NORTHEAST TEXAS FOOTBALL PREVIEWS
ATLANTA (7-4) vs. GLADEWATER (5-6)
KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m., Lobo Stadium, Longview
AT STAKE: Region II, Division II 3A Area championship, and right to play Gainesville or Bonham in quarterfinals.
GAME FACTS: The Rabbits and Bears met early this season and Gladewater rallied from a 21-14 deficit at halftime to beat Atlanta, 46-34. That game was scheduled for a Friday night, but moved to Saturday because of inclement weather. The Rabbs were third in 13-3A and routed Emory Rains in bi-district 46-15. Gladewater advanced with a 48-0 win over Canton. Atlanta averages 31.1 points per game, yielding 27.3. The Rabbs average 355.5 yards per game and allow 321.3. This is the second straight year Matt McClure's Rabbs have reached the area round. Atlanta graduated 24 lettermen and returned only eight total starters in 2013. The Bears only returned four starters this season. There is no favorite in this game.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: AtlantaRB Dequan Allen 137 carries for 1,210 yards and 8 TDs, QB Chase Musgrove 630 yards rushing and 12 TDs, while throwing for 1,237 yards and 13 TDs. Damien Lawson, Cameron Schultz and Cullen Rich lead an improving defense. Gladewater-RB James Reese 167 carries for 1,172 yards and 9 TDs. Defensive standouts include Daylon Mack with 26 tackles behind the line of scrimmage and Hagen Cooper with 17 tackles behind the line.
COACH'S COMMENTS: Atlanta's Matt McClure — “Gladewater hasn't changed a whole lot, they're still running the same stuff offensively and defensively. They've got a good ball club. In the first meeting we had some turnovers, including bad snaps over the quarterback's head. We just didn't play well in spots. Lineman Gerald Andrews is back from injury. He didn't play in that first game. We'll need him because Gladewater is a big, powerful running team. We've really played well in our last three games by getting off to fast starts. That's what I feel we need to do in this game. We've had a really good week of practice and I feel pretty good about everything right now. There's a forecast for rain and that will be a factor. I think special teams will be a plus for us.”
NEW BOSTON (10-1) vs. WHITESBORO (10-1)
KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m., Sam Parker Field, Mount Pleasant.
AT STAKE: Region II-2A area championship. New Boston represents District 8 as the runnerup, Whitesboro is the District 5 champion. The winner plays Malakoff- Van Alstyne winner in Region II quarterfinals.
GAME FACTS: Last week the Lions pounded Lone Oak, 61-39, while Whitesboro dispatched Caddo Mills, 34-0. Last week's bi-district win was the first-ever postseason victory for Whitesboro, which has won nine games in a row since a 48-21 loss to Lone Star in the second game of the season. Lions have won five straight and own double-digit wins the last four seasons and five of the last six. New Boston is 56-13-1 in that 6-year stretch. Whitesboro averages 327.3 yards rushing and 92.5 yards passing per game. New Boston rushes for 304.1 yards and passes for 73.9 yards per outing. Whitesboro has five shutouts, New Boston none. Harris Ratings favors No. 6-ranked Whitesboro a 13-point favorite over the No. 15 Lions. Whitesboro is the home team tonight. PLAYERS TO WATCH: Senior RB
Collin Kilcrease leads Bearcats with 908 yards rushing for 16 touchdowns on 123 carries. Senior Cody Ford has 744 and 8 on 57 carries while sophomore Jake Dyer has 35-452-7. QB Kyle Lynn is 55 of 84 for 923 yards and six TDs with three interceptions. The top receivers are senior Clayton Stringer (22-260-2) and Ford (15367-4). Ford has 58 solo tackles and four interceptions and sophomore LB Zach Sanges has six quarterback sacks. Junior Quinn Dedmon leads the Lions in rushing with 1,067 yards and 12 TDs on 110 carries and sophomore Devontae Wade has 993 yards and 13 scores on just 76 tries, a 13.1 average. QB Aaron Conkleton has completed 35 of 61 passes for 702 yards and 12 TDs with Jawaun Johnson catching 18 for 381 yards and five TDs and Jeff Gladney 13 for 345 and six scores. The Lion defense has forced 28 turnovers behind the play of Phillip Pyle, Wes Teague, Wesley Holmes and T. Q. Dedmon.
COACH'S COMMENTS: New Boston's Jamey Thomas — "We're about as healthy as we've been the last three or four weeks, and that's good because we expect a physical game. They've got big linemen and a big tailback, and they're going to pound the ball at us.
"Their coach told me they are excited about winning their first playoff game, and they should be. They're playing with a lot of confidence. We've got to cut down on our mistakes. We had 125 yards in penalties last week, and we can't do that against Whitesboro. It looks like it will be raining and cold, and we have to limit our turnovers.
"I think it will come down to execution on both sides of the ball. The game should be decided in the trenches. Our defense is going to have to tackle well, and our offense is going to have to limit turnovers.
"It's been a trying year for us, especially the way the season got started. But the kids have responded well. Our seniors have made up their minds they want to make this the best season they've had. I'm very proud of them."
DAINGERFIELD (8-3) vs. FARMERSVILLE (7-4)
KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m., Wildcat Stadium, Paris AT STAKE: Region II, Division I Area championship. Winner advances to play Pottsboro or Redwater.
GAME FACTS: Daingerfield has won a state champ ionship six times, including three of the last five years. The Tigers lost in the 2012 title game. Daingerfield lost three of its first four games this season before going unbeaten in District 8-2A. The Tigers averaged 35.8 points on the season, allowing 14.6 points. Daingerfield beat Eustace last week, 34-7, despite having possession of the ball only eleven minutes in the game. Farmersville outscored Pilot Point, 35-27. The Tigers are favored by 17 points.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Daingerfield-Cordarius Anderson has rushed for 839 yards and 17 TDs. QB Keris Alexander has passed for 928 yards and 12 TDs. Keaton Key is the Tigers' top receiver with 40 receptions for 537 yards and 9 TDs. DE Kelshin Neal leads Daingerfield with 146 tackles, including 20 sacks and 49 behind the line of scrimmage. LB Calvin Bryant has 89 tackles and Troy Stuard 5 interceptions. Farmersville-QB Cole Anderson has rushed for 440 yards and 6 TDs, while throwing for 1,388 yards and 12 TDs. RB Darren Pennington has 1,046 yards and 15 TDs and leads defense with 47 tackles. WRs Caleb Tyford and Jaelon Clark have combined for 46 catches, 857 yards and 6 TDs.
COACH'S COMMENTS: Daingerfield's Aric Sardiena — “Farmersville has some defensive kids that play both sides of the ball. In fact, they've got a special group on offense and defense. They're extremely well coached and have a quarterback (Anderson) who is a dual threat. He's going to run it and throw it with two special running backs that also play linebacker. They have two special receivers (Tyford and Clark) that can go down field and catch the ball in traffic. They're well desciplined on their defensive front. We must be consistent running the football and keep their offense off the field. We feel if we play like we've practiced this week we're going to give ourselves a chance. Our kids are ready for the game. We're going out and giving our best.”
HUGHES SPRINGS (10-1) vs. CORRIGAN-CAMDEN (11-0)
KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m., Bulldog Stadium, Carthage
AT STAKE: Region III, Division II Area championship, and regional quarterfinal berth against Garr ison - Centerville winner.
GAME FACTS: The last time these two school played each other was 1988, and the Bulldogs won. Hughes Springs advanced by routing Frankston, 46-20, while the Bulldogs routed Buffalo, 60-14. Corrigan-Camden has scored 60 or more points four times this season and more than 54 on two other occasions. There's one common opponent. The Mustangs blanked Elysian Fields, 61-0, while the Bulldogs beat Elysian Fields, 47-19. Injuries have devastated the Ponies recently, including the loss of senior quarterback Chad McKinney, who had surgery on his throwing arm. The Bulldogs are a 1-point favorite.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Hughes Springs-QB Michael Martinez has replaced McKinney and performed admirably. After rushing for 2,000 yards last season he has run for 950 yards and 11 TDs this season, while throwing for 231 and a TD. RB Fred Hopkins has 1,163 yards and 17 TDs on 95 carries. RB Chris Royal has 669 yards and 13 TDs. Kyre Lewis leads the Mustangs' defense with 77 tackles. Kane Sampson has 68 tackles and 6 interceptions. CorriganCamden-RB Keegan Mitchell has carried the ball 149 times for 2,054 yards and 25 TDs. Malyk Johnson has 1,228 yards and 18 TDs on 119 carries.
COACH'S COMMENTS: Hughes Springs' Chris Edwards — “Corrigan-Camden is physical. They're big, and well coached. We've only seen them throw the football three times in three games. They line up in the I-formation and a wing-t look. If you look at our Elysian Fields games it looks dead even, but we're down two or three starters and it's a tough call. We've had guys step up and do a good job, they just don't have the experience the others had. Martinez stepped up big time for us last week.”
JAMES BOWIE (7-4) vs. GOLDTHWAITE (6-4)
KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m., Yellow Jacket Stadium, Ferris
AT STAKE: Region II-A, Division I area championship. James Bowie is District 8 co- champion, Goldthwaite the District 5 winner. The winner plays Lindsay or De Leon in Region II quarterfinals.
GAME FACTS: James Bowie edged Valley View, 22-20, Goldthwaite drew a bye in the bi-district round. The Pirates have reached the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 2001 when the Pirates drew a bidistrict bye and won in the area round before being eliminated in the quarterfinals. Goldthwaite has not played in three weeks, having drawn a bye in Week 10 of the regular season. The Eagles have won six straight games after opening 0-4. They average 25.8 points a game and give up 25.9. James Bowie has outscored its opponents 353-330. Goldthwaite is 20-point favorite in the Harris Ratings. The game will be broadcast on 1400 AM starting at 7 p.m.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Senior Cody Adams has rushed for more than 1,400 yards and 23 touchdowns, scoring 158 points in nine games for the Pirates. Senior Thomas Brown has rushed for more than 800 yards and 15 TDs. Defensively, Adams has recorded more than 100 tackles from his linebacker position. LB Brown, NG Brandon Myers and LB-E Matt Gates are other defensive leaders. Goldthwaite's top runner is Joseph Paddock with 796 yards and 8 TDs. Dakota Perry has run for 501 yards and 4 scores. QB T. R. Jones is 40 of 84 for 620 yards and 9 touchdowns passing.
COACH'S COMMENTS: James Bowie's Eddy May—" We don't know how the three-week layoff will affect Goldthwaite. We just have to prepare the way we always do, and if we play hard we'll have a chance.
"We don't know a whole lot about them other than they are a solid team. They don't have any individual standouts, but they have a lot of tradition. They know how to win. They're not real big or fast, and I think we match up well with. They remind me of Harleton—they don't brat themselves.
"Normally we like to run the football, but we had to throw a little last week. Hopefully, we can run the ball effectively and keep our defense off the field. We've been playing better defense the past few weeks, and we hope to continue to do so.
"The kids are excited about the chance to be the first James Bowie team to play more than 12 games in a season."
MAUD (8-2) vs. LOVELADY (4-6)
KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m., West Rusk AT STAKE: Region III-1A Area championship, and right to play Bremond-Detroit winner.
GAME FACTS: Maud had a bye last week, while Lovelady eliminated Evadale, 27- 0. Nelson Kortis is the Cardinals' third head coach in four years. Maud is averaging 9.4 yards per carry with 2,533 yards rushing in its first 10 games. The Cardinals have passed for 1,423 yards, with a total offense of 395.6 yards per game. Defensively, Maud has allowed 164.9 yards rushing per game and 50.2 passing. Lovelady beat Normangee in its regular season finale to earn a playoff berth, 35-18. The Lions are coached by Kerry Therwhanger. Lovelady reached the state quarterfinals in 2009. The Cardinals are a 7-point favorite. The game will be broadcast on 94.1 FM beginning at 7 p.m.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Maud-RB Kyran Richardson has rushed for 1,346 yards and 18 TDs on 98 carries. WR Jake McDonald has 16 receptions for 345 yards and 4 TDs. CJ Washington has 14 catches for 292 yards and 4 TDs. QB Triston Carlow has completed 79 of 150 for 1,423 yards and 18 TDs. Lovelady-L Garrett Sweeny, K Jose Mora, WR/DB Hayden Campbell, RB Emanuel Williams and LB Dillon McLaughlin.
COACH'S COMMENTS: Maud's Nelson Kortis—“We watched Lovelady play last week. Their record doesn't indicate how good of a team they are. They've done a real good job with the kids they have. They've to a very good offensive scheme. They like make you play fundamental football. Defensively, they are very aggressive. Except for a receiver we lost early, we're 100 percent healthy for this game. We had a week off and we had a good practices both weeks. Personally, I would have rather played last week, but I do enjoy having a bye so we could clean up some things that needed fixing. I do like to play because it keeps everybody focused and in their routine.”