FINAL: Georgetown 35, SA Southwest 13

DCTF's Travis Stewart will be blogging live from the first game of the tenth annual Texas Football Classic between Georgetown and San Antonio Southwest at the Alamodome. Check in with Travis just before kickoff at 7:30 p.m. Question or comment? Send Travis an email.

FINAL: Georgetown 35, SA Southwest 13Tonight, the fledgling Georgetown Eagles were supposed to be testing their wings, diving into the deep blue sky to give their wings an experimental flap and, with any luck, catching the breeze.Within minutes, these birds of prey were soaring.This young Georgetown squad, expected to struggle in 2008 without last year's senior leadership or a true marquee player, dominated an experienced and well-regarded San Antonio Southwest squad tonight in every aspect of the game. The offense, while hardly spectacular, was numbingly steady and patient, and senior QB Garrett Gilleland, in his debut as the starter, was nearly flawless as the game MVP: 19-22 for 172 yards, two touchdowns, and nothing even remotely close to an interception.The short passing game -- bubble screens, flares and the like -- dissected the Dragons' defense at every turn, and when Southwest dropped into pass-coverage packages, Gilleland devoured them on the ground with his and RB Austin Anderson's legs.Southwest, on the other hand, looked overmatched and out of sync. RB Stephen Salinas, who rushed for more than 300 touchdowns last year, couldn't find the holes and lanes he got used to seeing in 2007. He did end up with a pair of rushing touchdowns, but he usually found himself draped in Eagle defenders before he could get a head of steam. Perhaps most confusing was the playcalling -- Southwest continued to test the outside on sweeps and tosses, but almost always found at least two Georgetown defenders waiting. As frustrated as Southwest fans must've been, it's a safe bet to say Salinas was more so.But despite that, Southwest made a brief comeback attempt, scoring consecutive touchdowns in the third quarter to bring the score to 28-13, and even forced a stop on the Georgetown offense to get a chance to cut into the margin further. But the Eagles' defense rose to the challenge, and once Gilleland got his hands on the ball again, it was all but over.In Week 0, fans are always going to learn something about their team they never expected. For Southwest, it's that the offseason was perhaps too full of predictions and too lacking in focus.But at Georgetown, fans have now seen a young bird take wing and soar.GEORGETOWN WINS IT, 35-13(9:59 p.m.) Georgetown is kneeing out the clock as I write and is all smiles after a dominating 35-13 victory. Senior QB Garrett Gilleland is the game MVP -- and justifiably so -- after a brilliant offensive performance. I'll post a full recap as soon as I can get it together. Thanks for reading!SOUTHWEST NEARLY DONE(9:49 p.m.) Southwest's desperation drive stalled near midfield, and now Georgetown takes oves at its own 20 with 3:28 to go and a 35-13 lead. With the way the Eagles' have been dominating the clock with the shotgun read and the short passing game, these minutes will tick by quickly.GEORGETOWN BACK IN CONTROL, 35-13(9:41 p.m.) The Eagles' offense calmed down and got back in the endzone, and a 5 yard run by Austin Alexander has Georgetown on top, 35-14. Southwest only has 7:21 left in the game to mount the charge -- time is short, but I've seen crazier things in this building before.The Dragons start a desperation drive from their own 36.SOUTHWEST OUT ON DOWNS(9:33 p.m.) That didn't last long! Southwest turned it over on downs near midfield as the third quarter expired, so Georgetown will have the ball at its 42 as the fourth quarter begins.Southwest has shown life, but Georgetown is still in control. Being up 28-13, another touchdown may put this one out of reach. This could be a great learning opportunity for the young Eagles -- how to close out a game.GEORGETOWN PUNTS(9:30 p.m.) Southwest forced GT into a three-and-out, and now the Dragons take over on their own 46. Man, this game has turned on its head in a hurry. Salinas will need to continue to excell if he hopes to keep his team in the game now that they've shown life.SOUTHWEST SHOWS LIFE, 28-13(9:25 p.m.) Stephen Salinas has finally picked his team up and put it on his back -- after Southwest completed a 4th-and-18 from the 33 yard line (a beautiful pass and catch in the seam), Salinas darted in from 10 yards out to bring the Dragons within two scores. As dead as they seemed earlier, they look just as energized now.Still, this is Georgetown's game to lose, and after fielding the kick, the Eagles start their next drive at their 18, still up 28-13.SOUTHWEST BREAKS THE ICE, 28-7(9:14 p.m.) Helped by 30 yards on penalties, Southwest finally put together a drive that ended in a score, a 5-yard scamper by RB Salinas to bring the score to 28-7.Georgetown fielded the kick but fumbled it, and now Southwest starts again from the Eagles' 35. Could the tide be turning?GEORGETOWN WASTES NO TIME -- 28-0(9:07 p.m.) The second half could've started no worse for Southwest -- after Georgetown recovered an onside kick to open the half, Gilleland through his second TD pass -- a 14-yard post route laser to Cal Spangler on 3rd-and-12 -- to give his team a 28-0 lead. Just like that, Southwest went from trying to get back in it to falling further behind.Georgetown could've made it much worse -- they recovered ANOTHER onsides kick after the score but got called for offsides and had to rekick (remember the penalty comments?). This time, Southwest fell on it and starts at its own 42.SECOND HALF: GEORGETOWN STARTS QUICK(8:58 p.m.) The second half started the same way the first half finished: the Eagles on top. Georgetown came right out of the gate, recovering an onside to start the second half. They start at the SW 30-yard line up 21-0.OTHER SCORES(8:46 p.m.) Jake Shaw just sent in some more scores from around the state -Corsicana 14, West Mesquite 3Denton Ryan 21, Mesquite Poteet 10Coppell 24, South Garland 10Odessa Permian 14, Duncanville 7FIRST HALF RECAP(8:45 p.m.) Well, I'm not sure what's more startling here -- how good Georgetown has looked or how lost Southwest seems to be.We'll start with Southwest, whose inability to move the ball has put it in a very deep hole at halftime. The running game, which was so unstoppable in 2007, has found nary a sliver of daylight tonight. The Dragons have tried to get RB Stephen Salinas on the outside with sweeps and tosses, but Georgetown has had those plays ready from start to finish, and since the Dragons seem reluctant to pass, the Eagles' linebackers are free to crowd the box and make life miserable for the offense. So far, the defensive game plan has been perfect.Georgetown's offense, on the other hand, has looked efficient. Senior QB Garrett Gilleland already has a touchdown rushing and passing and only a scant few incomplete passes to mix into his otherwise solid first half, and RB Austin Alexander ended the first half with a bang on a 41-yard touchdown run with just 18 seconds left ... and on 4th down! Had Southwest held him to just the inches he needed for the conversion, the Eagles probably don't score and the game is still within reach. Instead, the senior busted through the line, broke a tackle in the secondary and raced to the endzone.The hardest thing about this game has been the penalties, though. Each side has made a bevy of mental mistakes that have proven costly at some point or another, especially in the trenches -- offsides has been a popular call so far, and despite the margin, even Georgetown coach Phil Blue will have some choice words for his players at halftime.If this game is going to get any closer in the second half, Southwest had to get more creative with its play-calling. Georgetown has proven its ability to stop runs to the outside, and if the Dragons insist on trying it, they're going to be pounding their fist against a wall for another 24 minutes. Then again, that's assuming Georgetown doesn't score another 21 in the second frame as well -- Southwest has to get more pressure on Gilleland and find a way to slow down WR Adriane Rocha, who already has seven receptions, four shy of the Texas Football Classic single-game record. Memo to Southwest: dropping 10 yards off of him every time is going to end badly.HALFTIME: GT 21, SW 0(8:31 p.m.) Southwest tried to mount a scoring drive in the final 18 seconds, but couldn't get into field goal range. The half expired, and Georgetown heads to the locker room up 21-0. I'll post a first half recap as soon as its ready.GEORGETOWN BEATS THE BUZZER, 21-0(8:25 p.m.) The Eagles just struck again -- a 41-yard TD run by Austin Alexander -- to go up 21-0. Half is just 18 seconds away, so I'll explain the curious set of circumstances during that recap.For right now, Southwest has fielded the kick and will start at its own 38.SOUTHWEST TURNS IT OVER(8:16 p.m.) Southwest is not being very imaginative -- it's run the same sweep with RB Salinas too many times, and Georgetown snuffed it out on 4th-and-4 from its own 16. This looks nothing like the team that ran the ball so well last year, or the RB who set the school record for scoring runs.Now the Eagles start from there with just over three minutes left in the half and leading 14-0.GEORGETOWN FINALLY FALTERS(8:05 p.m.) Georgetown was looking OK once again, but a deadball personal foul and a terrible shotgun snap pushed the Eagles all the way back to their 4-yard line and facing a 3rd and 46. Needless to say, they eneded up punting.Southwest takes over at its own 39 and needing a score.GEORGETOWN STARTS AGAIN( p.m.) The Eagles have just fielded the punt and will start their third offensive drive from their own 13. They're still up 14-0. Can they make it three scores?FIRST QUARTER BREAK(7:56 p.m.) At the quarter break, Georgetown still leads 14-0 and looks to be a much better team. Southwest looks out of sync -- the offense hasn't moved the ball and the defense keeps jumping offsides.But Phil Blue's squad looks composed and well-coached. The Dragons need to show some life before momentum is too far into Georgetown's hands. The Dragons will punt to the Eagles when we come back.GEORGETOWN STRIKES AGAIN, 14-0(7:51 p.m.) Georgetown's offense has been nearly flawless. Gilleland just threw his first TD pass of the day to David Kerr, a 15-yard strike that went through a defender's hands ... and even then, Southwest was offsides and it would've come back. Eagles up, 14-0 and looking great; that was an 85-yard drive they just completed!Southwest needs to wake up and do something on offense, right now. Dragons fielded the kick and take over at their own 30.SOUTHWEST PUNTS(7:44 p.m.) Georgetown sure doesn't look like a team picked to lose -- the defense immediately held the Dragons' rushing attack, forcing a punt within minutes of the drive starting.But the returner let the punt roll, and it rolled 63 yards to the Georgetown 15, where the Eagles take over.GEORGETOWN SCORES, 7-0(7:40 p.m.) Georgetown QB Garrett Gilleland hardly looks like a guy with little starting experience, because he just drove the Eagles 70 yards without missing a pass and capped the drive with a 10-yard TD run. Georgetown leads, 7-0, and now Southwest has fielded the kick and will start its first offensive possession at its own 25.GEORGETOWN MOVING, 0-0(7:36 p.m.) The Eagles started their first drive hot, moving quickly into Southwest territory on the success of the short passing game out of the shotgun. But the Dragons stiffened up, and now Georgetown needs a conversion to keep the drive alive at the 22.UNDERWAY(7:29 p.m.) Georgetown took the kick out to the 20 but Southwest was offsides, so the Eagles asked for a rekick. With the five-yard penalty walked off, Georgetown took the next one out to the 28, and the first drive of the game will start there.TAKING THE FIELD(7:27 p.m.) We're 8 minutes from kick off, and both teams have taken the field. Georgetown will be wearing the dark blue tops and the silver pants -- a classy looking uniform, I might add -- and Southwest will sport the white tops with the black helmets and pants. Fans are still filing in by the sporadic handfuls, so it looks like we'll have a pretty good crowd on hand for the first game of our tenth annual classic.Georgetown will be receiving and heading left to right across your dial. Kickoff is just minutes away!SIGNING ON(6:28 p.m.) Well, we're now up and running on DCTF's first live blog of the 2008 high school football season. I'm all settled in at the press box, and Georgetown's players have just started donning their sparkling blue pads and uniforms for their pregame warmup. I'll be posting again close to game time, so hang with me.The long-awaited '08 season is finally underway!