Pittsburg Pirates (2-2)

vs.

Palestine Wildcats (3-2)

7:30 p.m. Friday

Wildcat Stadium, Palestine

 

Coach
  • Pittsburg: Dickey Meeks
  • Palestine: Lance Angel

 

Last week
  • Pittsburg: lost 51-42 to Dallas First Baptist
  • Palestine: lost 35-28 at Athens

 

Next week
  • Pittsburg: at Paris North Lamar
  • Palestine: idle

 

Playmakers

Pittsburg

  • QB Garrett Truitt, Sr., 6-4, 190 (47 of 85, 716 yards, 9 TDs, 2 INTs; 3 rushing TDs)
  • WR/LB SirCharles Perkins, Jr., 5-8, 168 (9 carries, 70 yards; 4 catches, 65 yards, 1 TD)
  • DL Tajawin Smith, Sr., 6-1, 265
  • RB Carl Leonard (28 carries, 186 yards, 2 TDs)
  • RB DeQuaveon Douglas (18 carries, 115 yards)
  • WR/CB Jarrion Douglas, Sr., 6-0, 180
  • WR Ernando Valdelamar (13 catches, 178 yards, 3 TDs)
  • WR/DB Markevius Traylor, Sr. (8 catches, 176 yards, 3 TDs; 1 INT, 1 def. TD)
  • WR/DB Markeith Thompson, Sr. (5 catches, 99 yards)

 

Palestine

  • QB Gee Clark, Jr., 6-0, 165
  • WR/OLB Jarrell Owens, Sr., 6-3, 230 (committed to TCU)
  • OL Brian Thlang, Sr., 6-2, 290 (committed to ULM)
  • WR Sheldon Watson
  • WR Devin Lomax
  • WR Marquis Clark
  • DB C.J. Barrett
  • DL Kobe Brown

 

Just the facts
  • After winning its first three games of the season, Palestine has lost two in a row to Chapel Hill (62-27) and Athens (35-28).
  • After winnings its first two games of the season, Pittsburg has lost two in a row to New Boston (29-20) and Dallas First Baptist (51-42).
  • Palestine won last year's meeting 39-14.
  • Palestine averages 34.2 points per game and allows 34.4.
  • Pittsburg averages 36.3 points per game and allows 27.0.
  • Pittsburg's season-opening 55-14 win against Wills Point was the 150th career head coaching victory in Texas for Dickey Meeks.
  • Meeks' career head coaching record, which also includes time spent in Louisiana, is 238-175-7.
  • Palestine's Jarrell Owens is committed to TCU and also holds offers from Texas State, Texas Tech, and ULM.
  • ULM has offered three Palestine players: Owens, senior running back Ben Luckett, and senior offensive lineman Brian Thlang, who is committed to the WarHawks.
  • Palestine great and Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson joins 2000 Olympic 400-meter qualifier Sandra Cummings-Glover as inductees to Palestine's Wall of Honor at Friday night's game.
  • Palestine High School will also retire Peterson's jersey.

 

Palestine OL Brian Thlang. (Christopher Vinn, ETSN.fm)
Palestine OL Brian Thlang. (Christopher Vinn, ETSN.fm)
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Key matchup: Pittsburg's defensive front vs. Palestine's running game. Palestine's most consistent offensive weapon so far this season has been its ground game, which comes as no surprised considering the Wildcats always have the personnel to successfully run the ball.

Brian Thlang, who is committed to ULM, heads the offensive front that leads that ground game.The 6-foot-2, 290-pounder also serves as a key protector for talented junior quarterback Gee Clark, who Pittsburg cannot afford to ignore.

Clark is in his second year starting for the Wildcats. Clark has proven dangerous with his arm and his legs and gives Palestine head coach Lance Angel a dimension to his offense that can be difficult to account for.

Pittsburg DL Tajawin Smith. (Christopher Vinn, ETSN.fm)
Pittsburg DL Tajawin Smith. (Christopher Vinn, ETSN.fm)
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If senior lineman Tajawin Smith and the Pittsburg defensive front can slow down Palestine's running game, that will give senior quarterback Garrett Truitt and the Pirates' spread offenses more opportunities.

Don't be surprised if: Friday's game is a close one. While much of the festivities will center on Adrian Peterson's attendance, fans should expect an interesting contest that serves as a good final non-district tuneup for each team.

Both teams have been banged up in recent weeks, so the availability of key players will obviously be crucial for each team's success. If nothing else, Friday's game could be a fun matchup of quarterbacks who can both run and throw, which has the potential to make for an exciting game for fans.

 

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