Lufkin Gets Revenge on Beaumont West Brook, 50-7

[By JOSH HAVARD, Special to ETSN.fm]

BEAUMONT -- Just a season ago, the Lufkin Panthers surrendered 70 points at home to the Beaumont West Brook Bruins in a seven-point loss. In the rematch Friday night, the clock read all zeroes before West Brook even put a dent in the scoreboard.

Using a hard-hitting defense that had its best performance of the season and an offense that lit up the scoreboard, the Panthers took a pivotal win inemphatic fashion fashion, rolling to a 50-7 win over the Bruins.

Lufkin allowed a total of 135 yards on the night with more than half of that coming in the final minute after the starters had been removed from the game. West Brook didn't score until Marcus Johnson found Bralin Simon for an eight-yard touchdown on an untimed play that ended the game.

For the game, West Brook was held to negative-15 yards on 25 carries.

The Panthers' offense held up its end of the deal in scoring seven touchdowns while punting three times and not turning the ball over.

Isaiah Phillips led the way with 135 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries and Tre Grant had 56 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries.

Kewone Thomas threw for a pair of scores and ran for another.

In the opening half, a determined Lufkin defense stole the show in front of the pro-West Brook crowd in two quarters of domination.

Holding West Brook to a total of 73 yards, Lufklin also forced three turnovers in racing to a 30-0 lead.

The Panthers got on the board first when it elected to go for it on fourth and two. Isaiah Phillips got that and more, racing untouched for a 34-yard touchdown that gave the Pack a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter.

A West Brook miscue gave the Pack two more poiints as a snap got past the quarterback and went through the back of the end zone to make the score 9-0 early in the second quarter.

Lufkin tacked on a touchdown when Kewone Thomas hit Breylon Garcia for a seven-yard touchdown that made it 16-0 early in the second quarter.

The Panthers' defense played a key role in setting up the offense once again as it recovered a fumble at the West Brook 21.

The Panthers took advantage with Malik Jackson making a nice 16-yard touchdown grab from Thomas that made it a 23-0 ballgame.

Fittingly, the Pack's defense made the highlight of the first half with Jerrin Johnson stepping in front of a West Brook receiver before picking off the pass and tight roping down the sideline for a 25-yard interception return that made it 30-0 with four minutes left in the second quarter.

The Panthers' defense followed with another stop before the offense ran out the clock, sending Lufkin into the break with a 30-poinit lead.

In the opening half, West Brook lost a total of 25 yards on 12 rushes. Through the air, West Brook completed just 12-of-25 passes for 98 yards.

Lufkin was led by Phillips, who ran for 67 yards and a touchdown on 10 rushes. Thomas added pair of passing touchdowns.

That domination carried over into the second half.

It only took Lufkin four plays to score in thie third quarter as Phillips took a handoff and raced 45 yards to the end zone, upping the lead to 37-0.

That lead ballooned to 43-0 with 4:02 left in the third quarter when Thomas snuck in for a one-yard touchdown.

The Panthers made it an even 50-0 with a five-minute drive that culminated with a one-yard touchdown run from Tre Grant early in the third quarter.

West Brook finally got on the board after the clock hit all zeroes. Thanks to a Lufkin facemask penalty on the last play of regulation, the Bruins were rewarded with an untimed down and they took advantage with Marcus Johnson hitting Bralin Simon for an eight-yard touchdown that made the final 50-7.

Lufkin will be back in action on Friday night when it hosts Oak Ridge for homecoming.