Dallas cruised through the first two weeks of the season with a perfect record—not only undefeated but unscored upon. The Dragons also lead all 5A teams with 94 points.
However, it’s fair to note that the opponents were Parkrose and North Eugene, both coming off 0-9 seasons and still winless this year.
The road for Dallas gets steeper as league play begins Friday in the tough Mid-Willamette Conference with a road game at Silverton, a high-level program also off to a 2-0 start under its new coach, Josh Craig.
As usual, Dallas is a running team. Coach Tracy Jackson, in his sixth year at Dallas, hopes to air it out a little more, and he has a quarterback with good size and a strong arm in senior Jaret Stewart to test those waters.
One of his key targets is TJ Dimick, a 6-2, 230-pound senior who was second-team all-state last year.
Even with consistent passing, Dallas’ single-wing offense has enough options to move the ball.
Tanner Earhart, the 2016 5A player of the year as a 2,068-yard running back, has been replaced by a deep array of ball carriers. Evan Courtney gets most of the work, gaining more than 200 yards in each of the first two games.
The defense should win some games for the Dragons. Third-year starter Treve Earhart at middle linebacker didn’t gain all-league honors last year because he missed several games with a wrestling injury (he was state runner-up at 195 pounds), but he’s the heart of the D-side.
Dimick, Courtney and Bryce Grillo were honorable mention defenders last year.
They are getting a lot of support this year from 325-pound nose tackle Justin Ingram, who missed his junior year with an injury.
