Heath Hawk running back Kendial Lawrence signs to play football at University of Missouri next year

Rockwall-Heath’s Kendial Lawrence was one of the state’s top running backs in 2008, averaging nearly 10 yards per carry and scoring 43 TDs

Rockwall-Heath Hawk running back Kendial “Showtime” Lawrence received quite a bit of media attention yesterday when he announced his decision to sign a letter of intent to play at the University of Missouri next year.

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Dallas Morning News SportsDay section

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Eight Rockwall-Heath football players sign to play at Division 1 colleges

On national signing day yesterday, eight Rockwall-Heath football players from the Hawks’ Class 4A Division 10 Championship team signed letters of intent to play football next year at Division 1 colleges.

Award-winning running back Kendial “Showtime” Lawrence committed two weeks ago to play at the University of Missouri, over offers from SMU, Louisville and Iowa State.

Linebacker Austin Moss, the son of coach Mickey Moss, committed last year and will play at Arkansas.

Linebacker Ryan Mosby will attend the University of Kentucky.

Quarterback Drew Hollingshead and linebacker George Bamfo agreed to play at the University of Houston.

Running back/wide receiver Everett Gilbert, defensive back Darius Jones and offensive tackle David Abercrombie committed to Montana State University.

Rockwall-Heath’s Kendial Lawrence will not play against Sulphur Springs this Friday

Bad news.

Rockwall-Heath coach Mickey Moss said Monday that an injured right shoulder will keep Kendial Lawrence out of this Friday’s Class 4A Division II Region II final playoff game against Sulphur Springs.

That’s a big blow to the Hawks.

Lawrence, a senior running back who has rushed for 2,679 yards and 43 touchdowns this season – more than any other Class 5A or 4A running back – is a big reason why the Hawks have had an undefeated season, thus far.

Lawrence suffered the injury in the second quarter of Rockwall-Heath’s 17-14 victory over Ennis last Friday at Texas Stadium.

“He’s a difference-maker, and we’d love to have him out there,” Moss said. “But there’s nothing we can do about it. We’ve just got to move on.”

Losing Lawrence is disappointing, Moss said, but it can also be an opportunity for other members of the team to show their skills.

In the win over Ennis, for example, junior Jesse Irokwe filled in for Lawrence and rushed eight times for 92 yards, including two long runs for 36 and 34 yards.

Senior Everitt Gilbert has also had several hundred-yard rushing games, and over 200 yards in a recent playoff game against Frisco Centennial.

“We can’t have all our hope and faith in one person,” Moss said. “It’s a good lesson not only for football, but also in life.”

The Rockwall-Heath Hawks (13-0) will play Sulphur Springs (11-2) this Friday night, Dec. 5, at 7:30 pm at Texas Stadium. It will likely be televised, and we’ll let you know when and on what channel.

For more sports news, including basketball scores, visit the Sports page at www.rockwallrocks.com.

Rockwall-Heath vs. Sulphur Springs game time announced

Rockwall-Heath (13-0) will play Sulphur Springs (11-2) this Friday at 7:30 pm at Texas Stadium, it was announced last night.

We previously knew who the Hawks would play but didn’t know when.

Keep checking back with us to learn more about the upcoming game, about Kendial Lawrence’s injured right shoulder condition and to learn more about Sulphur Springs.

Rockwall-Heath advances in playoffs, stops Ennis, 17-14

In what was expected to be a high scoring shootout between two teams that have averaged over 40 points a game, Rockwall-Heath’s defense forced eight Ennis turnovers, defensive back Darius Jones intercepted two passes plus recovered a fumble, and the undefeated Hawks squeaked by the Lions, 17-14, in a  Class 4A Division II Region II semi-final game played today at Texas Stadium.

Hawks senior running back Kendial Lawrence injured his right shoulder during the first half and saw limited playing time in the second half, but still rushed for 114 yards on 19 carries, scoring one touchdown on a five-yard run up the middle in the second quarter.

He returned during the fourth quarter and rushed several times, although he did appear to favor his shoulder.

But backup junior running back Jesse Irokwe broke loose for two long runs of 36 and 34 yards in the third quarter, to set up Everitt Gilbert’s game-winning TD on a 5-yard run around left end.

Irokwe rushed for 92 yards on just eight carries and made a huge difference, substituting for Lawrence. Gilbert rushed for 49 yards on 15 carries.

Reliable Hawks kicker Brad Howes kicked two PATs, plus a 29-yard field goal in the first quarter, which turned out to be the difference in points.

The Hawks led at halftime 10-7, but couldn’t quite get its offense into high gear, but the story of the day was the Hawks defense.

Time and time again the defense stopped the high-powered Ennis offense by causing five and recovering four fumbles, intercepting four passes and batting down several more passes.

The first four times that Ennis had the ball, they marched down the field only to lose the ball to fumbles which Heath recovered.

On their fifth drive, the Hawks’ Jones intercepted in the end zone.

Heath’s mighty defense also put up a terrific goal line stand in the third quarter, stopping Ennis four times at the one-yard line.

In the fourth quarter, Ennis had two sustained drives going, but neither resulted in points because Hawk defenders intercepted Lion’s star quarterback B.J. Betik each time.

Although Betik injured his shoulder briefly in the second quarter, he returned to complete 20 of 36 passes for 266 yards, including nine to the Area’s leading receiver, Kyle Guinyard, for 92 yards.

But on fourth and four near the Hawk’s 40-yard line, with 20-seconds left in the game, Betig launched his last pass of the game, which Jones intercepted, stepping in front of Guinyard.

Heath then ran one play, running out the clock, when quarterback Drew Hollingshead took a knee.

Next week, in its first year in the playoffs, Rockwall-Heath will play in the  Class 4A Division II Region II final against the winner of the Dennison (12-0) -Sulphur Springs (10-2) game, being played tonight.

We’ll post the score of that game tomorrow.

12-0 Rockwall-Heath to play 11-1 Ennis in semifinal playoff game Nov. 28

Undefeated and number-one ranked Rockwall-Heath (12-0) will finally get a real test when they play perennial powerhouse and fifth-ranked Ennis (11-1) this Friday, Nov. 28, at Noon, at Texas Stadium, in a Class 4A Division 2 Region 2 semi-final match-up.

The location and time were just announced. 

The game should be a real shoot-out, since it will feature two offensive powerhouses, which have averaged nearly the same number of yards this season, over 400 yards per game.

However, whereas Rockwall-Heath is primarily a rushing team, Ennis prefers to pass.

Ennis coach is Sam Harrell, the father of former Ennis quarterback and now star Texas Tech quarterback Graham Harrell, who is currently a leading Heisman Trophy candidate after leading Tech to victories over Texas and Oklahoma State. 

Last Friday, the Hawks demolished 19th-ranked Dallas Hillcrest for the second time this season, 58-21, as running back Kendial Lawrence scored five touchdowns, while rushing for over 200 yards in just little more than two quarters of action. 

At least some sports writers now believe that Lawrence is arguably the best running back in Texas. The 5′9,” 177-lb. tailback has scored 50 touchdowns this season and rushed for over 2,500 yards, in ten regular season plus two playoff games.

He has scored five TDs and rushed for over 200 yards in each playoff game.

Wide receiver and running back Everitt Gilbert also rushed for over 200 yards and scored two touchdowns in the Hillcrest victory.

Ennis overpowered Kilgore, 48-21, as quarterback D. J. Betik completed 30 of 37 passes for 306 yards and four touchdowns.

Lions wide receiver Kyle Guinyard caught 19 passes for 210 yards and touchdowns of 38 and 8 yards. Deonte McDade caught 10 passes for 96 yards and touchdowns of 39 and 9 yards.

Whoever wins will play another tough team in early December in the finals.

The other semi-final game this Friday will match undefeated Dennison (12-0) vs. Sulphur Springs (9-3), Nov. 28 at 8 pm, at Texas Stadium.

Dennison beat Royse City last weekend, 41-24, behind running back D.J. Jones and quarterback Jordan Taylor. Royse City hung with Dennison much of the game but had four costly turnovers, and two fumbles were recovered and returned for TDs.

The winners of both games will meet each other the following weekend to battle for the Division 2 Region 2 championship.

For more local sports scores, stories and photos, visit www.rockwallrocks.com/sports.html.

Kendial Lawrence scores 5 more TDs as Rockwall-Heath destroys Hillcrest, 58-21, in playoff game

Kendial Lawrence rushed for 255 yards and five touchdowns and Everitt Gilbert rushed for 215 yards and two TDs to lead Rockwall-Heath to a 58-21 victory over Dallas Hillcrest late Friday night in Class 4A Division II playoff action at Texas Stadium.

Although the game was close throughout most of the first half, the Hawks (12-0) scored three touchdowns in the last six minutes of the second quarter to take a commanding 44-21 halftime lead.

Lawrence scored on runs of 10,12, 58, 1 and 64 yards. Gilbert scored on 47 and 7 yard runs.

The Hawks defense took over in the second half, holding Hillcrest (8-4) scoreless and limiting them to 128 yards total offense, after giving up 253 yards in the first half.

Hillcrest only managed 14 total yards rushing during the entire game.

Rockwall-Heath’s high-powered offense racked up a massive 626 yards total offense, including 484 yards rushing and 142 yards passing.

Quarterback Drew Hollingshead completed 12 of 14 passes, seven to Gilbert for 69 yards and two to Lawrence for 20 yards.

Placekicker Brad Howes also kicked a 19-yard field goal and converted 6 of 8 PATs.

Hillcrest quarterback Jake Sherrington threw for 347 yards and three touchdowns, completing 21 of 37 passes.

In other Area Class 4A games, HIghland Park overcame five lost fumbles and beat Dallas Kimball, 24-7; Dallas Carter ran over Richardson Pearce 62-28; Dennison crushed Lincoln 42-13; Everman beat Aledo, 24-7; Denton Guyer destroyed Arlington Sequin, 44-0; Denton Ryan overpowered Mansfield Timberview, 49-14; Ennis licked Kilgore, 48-21; and Longview clobbered Lancaster, 49-22.

For more sports scores, photos and stories, visit www.rockwallrocks.com/sports.html.

Watch this Kendial Lawrence video as he runs through opposing defenses

Watch this Kendial Lawrence video as he runs through opposing defenses!

This video just appeared on YouTube, and if you’re a Kendial Lawrence, Rockwall-Heath or even just football fan, you’re sure to love it!

Although Kendial is not big (5′9″, 177), as you’ll see, he has a quick burst to get through the line and speeds into the secondary.

A senior, he still has not decided where he’s going to college, but has several BCS and Big 12 Conference schools recruiting him, including Missouri, Kansas and Iowa State.

Undefeated Rockwall-Heath takes on Dallas Hillcrest this Friday night at Texas Stadium

The Area’s number-one ranked Class 4A Rockwall-Heath Hawks (11-0) football team, which routed Frisco Centennial, 49-14, in  last Friday’s first playoff game, will play Dallas Hillcrest (8-3) at Texas (Dallas Cowboys) Stadium, Nov. 21, beginning at 7:30 pm.

Led by running back Kendial “Showtime” Lawrence, who rushed for a phenomenal 2,310 yards and scored 40 TDs this season, he led Area Class 4A statistics in both categories. He scored 14 more touchdowns than his nearest competitor, plus his 9.5 average yards per carry was also tops.

As a team, the Hawks had the eighth leading offense in the Area, averaging 418.6 yards per game – 3169 yards rushing and 1435 yards passing. McKinney had the leading offense, averaging 501.6 yards per game – 3121 passing and 2396 rushing.

Rockwall-Heath also had the twentieth best defense, giving up just 298 yards per game – 2188 passing and 1090 rushing yards. Dallas Lincoln was first, giving up just 105 yards per game – 654 yards passing and 399 yards rushing.

Kendial Lawrence named “Built Ford Tough Class 4A Football Player of Week

Rockwall-Heath senior running back Kendial Lawrence was named the “Built Ford Tough Texas High School Football Class 4A Player of the Week” last week after leading the Hawks to victory over Highland Park.

Lawrence led the Hawks to a 38-31 overtime victory against Highland Park, winners of 47 straight regular-season games. Lawrence carried 39 times for 365 yards and five touchdowns, including the only score in overtime, as Heath won its first district championship.