-
Dragon freshmen Dallas Murry notched his first playoff win last week as a starting quarterback was just one of the “next-man-up” players that filled the gap for injured Dragon athletes this season.
The Shelbyville Dragons’ football season came to an end in the area round of Texas 2A-DI playoffs Friday night at Bullard. They fell to the Cooper Bulldogs 69-28.
The Dragons’ season ends with an overall record of 6-5. This marks the first time Shelbyville has had three consecutive winning records in 45 years. Coach Jerred Wallace and staff are the first group of coaches to achieve this feat since Guy Harrison’s 19761978 run.
Shelbyville was forced to overcome adversity throughout this season. Losing both their starting quarterback and running back toward the end of the season was a blow that many did not think the Dragons would overcome. Shelbyville adopted a next-man-up mentality and their underclassmen preformed in a big way.
Freshmen Dallas Murry and Hunter Harvey were key pieces in the last few games of the regular season and through the end of their playoff run. Murry notched his first playoff win as a starting quarterback, and Harvey had his hero moment on a diving touchdown to win their district match up with the San Augustine Wolves just before time expired.
Senior wide receiver and defensive back Dylan Parker will be a tough player to lose. His performance from start to finish buoyed the Shelbyville offense and defense. Eli Ferguson is another wide receiver the Dragons will hate to lose. Ferguson showed up on some big plays this year. One outstanding sequence included a fumble recovery, a touchdown reception, and a two-point conversion reception all within just a few plays.
Brothers Weston and Wyatt Frick were key contributors on the defensive side of the ball who will also be missed. Cameon Mason provided the Dragons with hard, downhill running and will also be graduating this year. Other seniors include Cam Glenn, Gabe Garcia, and Kason Parker.
Junior quarterback D.J. Barnes should return to the fold next year. Barnes suffered a broken finger that required surgery, ending his season just a few weeks shy of playoff action. Twins Jon Jon and Geechi Mathis will be returning next year and will likely see an increased role on both offense and defense.
Congratulations to the Dragons on a hardfought season!