Football to visit Kaufman for first round of playoffs

Benjamin Nopper, Section Editor • November 15, 2018

Jahi Rainey celebrates after a touchdown against Frisco.

After missing out on claiming home field advantage a week ago, the football team (7-2 overall, 6-2 district) will be forced to hit the road to take on the Kaufman Lions (7-2, 6-2) in the first round of the District 5A Region II playoffs tomorrow at 7 p.m.

Assistant coach Dustin Gunter said his team has the opportunity to bounce back against a hungry Kaufman squad.

“They just moved up to 5A, and we’ve been telling our guys all week that it’s a small town environment,” Gunter said. “They’re trying to make a name for themselves with a win in the first round.”

The Lions will look to defend their home den after winning five of their last six regular season games. The only two blemishes on Kaufman’s record come in the form of losses to Corsicana and Royse City, though both of those contests were only lost by a combined 13 points. Senior quarterback Trey Collier has passed for 1,030 yards on the season with 13 passing touchdowns and nine rushing touchdowns, while senior running back Kev’on Butler is averaging eight yards per carry to complement seven touchdowns thus far.

Kaitlin Anderson
The Leopards and Lions each average over 30 points per game on offense.

Senior defensive lineman Luke Stine said the Kaufman offense is predicated on establishing the run game.

“Their offense is a running offense,” Stine said. “Our goal is to stop the run and make sure the quarterback does not escape the pocket.”

On the other side of the ball, the Lion defense varies its looks, according to senior wide receiver Jacob Terwilliger.

“They mix it up quite a bit,” Terwilliger said. “We are going to find ways to spread them out and attack the middle of the field.”

Terwilliger was a catalyst for the Leopards’ offensive success last week, as the wideout notched 200 yards in the air in addition to two touchdowns. Senior quarterback Carson Collins accrued 521 passing yards and three touchdowns, but the 34-16 deficit at halftime proved to be insurmountable, though the Leopards had a chance to score and win the game on their final drive.

If the Leopards were to knock off Kaufman tonight, they would face the winner of tonight’s matchup between the first-ranked team in the 5A Division II, Aledo, and Seagoville in the second round of the playoffs.

About the Contributors

Benjamin Nopper, Section Editor

After joining staff and becoming an editor his sophomore year, Benjamin Nopper is enthusiastic to spend his senior year in the newsroom he considers to be his home away from home. Benjamin walked into room E103 two years ago feeling overwhelmed by the pressure of the unknown‒writing for an award-winning publication without much previous experience. Hundreds of articles and dozens of close relationships later, he now understands that writing enables an individual to have a meaningful impact in his community. A disciple of his former boss, Nick Smith, Nopper retains his position as sports editor for the third consecutive year while also contributing as an opinion writer. However, if it were up to him, he would run his own satire department. Outside of the newsroom, Nopper plays baseball and serves as an FCA leader. Nopper is also a member of Student Council, NHS and Spanish Club. He enjoys embarking adventures with his three dogs, spending afternoons on the golf course, and feeding his unhealthy coffee obsession. Nopper also loves to watch Impractical Jokers, the show that admittedly inspires some of his lighthearted interactions with his friends. Upon graduating, Nopper intends to study business and eventually attend law school.

Grace Nguyen, Section Editor

Fueled daily by three iced vanilla coffees, standing at 5’2”, Grace Nguyen will walk into the E103 door with no problem. Grace is entering senior year, and the only reason she is believed to have survived high school is because of the napping couch in the photography studio. During her time on staff, Grace has been to almost every football game, win or loss, and wouldn’t have changed a thing. Yes, Grace has been tackled by football players, run over by coaches, and body slammed by referees. Nonetheless, Grace will confidently walk on the field this year, bruises and all, alongside her sideline media team. Stepping outside the newsroom, which is rare, Grace enjoys playing softball, hanging out with family and friends, and finding excuses to go to every $3 Pazookie Tuesdays at BJ’s. After high school, Grace hopes to pursue a career in sports photojournalism, so watch out for her still getting run over by athletes on ESPN in the years to come. Although it’s bittersweet to leave newspaper upon graduation, Grace is thankful for all the opportunities that she’s had on staff. Through The Red Ledger, Grace created long-lasting friendships and won a lot of awards that she never imagined was possible. Grace hopes that current and future staffers will think of this national-award-winning publication the same way as she did–a second family and their home away from home.