Gladewater Seeks Back-To-Back Playoff Wins When Bears Face Atlanta in Regular-Season Rematch

Class 3A Division II Region II
Area Playoff

Gladewater Bears (5-6)

vs.

Atlanta Rabbits (7-4)

7:30 p.m. Friday

Lobo Stadium, Longview

Coaches

• Gladewater: Jerrod Baugh
• Atlanta: Matt McClure

Last week

• Gladewater: won 48-0 vs. Canton
• Atlanta: won 46-15 vs. Emory Rains

Next week

• Winner plays Gainesville or Bonham in a 3A Division II regional semifinal

Playmakers

Gladewater

• DT Daylon Mack, Jr., 6-2, 310 (committed to Texas A&M; 79 tackles, 26 for loss, 4 sacks, 8 forced fumbles, 2 recoveries, 1 pass break-up, 1 blocked, 1 safety)
• RB James Reese, Jr., 5-9, 155 (167 carries, 1,172 yards, 9 TDs; 8 catches, 115 yards, 2 TDs)
• FB Justice Centers, Soph. (121 carries, 831 yards, 8 TDs; 23 catches, 252 yards)
• RB Marcello Jackson, Soph. (94 carries, 528 yards, 4 TDs
• RB Darnell McKnight, Fr. (42 carries, 272 yards, 2 TDs)
• QB Nick Canaguier, Jr., 5-10, 140 (67 of 132, 865 yards, 5 TDs, 10 INTs; 41 carries, 170 yards, 4 TDs)
• DB Daylon "Duke" Gordon, Jr., 5-10, 155 (99 tackles, 5 for loss, 2 forced fumbles, 2 recoveries, 1 INT, 8 pass break-ups)
• DL Kenneth Gossett, Sr., 5-7, 165 (39 tackles, 8 for loss, 5 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, 3 recoveries, 1 safety)

Atlanta

• QB Chase Musgrove, Jr., 5-10, 175
• RB DeQuan Allen, Jr.
• DE Kenneth Houff, Sr., 6-2, 195
• DT Gerald Andrews, Sr., 6-2, 250
• ATH Damien Lawson, Sr.
• DB Nigel Johnson, Sr.
• LB Cameron Schultz, Jr.
• WR Eddrick King, Jr.

Just the facts

• Gladewater is averaging 24.9 points and 359.5 yards per game.
• In the last two games, the Bears have scored 97 points and averaged 525 yards.
• Gladewater has run 634 plays from scrimmage for an average of 6.2 yards per snap.
• The Bears are in the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 2001.
• Gladewater needs two more wins this season to post its first winning season since 2008.
• The Rabbits are averaging 33.2 points per game, while the defense allows 27.3.
• Atlanta has won four of its last five games, outscoring opponents by an average score of 40-18.
• The cumulative record of the four teams Atlanta lost to this season -- Gilmer, Gladewater, Paris and Liberty-Eylau -- is 27-17.
• The average margin of victory in Atlanta's four losses was 21.5 points.

Did You Know? Gladewater junior defensive tackle Daylon Mack, who has committed to Texas A&M, has rushed for six touchdowns this season. ... Atlanta and Gladewater have met 13 times since 1962, which includes three playoff meetings. Atlanta leads the series over that span, 7-6. ... Gladewater and Atlanta met during the regular season with the Bears taking a 46-34 home win on Sept. 21. ... Since its 2003 3A D-II championship, Atlanta is just 33-69 with no winning seasons.