The Eagles amassed 580 yards of total offense and scored on all but two of their offensive possessions to dominate the 5A Division II bi-district contest. Those strong numbers combined with a stout defensive effort in holding Lovejoy to just 204 yards helped Argyle open its 22nd straight playoff berth by advancing to Round 2 for the 19th consecutive season.
Gasperson's favorite target on the night was junior wide receiver Julian Caldwell, who reeled in six passes for 160 yards and two touchdowns.
“Maguire’s played excellent, outstanding all year,” Argyle head coach Todd Rodgers said. “For us to be clicking like this on all cylinders against a quality program, it says a lot about the level of preparation we've gone through the whole year.”
Argyle (10-1), which is ranked No. 5 statewide in 5A DII, advances to face Abilene Cooper (7-4) in the area round next week with details to be determined.
Lovejoy finishes its season with an overall record of 6-5.
Gasperson helped the Eagles start strong with a 10-yard touchdown pass hauled in by Jake Murphy to cap off their opening drive. The UTSA commit added two more scores before the first half was over with a 44-yard strike to Caldwell and a 68-yarder to Murphy, both in the second quarter, to help build a 35-0 halftime edge.
Senior running back Nathaniel Bruce complemented the passing success with a strong day on the ground, piling up 131 rushing yards and one touchdown on 10 carries alongside multiple tackles defensively.
He broke Argyle’s record for longest touchdown run with a 99-yard score late in the first quarter to put Argyle up 14-0.
“I think we’ve been playing at a very high level all year, but I thought we took our emotion to another level,” Rodgers said. “It was fantastic.”
Senior linebacker Grayson Peschel spearheaded the Argyle defense’s stout effort.
Peschel stifled what looked to be a promising Lovejoy drive in the first quarter, forcing a punt and setting the tone for the rest of the night. He finished with three tackles for loss, a sack and multiple stops for the Argyle defense.
Senior defensive back Sager Zamzow added an interception midway through the second quarter.
Argyle came up with a big play on special teams as well when senior linebacker Max Bland blocked a Lovejoy punt, allowing senior defensive back Maliek Bracy to scoop up the ball and return it for a touchdown early in the third quarter.
Bracy, an Oklahoma State pledge, played well as the Lovejoy offense didn’t attempt a pass his way in the contest.
The Leopards were never able to find their rhythm offensively after entering the contest having put up 35-plus points in three of their final four games. Senior quarterback Jacob Janecek threw for 97 yards and added 12 more on the ground to l... Click here to read full article
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