Football Preview: Nacogdoches Dragons vs. Lufkin Panthers
Nacogdoches hasn't had much luck against Lufkin recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Nacogdoches Dragons are taking a road trip to square off against the Lufkin Panthers at 7:00 p.m. Nacogdoches will be strutting in after a win while Lufkin will be coming in after a defeat.
Nacogdoches is headed out to face Lufkin after opening their season at home and giving their fans just what they were looking for. Nacogdoches enjoyed a cozy 34-17 victory over Palestine on Friday. The win was some much needed relief for the Dragons as it spelled an end to their three-game losing streak dating back to last season.
Multiple players turned in solid performances to lead Nacogdoches to victory, but perhaps none more so than Trae Page, who rushed for 84 yards and a touchdown. The team also got some help courtesy of Rj Whitaker, who rushed for 61 yards and a touchdown on only five carries.
Nacogdoches' defense was in the mix too, especially the secondary: they snagged two passes before it was all said and done. The picks came courtesy of Quin'Charves Calhoun and Jabrandon Rushing. Rushing also put in work on the defensive side of the ball, picking up a sack and making nine total tackles in addition to snagging an interception. Another thorn in Palestine's side was Braylon Horton, who picked up a sack, made eight total tackles (2.0 for loss), and defended a pass.
Meanwhile, Lufkin was within striking distance but couldn't close the gap on Friday as they fell 7-3 to Longview. The loss continues a trend for the Panthers in their matchups with the Lobos: they've now lost eight in a row.
Things could have been worse for Nacogdoches, but things could have been a whole lot better as they took a 47-28 loss to Lufkin when the teams last played back in September of 2023. Can Nacogdoches avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
