Lufkin Hoping to Keep it Rolling Against Giant-Slaying Pflugerville

Class 5A Division II Region II
Area Playoff

Lufkin Panthers (8-3)
vs.
Pflugerville Panthers (8-3)

2 p.m. Saturday
Merrill Green Stadium, Bryan

Coaches
Lufkin: Todd Quick
Pflugerville: George Herrmann

Next week: Winner plays Plano West-South Garland winner in a 5A Division II Region II semifinal.

Playmakers

Lufkin

• QB Tyler Stubblefield, Sr., 6-4, 205 (160 of 263, 2,749 yards, 28 TDs, 14 INTs; 85 carries, 202 yards, 6 TDs)
• ATH Key'vantanie Coutee, Soph., 5-10, 170 (22 carries, 102 yards, 1 TD; 48 carries, 656 yards, 10 TDs)
• RB Kendrick Mapp, Sr., 5-10, 175 (152 carries, 1,065 yards, 14 TDs; 12 catches, 235 yards, 1 TD)
• WR JaBryce Taylor, Sr., 6-2, 185 (75 catches, 1,295 yards, 12 TDs; committed to SMU)
• WR Jamal Jeffery, Jr., 5-10, 170 (25 catches, 498 yards, 5 TDs)
• DE Demontrai Lewis, Sr., 6-3, 215

Pflugerville

• RB Adrian Dilworth, Sr. (145 carries, 1,086 yards, 16 TDs)
• QB Blain Kruemcke, Sr. (68 of 135, 936 yards, 10 TDs, 5 INTs)
• RB Clarence Guidry, Jr. (69 carries, 375 yards, 6 TDs; 12 catches, 184 yards, 2 TDs)
• WR Caleb Horton, Jr. (15 catches, 236 yards, 3 TDs)
• RB Preston Iloka, Sr. (40 carries, 294 yards; 4 catches, 68 yards, 1 TD)

Just the facts

• The Lufkin Panthers defeated defending Class 5A Division II state champion Spring Dekaney, 35-20, last week for their first playoff win since 2008. From 2000-07, Lufkin was among the top programs in the state, compiling a 93-15 record.
• Lufkin has been outscored by a combined score of 129-56 in its three losses this season, coming against John Tyler, Longview and The Woodlands.
• The Panthers are averaging 37.6 points and 422.5 yards per game on offense.
• Lufkin and Pflugerville met previously in the area round of the 2004 playoffs. Lufkin won that one, 33-17, on its way to a state-semifinal finish.
• Pflugerville took out a giant of its own last week with its 23-20 stunner over five-time defending state champion Lake Travis.
• The offensive numbers don't compare to those of Lufkin, but Pflugerville's real strength is on the defensive side of the ball where it is allowing just 16.1 points per game.

Key matchup: Lufkin passing game vs. Pflugerville secondary. Lufkin senior quarterback Tyler Stubblefield should be entering Saturday's matchup full of confidence after his 322-yard, three-TD performance against Dekaney last week. Lufkin averaged more than 17 yards per completion a week ago, and more big plays will be needed from Stubblefield and receivers JaBryce Taylor, Keke Coutee and Jamal Jeffery in order for Lufkin to advance a round further. It won't be easy, however, against a Pflugerville defense that completely shut down Lake Travis' passing attack. Despite allowing Lake Travis quarterback Baker Mayfield to run for 126 yards and a pair of touchdowns, he only completed 13 of 25 attempts for 144 yards with an interception. Stubblefield's numbers must be much better than that if Lufkin wants to utilize its solid running game, which churned out 204 yards in last week's win.

Don't be surprised if: Each team comes out of the gate a bit slow after both came away with emotional wins the week before. Once things settle down, whichever unit plays the best between Lufkin's dynamic offense and Pflugerville's shut-down defense will decide this one. If Lufkin can dictate the tempo and score a couple of big touchdowns early, it might be hard for Pflugerville's grind-it-out offense to mount a comeback.