High School Sports

By CHRIS PARRY
Staff Writer

Robert E. Lee and Dallas Kimball have endured horrendous starts to their respective seasons. Both teams are 0-2, been held scoreless for at least six of their eight quarters of play and combined for numerous turnovers in the losses.

One team will get its first win of 2008 as Lee and Kimball clash today at 7:30 p.m. at Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium.

Despite the winless beginnings for Kimball and Lee, neither can be characterized as playing a "soft" schedule. The Red Raiders were stopped 26-21 by No. 10 Lufkin and were blanked 21-0 at Longview, ranked No. 8 in Class 4A.

In the loss to Longview, Lee committed five turnovers, four of which occurred in the second half and enabled the Lobos to break open a 0-0 halftime score.

Lee senior quarterback Luke Wagner finished 4-of-12 passing for 67 yards and three interceptions, one of them returned for a touchdown. Senior tailback Da Da Brown, a week after rushing for almost 100 yards and a touchdown in the loss to Lufkin, was held to 34 yards on 19 attempts.

The offense sputtered throughout, but head coach Mike Owens believes the turnovers played the biggest role in the overall defeat.

"You can't beat anybody if you turn the ball over five times and they don't," Owens said. "Our goal (this week) is to not give the other team the opportunity to make plays because of some mistake we've made."

Similarly, Kimball has lost to perennial playoff teams Garland and Dallas Skyline. Last week against Skyline, the Knights were limited to 54 total yards and six first downs with three lost fumbles and an interception returned for a touchdown.

"Their offense is very comparable to ours," Owens said. "Their defense plays great, as long as they can, and then their offense turns the ball over.

"They'll handoff to (Desmond Baker) and he'll gash somebody for 20 yards, and then they'll come back the next play and have a handoff exchange fumble or quarterback exchange, kind of like us."

Dropped snaps have plagued Lee in its games. The first two turned into fortuitous touchdowns, but the five since have stalled drives and yielded two lost fumbles.

Owens said both the center and quarterback are to blame.

"If your center is stepping (because he has to block someone quickly coming up the middle), sometimes he's snapping it as he's running, and that causes a problem," Owens said. "But it isn't just the center, believe me. The only thing you can do to correct it is to work on it over and over and over."

Kimball's offense is led by Brandon Rhodes, who has rushed 17 times for 79 yards. Baker has totaled 12 carries for 54 yards. Quarterback Daidian Kelley has completed just four passes, but all of them have gone for 10 yards or more. His top receiver, Davion Green, has two catches for 23 yards.

Lee's defense in two games has been able to take away one facet from its opponents.

Lufkin and Longview have enjoyed success passing (Panthers 251 yards and two touchdowns) or running (Lobos finished with 223 yards and two scores). But in comparison, Lufkin could only manage 68 yards rushing while Longview had just 19 yards passing.

When Lee and Skyline met last year in Dallas, points were at a premium as REL emerged with a 3-2 victory.

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Probable Starting Lineups

OFFENSE

DALLAS KIMBALL (I-Formation)

-- QB-15 Daidian Kelley (6-0, 180, Sr.), FB-22 Desmond Baker (5-10, 185, Sr.), RB-11 Brandon Rhodes (5-11, 175, Sr.), WR-8 Tramon Robinson (6-0, 180, Sr.), TE-88 Davion Green (6-3, 235, Sr.), LG-77 Jason Ortegon (6-0, 280, Jr.), C-54 Jermey Carranza (6-0, 220, Jr.), RG-66 Isiah Norton (6-2, 265, So.), RT-79 (6-1,250), WR-6 Kenneth Penny (5-10, 165, Jr.).

ROBERT E. LEE (Multiple) -- QB-9 Luke Wagner (6-2, 186, Jr.), FB-28 Chase Wiley (5-9, 165, Sr.), TB-1 Da Da Brown (5-8, 163, Jr.), WR-19 Joe Turner (6-1, 180, Sr.), WR-15 Derell Tate (5-11, 165, Sr.), LT-73 Derrick Dunn (6-2, 280, Jr.), LG-64 Nathan Yost (6-1, 200, Sr.), C-56 Hunter Hogan (6-2, 295, Sr.), LG-60 Brandt Martin (5-9, 215, Sr.), LT-72 Thomas Lacey (6-2, 285, Jr.), TE-12 Doug Franklin (6-2, 220, Sr.), WR-15 Derell Tate (5-11, 165, Sr.).

DEFENSE

DALLAS KIMBALL (3-4)

DE-72 Demario Jackson (6-1, 260, So.), NT-55 Anthony Gipson (5-11, 240, Sr.), DE-99 Jomo McDuff (6-3, 245, Sr.), MLB-33 Dontay Livingston (5-11, 233, Sr.), MLB-80 Lemuel Crosby (6-2, 235, Sr.), OLB-18 Chris Moten (6-2, 190, Sr.), OLB-86 Ladarrius Blanton (6-2, 185, Sr.), CB-2 Quiameron Washington (6-0, 160, Jr.), SS-23 Dimirius Love (5-9, 190, Sr.), CB-7 Brandon Cox (6-0, 170, Sr.), FS-4 Kendrick Hampton (6-0, 170, Jr.).

ROBERT E. LEE (3-4) DE-45 Simmon Blaylock (6-3, 195, Sr.), NT-56 Hunter Hogan (6-2, 295, Sr.), DE-43 Reggie Taylor (6-1, 217, Sr.), OLB-31 Hunter Glaske (6-2, 200, Sr.), MLB-42 Matt Monigold (6-0, 190, Sr.), OLB-33 Blake Roberts (6-3, 210, Jr.), Rover-8 Junior Cain (5-9, 180, Sr.), SS-38 Jordan Aubrey (5-11, 180, Sr.), CB-5 Trey Smith (5-11, 178, Sr.), CB-37 Josh Aubrey (5-11, 180, Sr.), FS-4 Chris Dinkins (6-0, 191, Sr.).

SPECIAL TEAMS

ROBERT E. LEE

-- DS-54 Jimmy Landes (So.), K-34 Judson Hinsley (5-8, 180, Sr.), P-32 Brady Jones (6-0, 168, Jr.), KR-15 Derell Tate (5-11, 165, Jr.), KR-1 Da Da Brown (5-8, 163, Jr.), PR-15 Derell Tate.