PREVIEW: Dominant Longview Gets Prosper in Area Round

CLASS 6A DIVISION II
Region II Area Playoff

Prosper Eagles (9-2)

vs.

No. 4 Longview Lobos (11-0)

7 p.m. Saturday
Ford Center, Frisco

Coaches

Prosper: Brandon Schmidt
Longview: John King

Last week

Prosper: def. Garland Naaman Forest, 41-21
Longview: def. Copperas Cove, 70-22

Next week

Winner vs. Austin Vandergrift or Klein Collins, 6A Division II regional semifinal

Players to watch

Prosper

RB/DB Wayne Anderson, Sr., 5-10, 180 (203 carries, 1,441 yards, 18 TDs; 28 catches, 304 yards, 2 TDs)
QB Keegan Shoemaker, Sr., 6-3, 185 (153 of 246, 2,204 yards, 21 TDs, 5 INTs; 38 carries, 92 yards, 2 TDs)
OL Adam Sheriff, Sr., 6-5, 280
OL Jake Majors, Jr., 6-4, 290
LB Ananias Mayes, Sr., 6-3, 195
WR Jostein Clarke, Sr., 6-3, 178 (47 catches, 838 yards, 12 TDs)
WR Hayden Metcalf, Sr.,6-1, 165 (31 catches, 531 yards, 3 TDs)

Longview

QB Haynes King, Jr., 6-2, 185 (132 of 190, 2,605 yards, 32 TDs, 1 INT; 21 carries, 238 yards, 3 TDs; 1 catch, 20 yards, 1 TD)
WR Kamden Perry, Sr., 6-0, 180 (62 catches, 1,310 yards, 16 TDs)
RB Keilyn Williams, Sr., 5-5, 145 (132 carries, 1,064 yards, 9 TDs; 16 catches, 428 yards, 5 TDs)
S Jephaniah Lister, Sr., 5-9, 155 (72 tackles, 2 for loss, 1 sack, 4 PBUs, 1 forced fumble, 1 recovery, 2 defensive TD)
LB Ja'Vontae Writt, Sr., 5-9, 190 (81 tackles, 11 for loss, 3 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 2 recoveries)
FB Jessie Anderson, Sr., 5-11, 225 (89 carries, 678 yards, 17 TDs; 10 catches, 160 yards, 2 TDs)
DE Jaylon Allen, Sr., 6-0, 225 (31 tackles, 13 for loss, 5 sacks, 1 blocked punt)
RB Kaden Meredith, Soph., 5-9, 180 (62 carries, 556 yards, 10 TDs; 2 catches, 29 yards)

Just the facts

Prosper is averaging 39.6 points and 396.4 yards per game -- 188.5 rushing and 207.9 passing.
Eagles senior running back Wayne Anderson has accounted for 1,745 yards of offense and 20 touchdowns.
The cumulative record of Prosper's opponents is 46-59 (.438).
Prosper is allowing 24 points per game.
Longview is averaging 53 points and 520.3 yards per game -- 276.8 rushing and 243.5 passing.
Lobos running back Keilyn Williams is averaging 26.8 yards per catch.
The cumulative record of Longview's opponents is 70-47 (.598).
Longview is allowing 17.6 points per game.

Key matchup: Prosper passing attack vs. Longview secondary. Prosper's offense has been good this season, averaging almost 40 points and 400 yards per game. The Eagles are balanced as well, averaging 188 on the ground and 208 passing, which could be key in Saturday's night playoff game against Longview. Running against the Lobos has been almost impossible this season, so finding ways to move the ball through the air might be Prosper's best chance at keeping up with Longview's high-octane offense. Eagles quarterback Keegan Shoemaker has thrown for more than 2,200 yards and 21 touchdowns on the year, and he's spread the wealth to several receivers. Jostein Clarke leads the way with 47 catches for 838 yards and 12 touchdowns, but three other Eagles have at least 26 receptions this season. Prosper has a 1,400-yard rusher in Wayne Anderson, but Longview hasn't allowed much success on the ground all year, so there's no reason to think that won't continue this week.

What offense Longview allowed in last week's 70-22 blowout of Copperas Cove came via the pass. Bulldawgs quarterback Easton Simpson threw for three touchdowns, but Cove managed just a little more 100 rushing yards on the night. In the Lobos' only two close games this season, against Lufkin and Rockwall, the pass defense was susceptible to big plays. Lufkin backup quarterback Jordan Moore, in his first varsity start (on the road and on national television), passed for 181 yards and three touchdowns. Rockwall quarterback Jacob Clark threw for 344 yards and two touchdowns. Longview still won both of those games, but by one touchdown in each instance. For Prosper to have a chance, success through the air is a must.

Don't be surprised if: Crowd noise is a factor. The Ford Center in Frisco, the indoor practice facility for the Dallas Cowboys, seats 12,000 and is a compact structure. That means there isn't much room for the noise to escape. Longview has sold out its allotment of 6,000 tickets, and Prosper High School is located just 13 miles from the Ford Center. Needless to say, the environment inside will be raucous.