By Sam Weiger / Contributor
One very familiar and very formidable foe stood between Covenant and a potential first-ever shot at a TAPPS state football title.
However, district rival and perennial powerhouse Dallas Christian used a bruising run game and lockdown defense to overwhelm the Knights 49-7 in a Division III semifinal on Friday at Franklin Field.
The loss — almost identical to the score in the first meeting against the Chargers on Oct. 23 — ended Covenant’s longest postseason run since transitioning to 11-man football more than a decade ago.
Dallas Christian wasted no time establishing its dominance. Star running back D.J. Stanley struck first, bursting through the line for a massive 52-yard touchdown less than five minutes into the game.
Moments later, Chargers quarterback Luke Syvrud converted a critical fourth down with a 6-yard touchdown pass to Eli Hanvey.
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Covenant’s early offensive woes included dropped passes and costly turnovers. Desperate for a spark, the Knights attempted a trick play when freshman quarterback Thomas Lashlee threw a lateral to Davis Kerlin, who then threw downfield, only to have the pass intercepted.
The Chargers capitalized immediately on the prime field position, with Stanley scoring from the goal line to make the score 21-0 at the end of the first quarter.
Covenant opened the second quarter with renewed urgency, utilizing strong runs from Jake Blakeslee and Clive Rowland to drive into Chargers territory. However, the possession stalled when the Dallas Christian defense deflected a Lashlee pass on fourth down.
The Chargers (9-3) broke the game open when Syvrud launched a 48-yard pass to Brodie Baxter for a touchdown, pushing the lead to 28-0 with just under seven minutes remaining in the half.
The Knights (7-6) responded with a defiant drive, successfully converting two crucial fourth downs to move downfield. Lashlee capped the effort with a perfectly thrown 18-yard touchdown pass to Wyatt Horan, narrowing the gap.
The Covenant defense intercepted a pass with only 11 seconds remaining in the half. But instead of kneeling to run out the clock, the Knights attempted one final play. That decision proved costly, as the Chargers picked off a pass and returned it 44 yards for a score as time expired. The turnover left the score 35-7 at halftime.
Following a lengthy rain delay, the second half began with the Chargers asserting control thanks to a ball control attack. Stanley added his third rushing touchdown to help extend the margin.
The defeat capped an impressive season during which Covenant overcame a challenging 2-4 start and a series of impactful injuries to embark on a memorable playoff run.
Leading up to the semifinal, the Knights strung together a four-game streak of blowout victories, averaging 40 points and winning by 30.5 points per contest.
Dallas Christian will aim for its 13th title in program history, and second in a row, next week against Lubbock Christian.
