I went to Dragon Stadium in Round Rock to see the Dragons in action against their cross town rivals, the McNeil Mavericks. It was really humid and overcast, with a threat of scattered thunderstorms in the forecast.
But before we talk about the game, let me show you the barbecue I got to eat.
The
Barbecue
I had the pleasure of eating at Brotherton’s BlackIron Barbecue in Pflugerville last season (episode TP 214) and was looking for
a chance to go back. A football game in
nearby Round Rock was all the excuse I needed.
Brotherton’s is located at 15608 Spring Hill Lane, suite 105. It’s in a nondescript little shopping center
off W. Pecan Street, just behind a gas station.
Be sure to pay attention while driving or you might miss it. And you don’t want to miss it. . .
I ordered my usual moist brisket and pork ribs. I grabbed some homemade pickles, onions, and
pickled onions from a side table and got myself a big glass of iced tea. The barbecue was just as I remembered it:
outstanding. Thick slices of moist,
tender brisket with a great outer bark and a deep smoky flavor. Tender, meaty ribs that had a gentle
sweetness to them. Oh it was good. I sampled some of their sauce, but it really
wasn’t needed.
When I was there last year, I had a chance to meet and
talk with John Brotherton.
Unfortunately, he was not at the restaurant this time around. He told me back then about the specialty
sandwiches they serve (smoked brisket pastrami, kimchi, etc.) and I started to
get all hungry again. Maybe next time, I
can ignore the fact that Brotherton’s is a great barbecue joint and just sample
some of their specialties. Or maybe I
get something to take home. . .
Super barbecue, super people. Brotherton’s Black Iron in Pflugerville. I rate this
barbecue two Hook ‘Ems!
The
Game
This game was full of fireworks. On the third play from scrimmage, Mavericks
quarterback Zane Kampfer threw long to Jordan Kerley who out ran the defense
for a 72 yard touchdown. The extra point
gave McNeil an early 7-0 lead.
Round Rock answered with a long, 69 yard drive. Marquis Brown scored on a three yard
carry. McNeil was forced to go three and
out and Round Rock began another long drive.
Quarterback Ryan O’Keefe scored from six yards out to make it 14-7.
The Dragons again forced McNeil to punt. Jordan Smart fumbled the kick and the
Mavericks recovered. As the game moved
into the second quarter, Kampfer rolled to his right and found a receiver in
the end zone. The extra point tied the
game at 14 all.
Round Rock began another long drive from their 37 yard
line. Facing third and eight, O’Keefe
picked up a first down on a nifty run.
After a long run by Brown, O’Keefe scored from four yards out to push
the score to 21-14.
The Dragons started their next drive on their 34. O’Keefe finished the drive with a nine yard scoring
run that extended the Round Rock lead to 28-14.
McNeil answered with a 72 yard drive of their
own. Jason Buechler slipped behind the
defense and Kampfer hit him in stride for a 34 yard touchdown.
The Dragons fumbled the kickoff and McNeil
recovered. Kampfer looped a pass to
Kerley who took the ball to the house for a 49 yard touchdown. The Mavericks had cut the lead to 28-26.
On second and nine, O’Keefe took off on a quarterback
draw. He wound his way through the
Mavericks defense for a 49 yard score.
Round Rock went to halftime ahead 35-26.
The third quarter saw more of the same. O’Keefe streaked down the left sideline for a
63 yard touchdown run.
Here came McNeil.
Kampfer threw a strike to Malik Gordon for a six yard touchdown. The Mavericks ran a trick play to score the
two point conversion. That brought the
Mavericks within 7 at 41-34.
Round Rock scored twice more in the third quarter on a
two yard run by Smart and a fourteen yard run by Brown. Missed extra points left the score 53-34. With about five minutes left in the third
quarter, a cold front moved through – temperatures falling and the breeze
picking up.
As the game moved into the fourth quarter, Kampfer
threw long down the right sideline to Gordon for a 39 yard touchdown. The extra point made it 53-41 with 11:34 left
to play.
And then the sirens went off. . . Lightning had been detected in the immediate
area, so the teams left the field and fans were ordered to evacuate the
stadium. Within a few minutes, rain
started pouring down. I sat in my
minivan for about an hour and a half, hoping the game would resume. But there was still a bit of rain falling and
lots of lightning, so I headed home. I
saw that the fourth quarter was played on Saturday afternoon where Round Rock
scored two more touchdowns to give them the win 67-41.
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