High School Sports

By CHRIS PARRY
Staff Writer

Robert E. Lee head coach Mike Owens wanted to test his team in non-district.

Well, there is no better test than to play the best -- as in best player in the state.

Lufkin senior defensive tackle JaMarcus McFarland is rated by rivals.com as the No. 3 recruit in the entire nation.

He will be in the building, along with the rest of the Panthers as Lufkin and Lee square off in game two of the Trinity Mother Frances Football Classic. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. today at TMF Rose Stadium.

The Red Raiders unveil an inexperienced offensive line, which earned its first stripes last week by dominating Sam Marcos in a scrimmage that REL won 17-0.

But Owens said controlling McFarland and the Panthers will be a much greater challenge.

"He's very strong, mobile; but very strong, that's his main strength," Owens said of McFarland. "He just pops you and throws people around. The guy responsible for him has to come to the party; he has to come ready to play, or he (and us) will get embarrassed.

"I don't think they are afraid of him. We'll see (tonight) if we can handle him our not. If we can't, it's going to be a long night."

Lee possesses a stout defense of its own, led by an experienced secondary and linebacking corps. The Red Raiders gave up a miniscule 85 yards passing per game during the regular season last year.

Lufkin averaged 203 yards passing per game in '07, led by then-junior quarterback Jeffrey Claybon, who threw for almost 2,000 yards and over 20 touchdowns.

REL's defense employed a bend, but don't break policy for much of last year, giving up most of its points early in games while tightening things up in the third and fourth quarters.

Owens said this will be key against Lufkin, a team he expects will battle for 48 minutes.

"You can't play good for a quarter or a half and beat Lufkin. You have to play 48 minutes," Owens said. "Whether we win or lose, we'll understand that by the end of the game. Our defense is pretty good, so I expect us to hang in there pretty good."

This will be first opportunity for junior quarterback Luke Wagner and junior tailback Da Da Brown to put their stamp as unquestioned starters. Both saw playing time last year, but Wagner came in after an injury to the starting quarterback while Brown split carries in the backfield. Wagner finished with 365 yards passing and a touchdown while Brown led the Red Raiders with 875 yards and four touchdowns.

Notes: The Lee-Lufkin game will be showcased as the "DQ Big Game of the Week" on FSN Southwest's High School Scoreboard Live show, which will air at midnight on Friday with a replay at 9 a.m. Saturday. A FSN Southwest crew will spend a portion of the day with both teams, capturing the "big game" atmosphere for the special segment.

Probable Starting Lineups

OFFENSE

LUFKIN (Spread)

-- QB-12 Jeffrey Claybon (6-2, 190, Sr.), RB-21 Tre'von Lewis (5-10, 210, Sr.), WR-9 Tra Horace (5-8, 160, Jr.), WR-8 Quinn Trimble (6-2, 175, Jr.), LT-52 Drew Alexander (6-0, 220, Sr.), LG-77 Clark Oates (6-1, 280, Sr.), C-51 Clint Chandler (5-11, 240, Sr.), RG-72 Hayden McCleskey (6-1, 235, Sr.), RT-54 Ben Honeywell (6-0, 245, Jr.), WR-15 D'adrick Lee (6-2, 215, Sr.), WR-4 Kasey Jones (5-10, 160, 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-84 Marquise Mosley.

DEFENSE

LUFKIN (4-3)

-- LE-56 Ja'Darius Dade (6-1, 220, Sr.), DT-65 JaMarcus McFarland (6-3, 280, Sr.), DT-62 Desron Williams (6-2, 240, Jr.), DE-61 Germad Reed (6-1, 220, Sr.), OLB-17 Arthur Tinz (5-10, 165, Jr.), MLB-48 Blaine McBride (5-10, 185, Jr.), OLB-5 Darrion Anderson (5-10, 175, Sr.), CB-2 Victor Price (5-11, 165, Jr.), SS-16 Corey Shy (6-0, 165, Sr.), FS-3 Carrington Byndom (6-0, 175, Jr.), CB-29 De'Marquez Freeman (5-10, 170, Sr.).

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

LUFKIN

-- K-85 Will Fenley (6-0, 170, Jr.), P-35 Hunter Byler (5-11, 210, Sr.).

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.