its first district win. If Rockwall defeats Garland and Sachse defeats Rowlett, the East Texas team will make the playoffs with a win.

Hewitt Midway would most likely be Lee's bi-district playoff opponent.

Rockwall 65, Tyler Lee 35
District 11-6A
Wilkerson-Sanders Stadium, Rockwall

Tyler Lee            7       0      21    7    --     35
Rockwall          21      23     14    7    --     65

First Quarter
ROC--Luke Termin 8 pass from Will Reed (Jacob Visquez), 5:42
ROC--Caleb Broach 8 run (Visquez kick), 1:53
LEE--Zach Hall 75 run (Chris Blas kick), 1:39
ROC--Cole Talley 71 pass from Webb (Visquez kick), 1:29
Second Quarter
ROC--Webb 7 run (Visquez kick), 6:59
ROC--Broach 23 pass from Webb (Visquez kick), 4:04
ROC--Tyler Lee hold in the end zone for a safety, 3:27
ROC--Broach 8 run (Visquez kick), 2:17
Third Quarter
LEE--Tyrec Grayson 54 pass from Hall (Blas kick), 9:26
LEE--Hall run 6 (Blas kick), 6:30
ROC--Cameron Crayton 65 pass from Webb (Visquez kick), 5:53
ROC--Cameron Ast 5 run (Grant Freeman kick), 1:14
LEE--Grayson 28 run (Blas kick), :21
Fourth Quarter
ROC--Broach 25 run (Freeman kick), 11:54
LEE--Isjuwan Barker 15 pass from Chance Amie (Blas kick), 4:23

                                                    LEE            ROC
First Downs                                  24                26
Total Yards                                  525              644
Rushes-Yards                          37-275            33-259
Passing Yards                             250              385
Comp.-Att.-Int.                       20-26-1--254   18-24-0--385
Punts-Avg.                                 1-37             1-55
Fumbles-Lost                              1-0               0-0
Penalties-Yards                          7-34             8-66

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING--Tyler Lee, Zach Hall 20-147, Datavion Thacker 6-90, Tyrec Grayson 4-38, Theo Brooks 1-7, Chance Amie 1-(-1), Tavon Wesley 3-(-6). Rockwall, Caleb Broach 16-122, Cameron Ast 10-74, Sam Crawford 2-40, Will Reed 2-14, Matt Jones 2-10, Luke Harbin 1-(-1).
PASSING--Tyler Lee, Hall 19-25-1--235, Amie 1-1-0--15. Rockwall, Reed 18-23-0--385, Jones 0-1-0--0.
RECEIVING--Tyler Lee, Isjuwan Barker 6-126, Grayson 6-84, Mason Parker 3-31, Dante Johnson 3-12, Keashun Davis 2-1, Thacker 1-0 . Rockwall, Cole Talley 2-96, Crawford 7-95, Cameron Crayton 1-65, Broach 3-55, Adam Solis 1-35, Jake Hyvl 2-19, Dustin McNeely 1-12, Luke Termin 1-8.