OMAHA-NAPLES, Texas-Two schools, rich in football tradition, clash today.
Daingerfield and head coach Mike Waldie makes the 14-mile trip to Omaha-Naples to take on head coach Ryan Gentry and the Paul Pewitt Brahmas in a District 7-3A game.
The Brahmas (3-2, 1-0) are coming off a 35-34 overtime win a week ago against district rival Ore City. The Tigers (1-3, 0-0) are coming off a 1-point heartbreaker loss to White Oak, 29-28, two weeks ago and are looking for a win in their first district game.
"Daingerfield has good size, good speed, and are very talented," Gentry said. "The biggest deal for us defensively is to keep them in front of us. We want to control the game and not let them control it."
Thus far, the Tigers are averaging 27.0 points per game and are giving up 25.0 points per contest. Paul Pewitt averages 32.6 points per game and give up 26.4 points per outing.
"Pewitt is well coached and have good, sound schematics," Waldie said. "They are like us in that we run a lot of on-time stuff and defensively we're very sound. We both have a lot of takeaways and have a good run game."
A year ago, Daingerfield edged the Brahmas, 31-28, at Mickey Mayne Tiger Stadium. Many are expecting another nail biter.
"We are preparing to be good in all phases of the game-special teams, offense and defense," Waldie said. "We just lost our last game in all three phases. We have played good football; we just haven't played all four quarters yet."
For Coach Gentry, success comes back to a couple of fundamental practices that the Brahmas look to employ today.
"I want us to, firstly, protect the ball, and secondly, create turnovers," Gentry said. "If we can limit our turnovers, we'll be in good
shape."
Northeast Texas Schedule
Mount Pleasant at Pine Tree
Atlanta at Tatum
New Diana at Hooks
Ore City at DeKalb
Cumby at James Bowie
Grapeland at Maud
Clarksville vs. Lindsay (at Bells)