After slow start, Steele rolls past Reagan 52-21 in football season opener

Steele players had just taken the field before they raced right back to the locker room when lightning delayed their highly anticipated season opener.

When play finally began about 90 minutes later, it took a while for the Knights to get going. And when they did, it resulted in a 52-21 victory against Reagan on Thursday night at Comalander Stadium.

"It was the first game of the season, of course, we were all excited and hyped up running out of the tunnel," Steele's Ohio State bound senior free safety Eli Johnson said. "We hear the band going crazy, and then it gets delayed. So, we had to face a little adversity, and we just had to learn how to build off that."

The third-ranked Knights battled from behind twice before rolling to their sixth straight victory in a season opener. Steele outgained No. 7 Reagan 434-112 in total yardage. Most of the Rattlers' offense was generated in the first half.

Senior quarterback DJ Green passed for 205 yards with scores of 91 and 30 yards. He also rushed four times for 52 yards and a touchdown. Junior running back Liam Jones had 154 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries.

"I love making plays with my teammates," Green said. "It definitely starts with the o-line, and then everybody else comes between it. Making plays is my thing."

It certainly didn't start that way after the Knights opened with a three-and-out. Reagan responded with a six-play, 48-yard drive capped by Jeriko Espinoza's 26-yard scoring catch from Jace Huesser for a 7-0 lead.

After another three-and-out, the Knights finally got it going when Jones raced in from 57 yards on the first play of their third drive to tie it at 7 with 4:00 left in the first quarter.

Reagan summoned two of its top defenders to take a 14-7 lead early in the second quarter. Linebacker Ayden Fernandez recovered a Steele muff on the Knights' 27. Two plays later, he lined up at wildcat and rushed three times for 21 yards. Defensive back Ricky Armstong then lined up at wildcat and scored from four yards.

Well, that was about it for the Rattlers.

Steele scored on its next four possessions to close the half for a 31-14 lead. Green got the run started with a 16-yard scoring run. Fortune then fell the Knights way when left tackle Alexander Fisher recovered a fumble in the end zone for a 21-14 lead at the 5:51 mark.

Johnson set up the next two scores with big punt returns. His 30-yard return led to Ralph Lara's 34-yard field goal. The Knights turned Johnson's 19-yard return to a 7-yard scoring run by Jones.

"We have an abundance of leaders," Johnson said. "Everyone had their heads up, stayed positive and just knew if we stayed positive, momentum would come back our way."

The Knights carried that momentum over to the second half with three touchdowns and a 52-14 lead. Green connected with Jamin Harwell for a 91-yard catch-and-run and with Jayden Casiano for a 30-yard score on fourth-and-11. They sandwiched those scores around Kemarrion Smith's 1-yard TD run set up by Green's 45-yard pass to Tanner Mudge.

"We got together as a team," Green said. "We don't really beat each other up. We just stayed together the whole time."

The Knights, ranked No. 20 in the state, next face two heavy-hitters before beginning District 27-6A play as they travel for a road game at No. 11 Humble Atascocita next week before hosting No. 19 Lake Travis in two weeks.

"This is a great feeling," Green said. "There's definitely some mistakes that need to be fixed, but it's good to know that the hard work we are putting in is working."