High School Sports

By CHRIS PARRY
Staff Writer

Robert E. Lee head coach Mike Owens said his team was going to have to play four quarters if it was to beat Lufkin.

Never were truer words spoken.

The Red Raiders did anything and everything they wanted to Lufkin in the first half, building a 21-7 lead, only for Lufkin to turn the tables and outscore Lee 19-0 in the third quarter to win 26-21 Friday in game two of the Trinity Mother Frances Football Classic at TMF Rose Stadium.

Lee rolled up 113 yards rushing and 56 yards passing through the first two quarters. The Red Raiders accounted for 47 yards in the second half.

"We had some things going in the first half," Owens said. "(Lufkin) went in at halftime and just decided that they were going to go man up on us. We missed a few blocks here and there, and we darn sure missed some scoring opportunities."

The game turned early in the third quarter. Lufkin fumbled the ball deep in its own territory giving the Red Raiders possession at the Panther 26.

The Red Raiders moved the ball to the 10, but also burned two timeouts. On third-and-9, Wagner's pass to Joe Turner was knocked down in the end zone, setting up a 27-yard field goal attempt.

Judson Hinsley, who had been 3-for-3 on his extra points, missed just wide, giving Lufkin the ball back.

Lufkin faced a third-and-five from its own 31 when quarterback Jeffrey Claybon decided to go deep. Quinn Trimble beat the Lee defender and hauled in a 69-yard touchdown pass.

It was the first of three unanswered touchdowns Lufkin would score in the third quarter.

Meanwhile, Lee's offense went three-and-out on its remaining third-quarter drives.

"Their defense played great in the second half. I think our youth showed up a little bit in the offensive line, and we gave up two huge pass plays, and we just can't do that," Owens said.

The Red Raiders had chances to answer in the fourth quarter, but relentless pressure by Lufkin led to an interception and several sacks.

On its final opportunity with 3:14 remaining, Lee began a drive at its own 32, but then went backwards. Facing fourth-and-24 and having no timeouts remaining, Owens opted to punt the ball back to Lufkin, enabling the Panthers to run out the clock.

"It was fourth-and-40, so what were we gonna do, throw up an interception," Owens said of the call. "We just have to go back to work and get better for this week because we have another opponent just like them (coming up)."

Claybon finished with 251 yards passing and two touchdowns and rushed for 72 yards and two touchdowns. Panthers receivers Trimble and Kasey Jones each passed the century mark as Trimble caught a 69-yard touchdown and Jones grabbed a 37-yard strike.

The final result dampened a strong game by Lee junior tailback Da Da Brown, who rushed for 94 yards and a touchdown and caught three passes for 51 yards. Wagner finished with 88 yards passing and a touchdown and fullback Chase Wiley rushed for 44 yards and totaled two touchdowns.

Lee produced the perfect start, holding Lufkin on its first drive and answering with a touchdown to take an early 7-0 lead.

It was also an ideal season beginning for Brown. After being held to no gain on his first carry, Brown burst through the middle for a 35-yard run on second down. Lee continued its momentum with receiver reverses, sweeps and quick passes.

Lee pushed into Panther territory, but stalled near the goal line. On third-and-goal, Wagner dropped the snap, but quickly recovered in time to fire 2-yard touchdown strike to Wiley. Judson Hinsley converted the extra point for a 7-0 lead.

Lufkin responded just before the end of the quarter, courtesy of a 37-yard pass play from Claybon to tight end D'Adrick Lee. This moved the Panthers to the Lee 20. Two plays later on third down, Claybon got Lufkin on the board with a 12-yard keeper. The point after made it 7-7 entering the second quarter.

Lee picked up where it left off, driving 63 yards in eight plays. Brown and Wiley alternated big runs to move the Red Raiders to the Lufkin 20. Then on second-and-11, Wagner took the snap a rifled a slip screen pass to Tate for an 11-yard gain.

On first-and-goal, Wagner fumbled the snap again, and again it ended up with a Lee player picking up and putting it in the end zone. This time, Brown scooped up the ball and cruised in from 8 yards out.

The Red Raiders defense, which had stopped Lufkin for two of its first three drives, dominated the Panthers on drive No. 4 A sack by Blake Roberts, a 15-yard penalty and continual lost yards put Lufkin in a fourth and 39 from its own 4.

The 36-yard punt gave Lee great field position at the 40, and the Red Raiders took advantage to tack on a third touchdown. On first down, Wagner and Brown combined on a 28-yard screen pass. This put Lee at the Lufkin 12. Before the Panthers could catch their breath, Wiley went up the middle untouched on the next play for a 12-yard touchdown to give Lee a 21-7 lead at halftime.

Trinity Mother Frances Football Classic

Lufkin 26, Robert E. Lee 21

At Earl Campbell Field, TMF Rose Stadium

Lufkin 0 7 19 0 -- 26

Robert E. Lee 7 14 0 0 -- 21

Scoring Summary

First Quarter

REL -- Chase Wiley 2 pass from Luke Wagner (Judson Hinsley kick), 3:08

Second Quarter

LUF -- Jeffrey Claybon 12 run (Sterling Myers kick), 8:16

REL -- Da Da Brown 8 run (Hinsley kick), 4:10

REL -- Wiley 12 run (Hinsley kick), 1:00

Third Quarter

LUF -- Quinn Trimble 69 pass from Clayton (Myers kick), 5:21

LUF -- Claybon 1 run (kick blocked), 2:07

LUF -- Kasey Jones 37 pass from Claybon (pass failed), :15

Att -- 9,500

LUF REL

First Downs 14 16

Rushes-Yards 24-78 29-128

Passing Yards 251 88

Comp-Att-Int 15-23-0 9-21-1

Punts-Avg 5-35.6 4-40.2

Fumbles-Lost 2-0 5-0

Penalties-Yds 7-78 4-25

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING: Lufkin, Jeffrey Claybon 16-72, Michael Ingram 3-16, Tre'von Lewis 5-(-10); Robert E. Lee, Da Da Brown 17-94, Chase Wiley 5-44, Derell Tate 1-17, Anthony Nelson 1-6, Luke Wagner 5-(-33).

PASSING: Lufkin, Jeffrey Claybon 15-23-0 251; Robert E. Lee, Luke Wagner 9-21-1 88.

RECEIVING: Lufkin, Kasey Jones 7-104, Quinn Trimble 4-105, Tra Horace 2-16, Lee D'adrick 1-37, Tre'von Lewis 1-(-2). Robert E. Lee, Da Da Brown 3-51, Doug Franklin 2-11, Derell Tate 1-11, Nick Hardin 1-9, Joe Turner 1-4, Chase Wiley 1-2.

TMF CLASSIC: Robert E. Lee running back Da Da Brown scores against Lufkin Friday night on Earl Campbell Field at Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium.
(Staff Photo By Jaime R. Carrero)