Robert E. Lee's De'Havion McFarland (12) takes down North Garland's Zach Duffey during their game Oct. 23 in Garland. (Lang White | Correspondent)

Robert E. Lee coach Darrell Piske walked off the field a year ago vowing to never play another game on Halloween.

No one could blame him, considering the Fright Night the Red Raiders endured on a Thursday night in Longview. Lee suffered one of the worst losses in its history (63-7) in a contest that had been moved up a day to accommodate television.

Well, as fate would have it, Piske and the Red Raiders are again under the lights on All Hallows’ Eve.

Why?

It falls on a Friday this year.

Piske wanted his players not to think about past results or costume characters and instead focus its attention solely on Something Wicked This Way Comes to Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium — the Rockwall Yellowjackets.

Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.

Rockwall (8-0, 5-0) has terrorized opponents in the form of points on the scoreboard. The unbeaten District 11-6A leaders are averaging 50.8 points per game and a scream-inducing 60.6 in district.

The Red Raiders (4-4, 3-2) got back on the winning track last week with a 35-point win over North Garland. Lee controls its own postseason destiny, but has to win out in its remaining two games.

“They practice hard all the time, but you can tell there is a different aura around practice,” Piske said. “It kind of reminds me a little of JT week. They are not just practicing hard, but they are locked in; they are focused and sensing that they realize (what is at stake).”

Earlier this season Lee took down then-5A No. 1 and unbeaten cross-town rival John Tyler. REL has a chance to deal another unbeaten team its first setback, and that alone Piske believes gives extra motivation to an already important game.

“We told them to enjoy this week because us old guys would love to have a chance to play in big games like we keep getting to play in down the stretch here,” Piske said. “So make sure as you’re focused and working harder than you’ve ever worked in your life that you enjoy it. It’s going to be a special night with a lot of fans there and it’s homecoming against a big-time opponent.”

Rockwall defeated Rowlett — the Eagles handed the Red Raiders one of their two league losses this season — 48-21 a week ago with junior quarterback Will Reed passing for 261 yards and two touchdowns and senior running back Chris Warren accounting for 146 yards on the ground with two scores.

Lee’s defense enters this matchup allowing 238 yards per game rushing and 165 passing. After being run over by Garland (584 rushing yards), REL’s stop unit rebounded to surrender just 152 yards rushing and hold North Garland to 3 of 14 on third downs and 2 of 7 on fourth down.

“Everyone in the nation is after (Warren). He is a big, physical guy, just like his Dad who used to run for the Seahawks,” Piske said. “He’s physical, he’s fast — but they’re also balanced with Castille. And if you worry about just those two, they have other guys (out wide) who can hurt you also.”

Defensively, Rockwall is tied for the district lead with nine interceptions while the Yellowjackets are giving up 179 yards rushing and 160 passing per game. In district play, Rockwall is giving up 22.4 points per contest.

“They are really sound defensively; big up front, linebackers tackle well and secondary breaks on the ball really well,” Piske said. “We are going to have to execute and stay on blocks and really take care of the football.”

A win for Lee in this contest, depending on other results, could move the Red Raiders alone into third place in the district standings. More importantly, it would make Lee’s season finale on Thursday, Nov. 6 against Naaman Forest a virtual playoff seeding game.

A loss to Rockwall would make Thursday a must-win while also needing Garland Sachse to lose one of its remaining games.

 

Rockwall Yellowjackets at Robert E. Lee Red Raiders

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday

Where: Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium

Radio: ESPN East Texas 92.1-FM, Tyler

Records: Rockwall 8-0 (5-0 in District 11-6A); Robert E. Lee 4-4 (3-2)

Last Week’s Scores: Rockwall 48, Rowlett 21; Robert E. Lee 43, North Garland 7

Last Meeting: Rockwall 43, Robert E. Lee 33

All-Time Series: Rockwall leads 3-1

Players to Watch: Rockwall — QB Will Reed (5-11, 170, Jr.), RB Chris Warren (6-2, 230, Sr.), WR Xavier Castille (5-10, 195, Sr.). Robert E. Lee — QB Zach Hall (5-11, 181, Jr.), WR Isjuwan Barker (6-3, 186, Jr.), RB Tavon Wesley (6-1, 190, Jr.).

Quick Slant: The defenses are important and Rockwall has one of the better stop units, but frankly, this game is all about the offenses. Rockwall is averaging 60.6 points per game in District 11-6A play while Lee is putting up 45.8 points per contest. Rockwall’s combination of Reed (97-159-3, 1,703 yards and 23 TDs), Warren (143-1408, 22 TDs) and Castille (47-856, nine TDs) have been pretty much unstoppable. On the flip side for the home team, Zach Hall (1,615 yards passing, 880 yards rushing, 27 total touchdowns) has been equally as head scratching for opposing defenses to try and contain. Shootout would be an apt description of what this contest is forecasted to be. Lee coach Darrell Piske said it best a couple weeks ago when saying the way offenses are, especially in 11-6A, Lee needs to score on every possession it has. That needs to happen against the Yellowjackets, so REL can keep pace with unbeaten Rockwall or go out ahead by a touchdown or two and hold serve the rest of the game. Regardless, if this game is close in the fourth quarter, REL has shown it has the ability to keep its foot mashed on the accelerator as far as touchdowns are concerned down the stretch. This game could and probably will ultimately be decided by who has the ball last.

Quotable: — “It’s really going to come down to the defense doing their job individually, so we can all come together and stop their offense. They have very explosive weapons on the offensive side, but I feel if we will all just do our jobs, communicate and do what we are supposed to do that we are the defense that will be able to hold them down. We need to break down and tackle and get all 11 guys to the football.” — Lee senior defensive back Johnathan Wheeler.

Stadium Address: TMF Rose Stadium (12,000) — 700 Fair Park Drive, Tyler

Next Up: Rockwall at Garland, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 7 at Williams Stadium, Garland; Robert E. Lee at Garland Naaman Forest, 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 6 at Williams Stadium in Garland.