Lancaster quarterback Derrick Cooper (12) throws the ball as Tyrell Jones (9) and Isaiah Johnson (16) apply pressure during a high school football playoff game at Mesquite Memorial Stadium in Mesquite, Texas, on Saturday, Nov. 24, 2018. JT won 22-10. (Chelsea Purgahn/Tyler Morning Telegraph)

The John Tyler Lions (9-2) and the Frisco Lone Star Rangers (10-2) meet in a Class 5A Division I regional football playoff game on Saturday in Dallas. Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. at John Kincaide Stadium, 9191 South Polk St., Dallas, 75232.

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The John Tyler offense has been a well-oiled machine much of the 2018 season.

On Saturday, the Lions’ “O” was not in tune, but the defense came through.

The defense looked like the old “Wrecking Crew” of JT lore and the offense made enough plays for a 22-10 victory over Lancaster in an area playoff game at Mesquite Memorial Stadium.

“Defensively, we did everything we needed to do to be a championship-caliber team,” said JT coach Ricklan Holmes, whose team won its eighth straight game to improve to 9-2 on the season. “Offensively, it was a bad day for us. We did some good things to sustain some drives. We also did some bad things that killed some drives. We were not quite in sync like we normally were the past few games. It is something we have to continue to work on.”

The Lions will get that chance as they advanced and will now face Frisco Lone Star (10-2), a 49-21 winner over Lufkin on Saturday in Waco.

The Lions and the Rangers will meet in a Class 5A Division II regional contest scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday at John Kincaide Stadium in Dallas.

The winner of JT and Lone Star will face the winner of the Highland Park (12-0) vs. Mansfield Timberview (7-5) contest, which is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday at the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco.

The Lions’ defense held a Lancaster team that was averaging 37.8 points per game to 10 points — an early field goal and a late touchdown.

Free safety Cameron Grant led the Lions with 10 tackles, along with an interception. Linebacker Jarrius Lane added nine stops with tackle Christian Hartsfield, linebacker Daveon Cummings and linebacker Tyrell Jones adding eight tackles each.

Hartsfield, despite suffering an early ankle injury, had two tackles for loss, while Grant, tackle Kimbrick McCaney and Ja’Bralen Yarber had one apiece.

Yarber’s tackle of running back Tre Bradford resulted in a safety that put the Lions ahead 9-3 in the third quarter.

The Lions also sacked Lancaster QB Derrick Cooper three times — one each by Jones, Isaiah Johnson and Ashton Williams.

Along with Grant, Kitan Crawford had an interception while Jones and Dyvione Patterson caused fumbles and Dareion Warren recovered a fumble.

Punter/placekicker Frankie Sanchez, No. 40 with the powerful leg, was a key for the Lions with Holmes calling him the player of the game, along with making the play of the game. 

Sanchez had nine punts for an average of 42.7 yards per kick, which included a 67-yarder. He placed two inside the 10 — one at the 4 and one inside the 1.

Of his six kickoffs, three were for touchbacks. He booted field goals of 36 and 26 yards, and two PATs for a total of eight points.

Two of his punts, one for 67 and one for 30, helped the Lions score some points.

Holmes said Sanchez flipped the field and the game with his play in the second quarter when the Lions were trailing 3-0.

Lancaster had a big rush as Sanchez stood in the end zone preparing to punt. The senior avoided two tackles, moved to his left and let loose with a 67-yard punt to the Tigers’ 23.

Two plays later, Jones stripped the ball from Tiger running back Bradford and Davieon Warren recovered at the 20 to put the Lions in business.

On the next play, quarterback Devlen Woods hit K’Lon Warren in the right flat for a 19-yard pass to the 1. Roderick Hawkins Jr. then bulled over for the TD on the following play. Sanchez booted the extra point to give the Lions a 7-3 advantage with 4:29 on the clock.

Despite being held to 85 total yards in the first half, the Lions held the lead at intermission.

In the third quarter, Sanchez’s 30-yard punt to the 4 set up Yarber’s tackle of Bradford in the end zone for the safety.

Holmes said the Lions will work on the offense this week in preparation for the Rangers.

“They practice to win, too,” Holmes said of the Lancaster defense. “They were doing some things on the defensive side of the ball that was giving us problems. It was also some things we did on the offensive side of the ball that gave us problems.”

FRISCO LONE STAR

The Rangers are runners-up of District 5-5A, finishing second behind Lewisville The Colony. They have lost two games this season, 10-7 vs. Highland Park and 21-14 vs. The Colony.

Against Highland Park, Hudson Clark, a starting corner for the Scots and their backup kicker, hit a game-winning field goal with one second left.

Frisco Lone Star averages 33.4 points per game, while giving up 9.9. 

The Rangers are led by junior quarterback Julian Larry, who can run and pass. He started 14 games at cornerback last year when Lone Star made it to the quarterfinals.

Larry, the starting point guard on the basketball team, has hit on 133 of 229 passing attempts for 2,086 yards and 22 TDs with seven interceptions. The 6-2 speedster has rushed for 693 yards and nine TDs on 142 attempts.

Lone Star began playing football in 2010. The Rangers have been to the playoffs six times and won three straight district titles before finishing second this season.

This will be the first meeting between JT and Frisco Lone Star. The Lions did play two Frisco schools during the 2012 playoffs, defeating Frisco 45-28 in regionals and Frisco Centennial 38-24 in the quarterfinals.

Lone Star reached the 2015 5A Division II finals, falling to Cedar Park 22-6. The Rangers made it to the quarterfinals last year, falling to Mansfield Legacy (24-20) after wins over The Colony, Lucas Lovejoy and Waxahachie.