CLASS 6A DIVISION II
Area Playoff

Dallas Jesuit Rangers (7-4)

vs.

Longview Lobos (10-1)

4 p.m. Saturday
Kincaide Stadium, Dallas

Coaches

  • Jesuit: Brandon Hickman
  • Longview: John King

 

Last week

 

Next week

  • Winner faces either Round Rock Stony Point or Klein Collins, regional semifinals

 

Playmakers

Jesuit

  • RB EJ Smith, Soph., 5-11, 190 (183 carries, 1,170 yards, 24 TDs; 35 catches, 536 yards, 7 TDs)
  • QB Parker Towns, Sr., 6-3, 201 (219 of 310, 3,133 yards, 24 TDs, 5 INTs; 58 carries, 437 yards, 11 TDs)
  • WR Fletcher Rosenbleeth, Sr., 5-8, 165 (83 catches, 1,463 yards, 10 TDs; 2 carries, 23 yards, 1 TD)
  • ATH Matthew Priddy, Jr., 5-11, 165 (79 carries, 571 yards, 7 TDs; 47 catches, 702 yards, 3 TDs)
  • LB Nicky Prendergast, Sr., 5-11, 175 (28 tackles, 11 for loss, 5 sacks, 2 PBUs)
  • LB Tommy Roy, Soph., 6-1, 190 (51 tackles, 9 for loss, 1 sack, 1 PBU, 1 forced fumble, 1 recovery)
  • DB Jack Barton, Soph., 5-10, 155 (41.5 tackles, 2 for loss, 4 INTs, 5 PBUs)

 

Longview

  • TE Jaylin Brown, Sr., 6-3, 205 (22 catches, 491 yards, 7 TDs)
  • QB Haynes King, Soph., 6-3, 170 (82 of 156, 1,422 yards, 11 TDs, 5 INTs; 13 carries, 110 yards, 1 TD)
  • RB Keilyn Williams, Jr., 5-5, 145 (137 carries, 836 yards, 12 TDs; 7 catches, 138 yards, 1 TD)
  • WR Kamden Perry, Jr., 6-0, 165 (27 catches, 368 yards, 1 TD)
  • DB Jephaniah Lister, Jr., 5-9, 155 (88 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 INTs, 3 PBUs)
  • DB Jalen Carr, Sr., 5-10, 150 (38 tackles, 9 INTs, 1 PBU, 3 blocked kicks)
  • DL JC Blakemore, Sr., 5-11, 220 (57 tackles, 15 for loss, 7 sacks, 2 PBUs, 3 fumble recoveries)
  • WR A'Darius Carter, Sr., 6-4, 205 (21 catches, 417 yards, 3 TDs; 26 carries, 148 yards, 10 TDs)

 

Just the facts

  • The cumulative record of Longview's 2017 opponents is 67-48 (.583).
  • Longview is averaging 41.3 points and 395.2 yards per game -- 213.6 rushing and 181.6 passing.
  • Lobos senior A'Darius Carter has scored 13 touchdowns this season on 47 offensive touches.
  • Longview is allowing 16.9 points per game, and has forced 27 turnovers -- 16 interceptions and 11 fumbles.
  • The cumulative record of Jesuit's 2017 opponents is 56-60 (.483).
  • Jesuit is averaging 46.9 points and 551.3 yards per game -- 254.6 rushing and 296.6 passing.
  • Rangers sophomore running back EJ Smith is the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer and Dallas Cowboys great Emmitt Smith.
  • Jesuit is allowing 38.5 points per game, and has forced 14 turnovers -- six interceptions and eight fumbles.

 

Key matchup: Jesuit rushing attack vs. Longview defensive front. The Longview Lobos will square off with the best offense they've faced all season when they meet Dallas Jesuit on Saturday evening. The Rangers average 47 points and more than 550 yards of offense per game, and are coming off their best performance of the season last week. In Jesuit's 79-55 bi-district win over Garland Lakeview Centennial, it erupted for 776 yards, including 441 on the ground.

Longview DL JC Blakemore. (© Rob Graham, ETSN.fm)
Longview DL JC Blakemore. (© Rob Graham, ETSN.fm)
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Jesuit's running game is led by sophomore running back EJ Smith, the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer and former Dallas Cowboys great Emmitt Smith, who has run for more than 1,100 yards and 24 touchdowns in 2017. He put up 179 yards and two scores in last week's win. But he's not alone as Rangers quarterback Parker Towns is also a threat with his legs. He enters Saturday's game with 437 yards and 11 touchdowns rushing, and is coming off a performance that included 155 yards and four touchdowns on only nine rushing attempts.

Longview's defense has carried the team during stretches this season, while the offense was dealing with injuries and uncertainty at the quarterback position. And perhaps the best part of the Lobos' defense is its pass defense with 16 interceptions and 38 quarterbacks sacks as a team. Assuming Longview will continue to play well against the pass, controlling the Jesuit ground game would almost assuredly result in a Lobos win.

Don't be surprised if: Longview racks up a season-high in rushing attempts. The Lobos average 34 carries per game this season, but with Jesuit's explosive offense looming large, expect that number to drastically increase this week. Longview has only registered more than 40 rushing attempts in a game three times this season, and it hasn't done so since Week 5 against Tyler Lee. Lobos sophomore quarterback Haynes King has gotten better each week since taking over as the starter, but an effective rushing attack with volume could make a really big difference Saturday.

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