Southlake Carroll overcame an early scare to secure a 33-21 victory over Byron Nelson on Friday night at Dragon Stadium, staying undefeated in the District 4-6A race.

Byron Nelson struck first with an 81-yard opening drive, highlighted by Tucker James’ six-yard touchdown run. But the Dragons quickly responded with an eight-play, 75-yard drive capped by a short touchdown pass from Angelo Renda to Davis Penn, tying the game at 7-7.

Carroll took control in the second quarter, capitalizing on Byron Nelson’s mistakes. A fumble recovery by linebacker Marcus Brouse set up Riley Wormley’s 35-yard touchdown run, and moments later, a blocked punt by Blake Gunter resulted in a safety, pushing the Dragons ahead 16-7. Carroll didn’t let up, as Renda connected with Luc Jaquemard for a 50-yard touchdown, extending the lead to 23-7.

The Bobcats showed fight late in the half, with a big run from James and a personal foul penalty setting up Sean Robinson’s three-yard touchdown, narrowing the gap to 23-14 at halftime.

After the break, Carroll’s methodical offense dominated time of possession. The Dragons opened the third quarter with a five-minute drive ending in a 30-yard field goal by Clark Lemmermann. Wormley sealed the game in the fourth with his second touchdown, a two-yard plunge that pushed the lead to 33-14.

Byron Nelson managed a late score—a 43-yard touchdown pass from Grant Bizjack to Ezra Malamura with less than a minute remaining—but it wasn’t enough to mount a comeback. Bizjack had a strong outing, completing 16 of 18 passes for 199 yards.

With the win, Carroll avenged last year’s loss to the Bobcats and solidified its position as a district contender. Byron Nelson will look to regroup as they face their next challenge in district play.