Argyle Athletics Booster Club, Argyle H.S. TX

Earlier this year Coach Jeff Harp, the Eagles offensive coordinator, said his offense expects to score on every possession.  Tonight they nearly did.  The offense put on another impressive show for the home crowd as the Eagles beat class 4A Joshua 45-28.  

Quarterback JJ Harp completed 21 passes in 30 attempts for 395 yards and 5 touchdowns.  On the second play of the game, Harp connected with Justin McGuffey for a 55 yard TD pass.  Matt Handler caught two touchdowns, Garrett Jones caught one, Brady Brown caught one, and JJ ran in for the other score.  Ben Parks added a 25 yard field goal to go along with 6 extra points. The Eagles finished with a very impressive 540 yards of total offense for the night. 

The Eagles defense was challenged by a talented 4A quarterback and speedy receivers from Joshua.  The defense showed character as they kept their poise and persevered to hold the Owls to only one late TD in the second half.  Senior safety Gavin Pucciarello and Senior LB Trevor Cantrell were among the leading tacklers for the Eagles.

"Joshua surprised us early with a few new formations with really tight spilts and plays that we had not seen from them on film" , said Greg Mouser the Eagles Defensive Coordinator.  "They have a good quarterback and #1 (Joshua's top receiver) is tough to cover, but I was proud of how our guys adjusted and persevered", he continued. 

There is nothing quite like the energy and atmosphere on Friday night in Argyle, especially for the first home game of the year.   With the stands filling up quickly, the bands in high gear, and an overflow crowd in attendance, the Eagles got off to a fast start.

After winning the coin toss and electing to receive, the Eagles wasted no time in putting points on the board.  As mentioned, on the game's second play, JJ Harp found a senior receiver Justin McGuffey sprinting past the defender and hit him in stride for a 55 yard touchdown.  Ben Parks added the extra point and 42 seconds into the game Argyle led 7-0.

Joshua then capitalized on a muffed punt they recovered deep in Argyle territory as they drove in for the tying score.  After forcing an Argyle punt, Joshua moved the ball into Eagle territory behind their power running game.  Joshua went to the air for a 30 yard touchdown to go up 14-7 with 5:49 to go in the quarter.

The Eagles's offense responded to this adversity with a score of their own.   In fact, in their last nine victories - dating back to the start of the 2006 season -  the Eagles have come from behind to win. The Eagles drove the ball 65 yards quickly down the field, with Harp throwing to senior wideout Matt Handler for a 6 yard touchdown pass.  With 2:31 remaining the game was tied up 14-14. 

In the second quarter, it was all Eagles all the time.   The Eagles defense adjusted and forced an Owl punt which was downed at the 7 yard line.  JJ Harp, who was never sacked or really even pressured in the game by Joshua's defense, went to work hitting open receivers, seemingly at will, to move downfield.  An 18 yard touchdown pass to senior flanker Garrett Jones, who made a nice move to lose the Joshua safety, finished the 93 yard drive.  With 8:31 to go in the half Argyle led 21-14.

"The line was unbelievable tonight",  commented Coach Jeff Harp the Eagles offensive coordinator.  "They played great technique and held off a big and physical defense from Joshua, giving us terrific protection".  Harp continued, "We struggled with the running game early, but ran well enough to keep them honest. Our receivers ran great routes and made nice adjustments all night long.  JJ had a really good night".

The defense continued making life miserable for the Joshua offense.  Senior linebacker Patrick Dawkins delivered several big hits during the game, while senior DL's Cooper Sewell, Collin Mock and Mark Capra used their strength and quickness to shut down the Owl running lanes.  The defense forced another punt and Gavin Pucciarello made a fair catch giving the ball back to the Eagles at the 40.

The offense wasted no time in putting points on the board again.  Harp went to the air finding Matt Handler again who shook off two Owl defenders to race in for a 48 yard touchdown with 7:16 remaining.  Parks' extra point was automatic, and the Eagles now led 28-14. 

With Joshua on their heels, the Owls were forced to go to the air.  "The offense really helped the defense tonight by forcing Joshua to play catch up", said Head Coach Todd Rodgers. "When we know they are going to throw, it makes it easier for us to defend."  And that certainly was the case on the next Owl possession.  Senior cornerback Colby Oberle chased down the Joshua receiver and wrestled the ball away on a leaping interception to give Argyle the ball back at the Joshua 48 yard line.

Once again, the Eagles moved the ball in large chunks of yardage down the field.  Faking several Owl defenders out along the way, JJ Harp beat the safety to the pylon and dove in for another Argyle touchdown.  With the extra point, Argyle now led 35-14 with two minutes remaining.

Joshua then made some adjustments and went to the air on their own, as they were able to move into scoring position with a minute left in the half.  On fourth and goal from the Argyle 16, the Joshua quarterback delivered a perfect pass to the corner of the end zone for the Owl touchdown with 59 seconds remaining.  On the point after, the Owls tried to fake out the Eagles, but Eddie Eckert, Collin Mock and Trevor Cantrell would have none of that as they stuffed the run two yards short of the goal line and the score was now 35-20 Argyle.  Unfortunately for the the Owls, 59 seconds is too much time to give to an offense as explosive as Argyle's. 

The Eagles moved down the field led by a 45 yard screen pass and run by junior running back Kyle Frizzell.  With two seconds remaining and the ball at the eight yard line, the Eagles elected to kick the field goal.  On a partially blocked kick, Ben Parks showed enough leg strength to get the ball through to put the Eagles up 38-21 as time expired in a wild first half.

Things settled down in the second half as the Eagle defense contained the Owls on their first two possessions.  Taking over at their own 22 yard line, the Eagles moved the ball downfield with Kyle Frizzell making a couple of nice catches and runs to set up 1st and goal at the 7 yard line.  JJ Harp went to the 6'5" Brady Brown on a pass to the corner, and Brown went up and made a spectacular catch for the Eagle touchdown.  The extra point made the score 45-20 with four minutes remaining in the quarter.

From that point on, the Eagles defense controlled the line of scrimmage with sophmore linebacker Jake Katzen, sophmore DL David Johnson, junior DL Cody Keen, and junior cornerback Matt Moore coming up with several big hits to shut down the Owls.

Joshua was able to put together a nice drive at the end of the fourth quarter and scored wth 54 seconds remaining to make the score Argyle 45, Joshua 28.  On the ensuing onside kick, Argyle's Robbie Ehlers went up in traffic while getting blasted by the Owls to make the catch.  The Eagles then took two knees as time expired.

"We executed really well," a happy Carrie Rodgers, (the wife of Coach Todd Rodgers) said after the game.  "The Eagles were coached up really well tonight, I thought."

Agreed.  Next week the Eagles travel to Frisco to take on what is expected to be a dangerous and senior-led opponent in Frisco Wakeland.