PREVIEW: Lindale at Whitehouse Has Playoff Implications

DISTRICT 17-5A

Lindale Eagles (4-5, 1-3)

vs.

Whitehouse Wildcats (5-4, 2-2)

7:30 p.m. Friday

Wildcat Stadium, Whitehouse

Coaches

• Lindale: Chris Cochran
• Whitehouse: Adam Cook

Last week

• Lindale: lost to Jacksonville, 25-15
• Whitehouse: lost to Corsicana, 27-10

Next week

• Lindale: Playoffs
• Whitehouse: Playoffs

Playmakers

Lindale

• RB Jordan Robinson, Sr., 5-10, 185 (169 carries, 751 yards, 9 TDs; 12 catches, 195 yards, 1 TD)
• WR Colton Brown, Jr., 6-0, 185 (43 catches, 517 yards, 6 TDs)
• LB Justin Little, Sr., 5-10, 170 (60 tackles, 15 for loss, 2 sacks, 4 PBUs, 4 forced fumbles)
• QB Dillon Heinaman, Jr., 6-0, 225 (97-of-168, 1,242 yards, 10 TDs, 6 INTs)
• DB Kolin McCartney, Sr., 5-9, 180 (30 tackles, 2 fumble recoveries, 1 INT, 1 PBU)
• Bryan Edwards, Sr. (82 tackles, 4 for loss, 2 sacks, 2 forced fumbles)

Whitehouse

• WR Cameron Cantrell, Jr., 6-1, 175 (46 catches, 562 yards, 6 TDs; committed to Texas Tech)
• DL Trevor Lawrence, Sr., 6-5, 245 (55 tackles, 10 for loss, 1.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble; committed to Texas State)
• DL Mitchell Melrose, Sr., 6-5, 250 (45 tackles, 11 for loss, 3 sacks, 6 QB pressures)
• RB Clayton Cook, Sr., 5-9, 175 (137 carries, 691 yards, 10 TDs; 8 catches, 120 yards, 1 TD)
• WR/DB Javier Neal, Sr., 5-10, 155 (15 catches, 249 yards, 2 TDs; 38 tackles, 2 for loss, 2 INTs, 6 PBUs)
• DL Christian Owens, Sr., 6-3, 260 (57 tackles, 19 for loss, 3 sacks, 8 QB pressures, 1 forced fumble)
• QB Jake Clemons, Sr., 6-1, 170 (101 of 177, 1,102 yards, 9 TDs, 10 INTs)
• DL Darius Trimble, Jr., 5-11, 250 (79 tackles, 14 for loss, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble, 1 recovery, 1 PBU)

Just the facts

• It is possible for Whitehouse to make the playoffs with a loss, because the Wildcats defeated Jacksonville earlier in the season. However, Lindale needs to win, as well as a Jacksonville loss, to qualify for postseason play.
• The Wildcats are averaging just 14.5 points per game in district play.
• Whitehouse has made 80 tackles per loss this season, for an average of 8.9 per game.
• Lindale is a balanced offense It has 10 rushing and passing touchdowns this season and averages 155.25 yards through the air and 134.6 on the ground.
• Colton Brown has accounted for almost half of Dillon Heinaman's yards this season (517).
• Whitehouse is 4-3 against Lindale since 2008.
• The Wildcats won last season's matchup, 28-17.

Key matchup: Whitehouse's scoring offense agains the Lindale defense. The defense has been there for Whitehouse, for the most part. It's the offense that is lacking.

The Wildcats simply haven't been able to put many points on the board in district play. It's not as if the weapons aren't there. Cameron Cantrell, a Texas Tech commit, has proven explosive at times this season. He has nearly 600 yards receiving and six touchdowns this season.

Running back Clayton Cook has been reliable. He can be counted on for about 80 yards a game. He is also the Wildcat to find the end zone the most times this season, with 11 total touchdowns.

Lindale will need to hope Justin Little, who has been there for the Eagles all year, will once again come through. He has 15 tackles for loss and has forced four fumbles. If he can get his hand on the ball and lessen the time of possession for Whitehouse, it will be huge for Lindale.

Will this be the week the Whitehouse offense has a break through? If so, it could be the end of the season for Lindale.

Don't be surprised if: Cameron Cantrell has a big game. The Tech commit has been relatively quiet of late, but expect that to change. He is capable of blowing up at any moment.

He finished with 196 yards and four touchdowns early in the season against Sulphur Springs. Although expecting that is probably wishful thinking, it isn;t out of the realm of possibility for Cantrell to have a 100-yard game.

Look for the junior to finish the season out strong at home.