Lufkin Explodes In Second Quarter For Convincing Win Over Corsicana

[Josh Harvard, Special to ETSN.fm]

LUFKIN - The Lufkin Panthers didn't need a coin flip this time. A week after the flip of a coin gave them a win over the Ennis Lions, the Panthers did the talking with their play on the field.

Kordell Rodgers threw for 207 yards and two touchdowns while running for 104 yards and a touchdown as the Panthers rolled to a 38-10 win against the Corsicana Tigers at John Outlaw Memorial FIeld at Abe Martin Stadium.
After heavy rains hit the area early Saturday morning, the conditions were clear for Lufkin (6-3, 5-1) in its home finale. Then, after giving up the first seven points of the game, the Panthers reeled off the next 31 points on their way to a convincing win.

D'Hailon Phillips caught six passes for 87 yards and a touchdown while Khalil Brown ran for 70 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries.

For the game, Lufkin racked up 424 yards of offense.

The Panthers were just as good on the defensive side where they allowed just three points over the final three and a half quarters. For the game, Corsicana (6-3, 3-3) was held to a total of 234 yards.

Kishawn Kelley threw for 137 yards on 12-of-27 passing with no touchdowns and three interceptions. He also led the Tigers in rushing with 51 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries.

Corsicana's biggest highlight of the first half came early on when Reggie Coleman intercepted Rodgers' second pass of the game. The Tigers took advantage five plays later with Kishawn Kelley scoring on a 22-yard run that gave them their only lead of the game, 7-0.

The Panthers answered less than three minutes later with Rodgers hitting D'Hailon Phillips in the corner of the end zone for a 9-yard score and a 7-7 tie.

Lufkin took the lead for good early in the second quarter as Rodrigo Molina booted a 30-yard field goal to put the Pack on top 10-7.

That lead grew to 17-7 when Dalvin Smith powered in from two yards out. Rodgers kept the drive alive with an 11-yard run on 3rd-and-eight that set up the score on the next play.

The Panthers' lead continued to grow on Lufkin's following drive. After Rodgers had a long touchdown run taken off the board due to a holding call, Phillips took a short pass from Rodgers and sprinted 25 yards for a touchdown.

Lufkin's Ariel Olvera came up with an interception and returned it for a score, although it was taken off the board due to an illegal block. But Rodgers scored on a five-yard run three plays later to give the Panthers a 31-7 lead.

Corsicana ended the Panthers' string of 31 straight points on a Jesus Barreto 33-yard field goal on the final play of the first half, making it 31-10.

In the opening half, Lufkin put outgained Corsicana 271 yards to 132 yards with Rodgers accounting for 250 yards and three touchdowns. That included 104 rushing yards and a ground score.

In the second half, Lufkin coasted to the win, using its ground game to wind out the clock.

Brown provided the final score of the night by scoring on a 36-yard touchdown run with 3:49 left in the third quarter that made it 38-10.

LaVonte White helped keep Corsicana out of the end zone in the second half by picking off a pass near the goal line. Javeon Johnson added another interception for the Panthers.

Lufkin will return to the field for the regular season finale on Friday night when it travels to Jacksonville.

Corsicana will host Ennis in its regular-season finale on Friday.