New Diana + Hughes Springs Eye 2-0 Starts to District 9-2A DII

New Diana Eagles (3-1, 1-0)
vs.
Hughes Springs Mustangs (4-0, 1-0)

7:30 p.m. Friday
Mustang Stadium, Hughes Springs

Coaches
New Diana: Brett Ratliff
Hughes Springs: Chris Edwards

Last week
New Diana: def. Waskom, 30-20
Hughes Springs: def. Ore City, 52-0

Next week
New Diana: vs. Ore City
Hughes Springs: at Paul Pewitt

Playmakers
New Diana

• RB Garrett Barton (50 carries, 533 yards, 2 TDs)
• QB D.D. Hill, Sr., 5-9, 160 (19 of 39, 252 yards, 3 TDs, 2 INTs; 27 carries, 233 yards, 4 TDs)
• WR Edmond Jones, Sr., 5-11, 185 (4 catches, 123 yards, 2 TDs)
• RB K.J. Jeffery (21 carries, 135 yards)
• DB DeQuailyn Hollins (3 INTs)
• LB Tim Perry (55.5 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 1 fumble recovery)

Hughes Springs

• RB Michael Martinez, Jr., 5-11, 190 (86 carries, 578 yards, 9 TDs)
• RB Fred Hopkins (18 carries, 209 yards, 2 TDs)
• QB Trenton Shelton, Sr., 5-11, 160 (9 of 15, 144 yards)
• LB Eric Berryhill, Sr., 5-9, 170 (31 tackles, three tackles for loss, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries)
• DT Kaddarian Chism, Sr., 5-10, 220 (26 tackles, four tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, six QB pressures)

Just the facts

• New Diana has already made a big improvement from last year when the Eagles finished 1-9.
• The Eagles last made the playoffs in 2009, losing 68-14 to the eventual state champion Daingerfield Tigers in the opening round.
• New Diana has been getting it done with a defense that's limited opponents to just 17.5 points per game.
• Hughes Springs hasn't had much trouble thus far, outscoring the competition 163-54. The Mustangs have buckled down on defense lately, allowing just six points total in their last two games.
• Mustangs running back Michael Martinez was held under 100 yards for the first time this season in last week's rout of Ore City.
• Hughes Springs is 37-23 under head coach Chris Edwards, whose first year on the job was 2007.

Key matchup: New Diana offensive line vs. Hughes Springs defensive front. The Mustangs defense has been dominant the last two weeks in wins over Redwater and Ore City, and stopping the run has been key in both. In its previous two games, Hughes Springs is allowing just 118.5 rushing yards per game. On Friday night, Hughes Springs will be put to the test by New Diana's Garrett Barton, who is averaging more than 10 yards per carry thus far. The Mustangs will be relying on its combination of linebacker Eric Berryhill and defensive tackle Kaddarian Chism to slow the Eagles' ground game.