From the Greenville Herald Banner

Commerce blanks North Dallas 53-0

September 19,1998

By Kevin Carson

Special to the Herald Banner

COMMERCE - Football teams from Class 3A rarely face Class 5A varsity squads and, when they do, a lopsided score is not only possible but expected. What isn't expected is for the smaller team to come out on top.

But that is exactly what happened Friday night at Memorial Stadium as the Commerce Tigers from District 10-3A routed the Class 5A North Dallas Bulldogs, 53-0.

This matchup wasn't that typical, however, as the Tigers, ranked eighth in the state, have advanced to the state finals two of the last three years. North Dallas, on the other hand, has not posted a winning season in over 10 years and has won just one district ball game in the last three seasons.

"I was extremely pleased with our team, both offensively and defensively," said Commerce Coach Steve Lineweaver. "We didn't know what to expect from them coming into the game, but I sure didn't expect to dominate the way we did."

Dominate may be an understatement as the Tigers racked up 379 yards of total offense while limiting North Dallas' pass-oriented attack to just 158 yards. Commerce scored on all but three possessions in the game while the Bulldog offense advanced into Tiger territory just once.

"This was a good overall team effort," continued Lineweaver, whose team is now 3-0 on the season. " We're always interested in playing good football regardless of the score. None of our starters played the second half and we still got the shutout and I am proud of that."

The Commerce starters, at least on offense, didn't play much in the first half either as they racked up 308 yards and 34 points on just 17 offensive plays. The first team defense was just as overpowering as they limited the Bulldogs to just five first downs and 79 total yards in the half.

A trio of big plays accounted for the first three Commerce scores. Avin Johnson scored twice in the opening quarter, first on a 33-yard run with 6:16 left, and later on a 65-yard pass from Chad Anderson in the final minute of the stanza. Sandwiched in between was a 46-yard scoring run by Ryan Sienty with 2:35 remaining.

The first drive lasted just three plays while the next two covered just two plays each. The second was set up when Antonio Kull intercepted Dante' Santillion' s third down pass at the Bulldog 46.

Both scoring drives in the second quarter were just as quick. P.J. Winston scored from 15 yards out with 8:30 left in the half to cap a two-play, 15-yard drive that was set up by a North Dallas fumble. Clifford Ethridge scored the fifth touchdown on a one-yard run that came just five plays after Odreakus Lewis picked off a Santillion pass and returned it to the 28 yard line.

The Commerce reserves didn't score as quick but they scored almost as often. Demitrius Guster finished off the longest Tiger drive of the night, six plays, with a four-yard run with 2:03 left in the third. Ethridge followed with a six yard run early in the fourth quarter, and Justin Garrett closed out the scoring with 3:39 to play.

There was no letdown on defense either as North Dallas could muster just 79 second half yards on the Tiger backups.

In fact, the best scoring opportunity for the Bulldogs came following the last Commerce touchdown of the night when Jordan Hougham's extra point was blocked. North Dallas scooped the ball up and raced 90 yards to the end zone but the play was nullified by a needless block in the back at midfield.

The only other Bulldog scoring threat came on their last possession when they advanced to the Tiger 23. But Joseph Grove put an exclamation point on the victory with a 12-yard sack on the final play of the game.

The only downside for Commerce came in the kicking game where bad snaps resulted in three missed extra points. They were successful on two-of-three two point conversions.

Overall, the Tigers racked up 287 yards rushing on 38 tries. Ryan Sienty led a group of nine rushers with 84 yards on just five carries.

North Dallas receiver Avery Davis, who led the metroplex in receiving, caught six of the Bulldogs nine pass completions but the longest was for only 13 yards.

Commerce opens district play next Friday with a Homecoming matchup against Pottsboro. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at Memorial Stadium.