PREVIEW: Lufkin Opens 12-6A on Three-Game Winning Streak

DISTRICT 11-6A

Lufkin Panthers (3-1)

vs.

The Woodlands College Park Cavaliers (1-2)

7:30 p.m. Friday

Woodforest Bank Stadium, Shenandoah

Coaches

Lufkin: Todd Quick
College Park: Lonnie Madison

Last week

Lufkin: def. Monterrey Prepa Tec, 47-7
College Park: lost to A&M Consolidated, 19-13

Next week

Lufkin: vs. The Woodlands, Oct. 6
College Park: at Beaumont West Brook, Oct. 5

Playmakers

Lufkin

WR Malik Jackson, Sr., 5-11, 170 (21 catches, 183 yards, 3 TDs; 7 carries, 121 yards, 2 TDs; committed to Houston)
DT Carl Williams, Jr., 6-4, 288 (8 tackles, 1 for loss)
WR/DL Breylon Garcia, Jr., 6-4, 215 (8 catches, 170 yards, 1 TD)
DB Jeremiah Davis, Sr., 6-0, 180 (24 tackles, 2 forced fumbles, 1 PBU; committed to ULL)
RB Isaiah Phillips, Sr., 5-9, 185 (77 carries, 490 yards, 9 TDs; 1 catch, 11 yards, 0 TDs)
DB Savon Fields, Sr., 5-9, 168 (12 tackles)
WR Ja'Lynn Polk, Soph., 6-2, 175 (11 catches, 238 yards, 0 TDs; 1 carry, 5 yards, 0 TDs)
QB Kewone Thomas, Jr., 6-2, 190 (53 of 85, 724 yards, 6 TDs, 3 INTs; 40 carries, 134 yards, 4 TDs)

College Park

DL Austin Fox, Sr. (21 tackles, 5 for loss, 2 sacks, 3 QB pressures, 1 fumble recovery)
DB Cooper Lucas, Sr., 5-11, 183 (19 tackles, 2 for loss, 1 fumble recovery)
TE Peyton Sobosle, Jr., 6-5, 215 (9 catches, 175 yards, 2 TDs)
RB Daniel Vann, Sr., 5-10, 175 (41 carries, 156 yards, 1 TD)
QB Jake Hunnicutt, Jr., 6-1, 190 (25 of 59, 355 yards, 2 TDs, 5 INTs; 15 carries, 30 yards, 0 TDs)
RB Travis Washburn, Sr. (24 carries, 176 yards, 2 TDs; 6 catches, 69 yards, 0 TDs)
LB Haden Stark, Sr. (16 tackles, 2 for loss)
DB Adam Myres, Sr. (13 tackles, 1 PBU)

Just the facts

This is the 10th all-time meeting between Lufkin and The Woodlands College Park. Lufkin leads the series, 9-0.
College Park's first season of varsity football came in 2006.
Lufkin is averaging 38 points and 427.5 yards per game -- 230.3 rushing and 197.2 passing.
The Panthers have not won four games in a row since 2015.
Lufkin's defense is allowing 26 points and 335.8 yards per game -- 111.8 rushing and 224 passing.
College Park is averaging 15.7 points and 273.3 yards per game -- 154.3 rushing and 119 passing.
The Cavaliers have had only two winning seasons since the program began.
College Park's defense is allowing 29 points per game.

Key matchup: Lufkin rushing attack vs. College Park defensive front. The Panthers' offense has been very good in 2017, especially during their current three-game winning streak. The focal point of the offense has been the running game, which has been led by senior running back Isaiah Phillips. The Lufkin back enters Friday's District 12-6A opener with almost 500 rushing yards and nine touchdowns through his team's first four games. The successful ground attack has allowed new quarterback Kewone Thomas ease into the starting job.

When the running game is right, the Lufkin offense has the potential to be extremely explosive, and that's because of the weapons the Panthers possess on the perimeter. Senior wideout Malik Jackson, who has committed to Houston, is one of the area's most gifted slot receivers, and he leads the team in receptions by 10 catches. He's complimented by a couple of big targets in junior Breylon Garcia and sophomore Ja'Lynn Polk, who have combined for 19 catches, 408 yards, and a touchdown. Thomas has been steady at quarterback with 10 touchdowns accounted for in four games.

If College Park wishes to slow down Lufkin's offense, the Cavaliers must make sure the Panthers do not get loose in the running game.

Don't be surprised if: Lufkin continues its winning ways Friday night. Since a Week 1 loss to Longview, the Panthers have outscoring the following three opponents by a combined score of 136-69. Lufkin has also never lost to College Park in nine all-time meetings, and with the recent history of both programs, we don't expect that to change this week.

Following a 49-14 defeat to Tomball to begin the season, College Park has played in a pair of tightly contested games. The Cavaliers defeated Deer Park, 20-19, two weeks ago and fell to A&M Consolidated, 19-13, last week. Lufkin will be College Park's toughest test to date.