Winnsboro Looks to Break Through Against Perennial Power Daingerfield

Class 2A Division I Region II
Semifinal

Daingerfield Tigers (9-3)
vs.
Winnsboro Red Raiders (8-3)

7:30 p.m. Friday
TMF Rose Stadium, Tyler

Coaches
Daingerfield: Aric Sardinea
Winnsboro: Steve Pinnell

Road to Regionals

Daingerfield

• Bi-district: def. Eustace, 58-0
• Area: def. Callisburg, 32-21

Winnsboro

• Bi-district: bye
• Area: def. Boyd, 42-13

Next week: Winner plays New Boston or Pottsboro in a 2A Division I Region II final.

Playmakers

Daingerfield

• QB Keris Alexander (108 of 196, 1,799 yards, 16 TDs, 7 INTs)
• ATH Edwin Mims (101 carries, 676 yards, 12 TDs; 42 catches, 758 yards, 8 TDs)
• WR Shawn Hooks (48 catches, 748 yards, 7 TDs)
• RB Cordarius Anderson (107 carries, 848 yards, 13 TDs)
• LB Calvin Bryant (130 tackles, 3 sacks, 20 tackles for loss, 2 forced fumbles, 2 INTs)

Winnsboro

• QB Luke Tebbetts (130 carries, 1,063 yards, 15 TDs; 17 of 35, 457 yards, 11 TDs)
• RB Dugan Winkle (83 carries, 755 yards, 5 TDs)
• RB Chris Roberts (43 carries, 402 yards, 1 TD)
• FB Ian Raper (117 carries, 583 yards, 13 TDs)

Just the facts

• Daingerfield is in the third round of the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season. The Tigers, which won three consecutive state titles from 2008-10, are 63-10 since the beginning over the '08 season.
• The Tigers defeated Winnsboro, 46-19, in the bi-district round of the playoffs last season. Daingerfield's average margin of victory in the third round of the postseason over the last four years is 38.3 points.
• Daingerfield averages 338.3 yards of offense per game, and it's balanced. The Tigers average 169 yards both rushing and passing.
• The combined record of the three teams to beat Daingerfield (Gladewater, Gilmer and New Boston) is 25-8. And seven of those losses belong to Gladewater.
• Winnsboro, after beginning the season 1-3, has won seven straight. The Red Raiders are outscoring opponents over that span by an average score of 47-19.
• Steve Pinnell is in his 14th season as Winnsboro's head coach. The Red Raiders are 95-60 during his tenure with nine playoff appearances.

Key matchup: Winnsboro running game vs. Daingerfield defensive front. The Red Raiders don't throw it much, instead relying on a deep corps of ball carriers to get things done on offense. The foursome of quarterback Luke Tebbetts along with backs Dugan Winkle, Chris Roberts and Ian Raper have combined to run for 2,803 yards and 30 touchdowns. By contrast, Tebbets has only attempted 35 passes all season, which equates into a little more than three attempts per game. However, the success of Winnsboro's ground game has yielded big plays out of the passing game. Eleven of Tebbetts' 17 completions have gone for touchdowns, and he is averaging almost 27 yards per completion. But in order for Winnsboro to hurt teams through the air, the Red Raiders must first be effective in establishing a strong running game. If Winnsboro has trouble running the ball, it could be a long night for the Red Raiders.

Don't be surprised if: Winnsboro sticks with the run as long as possible. In order for the Red Raiders to be successful, a strong rushing attack is a must. The longer Winnsboro can stick to its guns, the more likely the Red Raiders are to hang around in this one. However, that all depends on Daingerfield's offense and defense. If the Tigers are able to jump on Winnsboro early, the Red Raiders may be forced to abandon their game plan quicker than they would like. It goes without saying, but the longer Winnsboro can hang in there, the more likely the Red Raiders can pull off the upset.