Tyler Lee Hopes To Get Ahead Of The Pack In Meeting With Garland

Garland Owls (4-2, 2-1)

Vs.

Tyler Lee Red Raiders (3-3, 2-1)

7:30 p.m. Friday

Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium, Tyler

Coaches

• Garland: Jeff Jordan
• Tyler Lee: Darrell Piske

Last week

• Garland: idle
• Tyler Lee: defeated Garland Lakeview Centennial, 41-21

Next week

• Garland: at Lakeview Centennial, Oct. 24
• Tyler Lee: at North Garland, Oct. 23

Playmakers

Garland

• RB Markeith Miller, Sr., 5-9, 205 (154 carries, 990 yards, 11 TDs)
• WR Coree Compton, Jr., 6-3, 175 (37 catches, 461 yards, 6 TDs)
• QB Luther Kirk, Sr., 6-2, 170 (55 of 102, 661 yards, 6 TDs, 0 INTs)

Tyler Lee

• LB Brandon Durman, Sr., 6-2, 230 (66 tackles; committed to Louisiana Tech)
• QB Zach Hall, Jr., 5-11, 170 (88 of 139, 1,199 passing yards, 8 passing TDs, 0 INTs, 102 carries, 646 rushing yards, 9 rushing TDs)
• RB Tavon Wesley, Jr., 6-1, 190 (53 carries, 370 yards, 3 TDs)
• RB Devonte Craver, Jr., 6-1, 173 (51 carries, 343 yards, 4 TDs)
• OL Matthew Weeks, Sr., 6-6, 275
• OL Justin Willoughby, Sr., 6-3, 285
• WR/S Isjuwan Barker, Jr., 6-1, 195 (24 catches, 408 yards, 4 TDs)
• S Patrick Udofia, Sr., 5-10, 165 (2 INTs)

Just the facts

• Tyler Lee has played Metroplex teams consistently through its history, but it has only met Garland three times.
• Each meeting was in the playoffs, and the series began in 2004.
• Tyler Lee holds a 2-1 advantage, including a win on the way to its 2004 state championship.
• The two teams are part of a four-way tie for second place in District 11-6A with 2-1 league records. Rockwall is the only unbeaten school in the eight-team group.
• Garland is a classic Texas High School program with four state championship wins and a fifth state appearance. It most recently won the Class 5A Division II title in 1999 over Katy.
• The Owls' best finish to a season since was a trip to the state semifinals in 2006, a 31-24 loss which put Cedar Hill on the map. Garland came a yard short of tying the game in the final minute.
• Tyler Lee junior quarterback Zach Hall has accounted for 1,845 yards of the Red Raiders' 4,107 yards through six games. It is very likely he will eclipse 2,000 yards as the team's quarterback and leading rusher.
• College talent will be on display. Tyler Lee senior linebacker Brandon Durman is a Louisiana Tech commitment while senior offensive tackle Matthew Weeks holds an offer to SMU. Garland defensive tackle Donovan Ransom is committed to Arkansas State.

Key matchup: Too many to name just one. For a school that has been spliced over and over again by local population growth, Garland manages to field an athletic team annually. This season, its offense headlines the show with production similar to Lee's. The Red Raiders, meanwhile, are in good position to do anything with quarterback Zach Hall running the show.

The Owls can beat teams with a two-pronged offensive attack. Running back Markeith Miller should pass 1,000 yards on the ground in the first quarter of Friday's game. He currently has 990 yards. With 154 carries under his belt, Lee can bank on seeing Miller early and often.

Forcing Garland to second guess running the ball would put Lee in great position to win the game.

However, Garland's passing capability is not something Darrell Piske's squad will want to overlook. Quarterback Luther Kirk has completed about 54 percent of his passes, but he averages 6.4 yards per attempt. That equates to about 12 yards per completion. Receiver Coree Compton is the Owls' primary receiver. In addition to six touchdowns, he has 37 receptions for more than 450 yards.

The Red Raiders can counter with their solid defensive front, headlined by Louisiana Tech bound linebacker Brandon Durman. Patrick Udofia, a senior, anchors the back end as a safety. He has two interceptions and 33 tackles through six games.

Garland will face similar challenges on defense. There's not just one way to shut down Lee's offense.

The Red Raider's offensive line is a very good group. The unit should help Hall do his thing as a true dual-threat quarterback. Junior receiver Isjuwan Barker could see a lot of touches. He's very comparable to Garland's Compton.

Running back is another strength for Lee. Tavon Wesley and Devonte Craver have nearly identical numbers. They have combined for 713 yards and seven touchdowns with reps going 53 to 51 in favor of Wesley.

Don't be surprised if: Friday's game is a well-played and tough contest. Both teams possess strengths in similar areas. The meeting will help settle a four-way tie for second place in the district, so the teams have a lot to play for. Especially with an undefeated Rockwall team and several spoilers remaining on the schedule for both sides.