It's home, sweet home for Lions in win
September 6, 2008

By DAVID CLAYBOURN
Herald-Banner Staff

GREENVILLE -- Greenville turned it on in the second half to pull away from the Little Elm Lobos 43-7 in the Lions’ football home opener on Friday night at T.A. “Cotton” Ford Stadium.

Held to a 7-7 tie at halftime, the Lions exploded for three touchdowns during a 2 1/2-minute period in the third quarter to take command. Greenville added two more touchdowns in the fourth quarter to square its season record at 1-1 against a Little Elm team that went 8-2 last season. Little Elm was opening the season.

“Any time you win it’s good for the kids, especially against this bunch,” said Jim Phillips, who earned his first victory as the Lions head coach. “We needed this one to help our kids. They’ve been down for so long. I can coach the kids harder now.”

Phillips challenged the Lions at halftime, stressing team unity.

“We had some situations with some kids pouting because they weren’t getting to play,” he said.

The Lions responded in the second half, limiting Little Elm to only one first down and nine yards of offense, while the Lions’ offense racked up 15 first downs and 280 yards to finish with 372 yards for the game.

Greenville took the second half kickoff and scored in just four plays. Tailback Dakieston Williams, who finished with 135 yards on 15 carries, set up his 12-yard touchdown run with a 35-yard blast. N.J. Mason, the holder, dove in for the two-point conversion to give the Lions a 15-7 lead.

Greenville’s defense forced Little Elm to punt after three plays. The Lions then covered 56 yards in five plays, capped by a 6-yard run by quarterback Alton Dennis, who led all rushers with 177 yards on 21 carries.

After Ryan Rumph’s kick made it 22-7, the Lions scored on the next play from scrimmage as linebacker Manon Steward intercepted a Lobo pass and rumbled 15 yards for a touchdown. With eight minutes still remaining in the third period the Lions’ lead climbed to 29-7.

Dennis scored again early in the fourth quarter on a 43-yard scamper and Williams capped a 65-yard, 11-play drive midway through the final period with a 1-yard touchdown plunge.

Greenville could have hit the 50-point mark but DaShaun Thomas’ 38-yard fumble return for a touchdown was negated by an offsides penalty.

The Lions drew 12 penalties in all for 70 yards.

Phillips praised the Lions’ defense, which allowed 148 total yards and forced four turnovers.

“They kept us in the game,” he said.

Little Elm held on to the football for most of the first half, running off 39 plays compared to 23 for the Lions and owned a commanding advantage in time of possession: 17:59 to 6:01 for the Lions.

Little Elm took the opening kickoff and marched from its 15 to the Lion 15 in 16 plays, running 9:51 off the clock. The big play on the drive was a 24-yard completion from quarterback Darnell Adams to T.J. Gonzalez.

But the Lions' defense buckled down at the 15, stopping running back Patrick Salerno for a loss and forcing two incompletions.

The Lobos wound up empty handed when Danny Story's 33-yard field goal attempt landed short and wide.

Greenville couldn't get anything going on offense and Little Elm got the ball back at midfield following a 28-yard Rumph punt. This time the Lobos scored in eight plays, including Adams' 36-yard touchdown strike to Salerno on a post pattern. Greenville had some defenders in position but one of them fell down. Story's kick made it 7-0 with 1:33 left in the first period.

The Lions answered with a 67-yard, 12-play drive. Fullback Ezekial Prado pounded up the middle for 11 yards. Williams ran for gains five and 24 yards. Dennis also tossed an 8-yard completion to Williams and kept for runs of 16 and five yards. Williams finished off the drive with an 11-yard touchdown run up the middle. Rumph's kick tied it at 7-7 with 9:52 left before halftime.

The two teams had trouble hanging on to the football for the rest of the first half. Greenville missed a handoff on a reverse, losing 23 yards before the quarterback lost the snap at his 29. Princeton Wiley recovered the Greenville fumble at the Lion 29.

Little Elm's quarterback lost a fumble four plays later that was recovered by Greenville defender Andy Wood at the Lion 25.

Wood recovered another Little Elm fumble later in the second quarter at the Little Elm 26 with 29 seconds left in the second period but Kyle Spinney intercepted a Greenville pass at the Lobo 4-yard line to stop that Greenville threat.