DISTRICT 17-5A

Jacksonville Indians (3-3, 0-1)

vs.

Whitehouse Wildcats (4-2, 0-1)

7:30 p.m. Friday
Wildcat Stadium, Whitehouse

Coaches

  • Jacksonville: Wayne Coleman
  • Whitehouse: Adam Cook
Last week

Next week
  • Jacksonville: vs. Ennis, Oct. 21
  • Whitehouse: at Nacogdoches, Oct. 21
Playmakers

Jacksonville

  • QB Cameron High, Sr., 5-9, 165 (40 of 68, 545 yards, 7 TDs, 4 INTs; 161 carries, 1,064 yards, 13 TDs)
  • RB/LB Vadall Johnson, Sr., 5-9, 210 (56 carries, 312 yards, 1 TD; 4 catches, 50 yards; 9 tackles, 3 for loss, 1 sack)
  • RB Dee Spencer, Jr., 5-10, 175 (22 carries, 219 yards, 3 TDs)
  • WR Camryn Franklin, Jr., 6-3, 170 (8 catches, 172 yards, 1 TD)
  • DT Taqualen Thompson, Soph. (23 tackles, 3 for loss)
  • WR William Garland, Sr., 5-9, 165 (3 catches, 115 yards, 1 TD)
  • WR Ashton Melton, Sr., 5-11, 170 (9 catches, 56 yards, 1 TD)

Whitehouse

  • QB Tanner Roach, Sr., 6-0, 170 (5 games played, 51 of 96, 714 yards, 6 TDs, 2 INTs; 23 carries, 166 yards, 2 TDs)
  • WR Zach Parker, Sr., 6-1, 190 (32 catches, 535 yards, 7 TDs)
  • LB Isaac Little, Sr., 6-0, 195 (62 tackles, 7 for loss, 2 sacks, 2 INTs)
  • CB Javier Neal, Jr., 5-10, 155 (40 tackles, 2 for loss, 5 INTs, 3 PBUs, 2 forced fumbles, 1 recovery)
  • DE Khyree Key, Sr., 6-2, 243 (47 tackles, 8 for loss, 4 sacks, 1 QB pressure, 2 forced fumbles, 2 recoveries)
  • LB Connor Clark, Sr., 5-11, 160 (38 tackles, 1 QB pressure, 4 PBUs)
  • DL Christian Owens, Jr., 6-2, 255 (35 tackles, 9 for loss, 2 sacks, 1 QB pressure)
Just the facts
  • Both Jacksonville and Whitehouse dropped opening games in District 17-5A competition last week. One team Friday will jump into the league's middle pack and one will be in an 0-2 hole.
  • This is the only District 17-5A game featuring two teams with 0-1 league records.
  • If Jacksonville wins, it will tie its win totals from the 2011, 2012 and 2014 seasons. It reached the playoffs in 2012.
  • The Indians' best campaign of the decade came in 2010, a 7-3 regular season. Tying that win mark is on the table if the team wins all four of its remaining district games.
  • Whitehouse has a 2-0 record at Wildcat Stadium this season. Jacksonville is 2-0 on the road.
  • Indians quarterback Cameron High has surpassed 1,000 rushing yards. He's on pace for 1,773 yards and 21 touchdowns through the regular season.
  • Whitehouse owns a 2-1 record against Jacksonville the past three seasons, which coincides with both teams' seniors time in high school, but the Indians won last year's meeting by a score of 29-9.
Whitehouse linebacker Isaac Little will be one of many Wildcats defenders keying on Jacksonville's quarterback.
Whitehouse linebacker Isaac Little will be one of many Wildcats defenders keying on Jacksonville's quarterback.
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Key matchup: Jacksonville quarterback Cameron High versus Whitehouse's defense.

High is responsible for 1,609 of the Indians' 2,517 total yards this season. He's particularly dangerous in the running game with 1,064 yards and 13 touchdowns.

The Indians' offense revolves around misdirection and the threat of High handing the ball off, but he has taken the ball 56.5 percent of the time this season. The passing game has only generated 25.6 percent of the team's total yards.

Naturally, Whitehouse's coaching staff will emphasize keeping eyes on High until the ball is out of his hands.

The Wildcats' defense can win the head-to-head battle with Jacksonville's offense by winning up front. It has 45 tackles for negative yardage, an average of 7.5 takedowns behind the line of scrimmage through six games.

This is a big game for Whitehouse linebackers Connor Clark and Isaac Little in addition to the defensive line at large. The defensive line, headlined by Khyree Key at 6-foot-2 and 243 pounds, needs to create holes against the opposing offensive line and the linebackers have to crash down and finish the play.

If the Wildcats contain High in the running game, they successfully take away the absolute strong point of the Jacksonville offense.

Don't be surprised if: Friday's game is a tight one.

Containing Jacksonville quarterback Cameron High is easier said than done. High and his complimenting set of running backs will be working hard for yardage, trying to keep Whitehouse's always explosive offense off the field.

Jacksonville Cameron looks for running room.
Jacksonville quarterback Cameron High.
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