Liberty-Eylau at Paris
TEAMS: Liberty-Eylau (1-4) at Paris (2-3) KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m., Wildcat Stadium. LAST WEEK: Both teams were open. LAST YEAR: Liberty-Eylau won 52-38 en route to the district championship, the Leopards' second in a row. GAME FACTS: This is the District 7-4A, Division I opener. Paris won the 2014 meeting, but L-E went on to win the district title with a 4-1 mark. The Wildcats turned to Ja'Kerion Brown to take over signal-calling for graduated Quez Allen, who accounted for over 10,000 yards of total offense in his three years as starter. Brown was a running back as a sophomore and receiver his junior year. The Leopards picked up their first win two weeks ago over Pleasant Grove, while the Wildcats have lost two in a row—to Pittsburg and Argyle. L-E is averaging 36.4 points per game and allowing 41.8, and Paris has scored 20.8 and given up 35.8 per game. Leopard running back tandem Kameron Levingston and Kevin Florence have combined for 15 touchdowns this season. Levingston has rushed for 491 yards and nine scores, and Florence 381 and five TDs, with a receivng score as well. QB Decorian Phillips has completed 60-of109 passes for 767 yards and seven TDs and rushed 40 times for 305 and five score. COACHES COMMENTS:
Paris' Steve Hohenberger—“We won't know exactly where we're at until we play Friday. We lost a three-year starter in Quez Allen, and sometimes you don't what you've got until it's gone. We've got a great athlete back there in Brown, who has had some shining moments in games this year. We just haven't found a rhythm yet.
“I don't know if we've played the schedule L-E has; it's impressive the caliber teams they've played. But Argyle is a top team. I'm excited to see what progress we've made. Rhythm and consistency has been a thorn in our side through non-district and our three losses, whether it was a false start or missed assignment, but we're going to have to execute well against good people. And L-E sure is a good team.”
L-E's Steve Wells—“Paris is athletic, like most Paris teams I've seen. They switched from running a 3-3 stack on defense to a 3-4. I'm really impressed with their inside linebacker Dre McKinney. They're athletic in the secondary, and run the spread on offense. Their quarterback is not really big, he's more of a jitterbug, running guy. We'll have to do a good job of containing him, Donovan Williams is a good running back, and they've got some receivers who are dangerous when they get the ball in their hands.”
RADIO: KMJI 93.3, 7:15 p.m. TONIGHT’S LINEUPS
(Numbers in parentheses)
Paris lineups unavailable.
LIBERTY-EYLAU OFFENSE: WR-Darian Walker (7), 175; WR-Aaron Bruce (12), 175; LT-Franklin Smith (75), 275; LG-Dewaven Rowden (61), 236; C-Cheyenne Lockhart (73), 250; RG-Trey Parker (51), 221; RT-Kylar Cooks (76), 265; QB-Decorian Phillips (2), 173; RB-Kameron Levingston (22), 175; RB-Kevin Florence (21), 183; WR-Isaiah Cross (1), 147; WR-LaDerrick Gray (5), 190; PK-Steven Goben (18), 158.
LIBERTY-EYLAU DEFENSE: DE-Rory Baugus (32); NG-Michael Lindley (40), 210; DT-Darrell Houff (66); DE-Dwayne Coleman (82); WLB-Cedric Dickerson (33); MLB-Donald Caldwell (44); SLB-Triston Brooks (16); CB-Davonta Vaughn (13); CB-Kentrell Chatmon (14); S-De’Andre Johnson (20), 195; S-Donte’ Coopwood (3); PNT-Rafael Veliz (46), 168.