Fourth-Ranked Tatum’s Stingy Defense Seeks to Contain Kountze on Thursday in Lufkin

Class 2A Division I Region III Bi-District Playoff

Kountze Lions (6-4)

vs.

No. 4 Tatum Eagles (10-0)

7:30 p.m. Thursday

Abe Martin Stadium, Lufkin

Coaches

• Kountze: Tracy Franklin
• Tatum: Andy Evans

Last week

• Kountze: won 49-14 vs. Anahuac
• Tatum: won 35-23 vs. Harmony

Next week

• Winner plays Godley or Elkhart in a 2A Division I area-round playoff

Playmakers

Kountze

• ATH Grayland Arnold, Soph., 5-10 155
• QB Justin Harper, Jr., 5-10, 170
• WR Rowdy Teel
• RB Javonte Powell, Sr., 5-11, 215
• WR/DB Blake Best, Sr., 5-9, 160
• LB Ashton Whittle, Sr., 6-0, 180
• DB Deontra Morgan, Jr.

Tatum

• LB Kyshaun Smith, Jr., 6-1, 175 (123 tackles, 16 for loss, 2 INTs, 4 pass break-ups, 1 forced fumble, 1 def. TD)
• RB/LB Devon Boyd, Jr., 5-10, 175 (52 carries, 413 yards, 7 TDs; 6 catches, 123 yards, 3 TDs; 69 tackles, 17 for loss, 4 sacks, 1 INT, 4 pass break-ups, 1 def. TD)
• ATH Klifton Willis, Sr., 5-11, 180 (34 tackles, 11 INTs, 3 pass break-ups, 2 def. TDs)
• RB/LB Demetrius Hill, Sr., 5-11, 190 (41 carries, 202 yards, 6 TDs; 100 tackles, 14 for loss, 1 sack, 1 def. TD)
• DT Collin Gage, Sr., 5-11, 200 (56 tackles, 16 for loss, 3 sacks, 1 forced fumble)
• ATH Chaston Brooks, Jr. (24 carries, 184 yards, 3 TDs; 2 of 5, 52 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
• RB Jaylen Shans, Sr., 5-10, 170 (102 carries, 851 yards, 10 TDs; 7 catches, 61 yards, 1 TD)
• QB J.D. Taylor, Soph., 6-1, 175 (69 of 114, 952 yards, 11 TDs, 2 INTs; 67 carries, 378 yards, 5 TDs)
• WR Deyanta Roberson, Jr., 6-1, 175 (26 catches, 398 yards, 4 TDs)
• DB Jordan Nelson, Jr. (100 tackles, 5 for loss, 5 pass break-ups)

Just the facts

• The combined record Kountze's opponents this season is 49-49.
• The Lions did not beat a team that finished with a winning record in 2013.
• Kountze was defeated by a total of 16 points in its three district losses to Newton, East Chambers and Kirbyville.
• The Lions forfeited their season opener to Shepherd.
• Kountze is averaging 26.7 points per game, while allowing just 11.8.
• Under head coach Andy Evans, Tatum is 7-2 in playoff openers. The only losses occurred in 2008 and 2009 as a member of Class 3A.
• Tatum's average margin of victory this season is 26.8 points.
• The Eagles average 37.9 points and 338.4 yards per game.
• Tatum is holding opponents to just 11.1 points per game, but has allowed 19.6 over its last five games.
• The Eagles have run 463 plays from scrimmage on the season, 74.6 percent of which are running attempts.

Did You Know? Tatum knocked off No. 1 Kountze in the area round of the basketball playoffs last spring.