Thursday night in Georgetown will be a historic one for either Lorena or Lago Vista. Lorena hasn’t been to a state title game since 1989, while Lago Vista has never been to one in its 21-year varsity football history.
Lorena has won each of its four playoff games by at least 25 points, while Lago Vista secured a tight victory over Edna in the third round before pulling away from Vanderbilt Industrial 35-21 one week ago to secure a spot in the state semifinals for the first time since 2010.
Here is what to watch for in this 3A Division I State Semifinal showdown on Thursday.
Lago Vista Vikings (10-3)
Head Coach: Craten Phillips: 7th season (43-36 record)
2021 Playoff Results
Bi-District: W 36-13 vs. Universal City Randolph
Area: W 34-0 vs. Corpus Christi London
Regional Semifinals: W 33-29 vs. Edna
Regional Finals: W 35-21 vs. Vanderbilt Industrial
Key Players
Lorena will have to keep an eye on Lago Vista’s backfield on Thursday night. Viking quarterback Bowen Stobb is coming off a big game against Industrial where he threw for 131 yards and added 106 yards on the ground. His backfield counterpart running back Logan Parsons has been just as dangerous with 697 rushing yards in the Vikings’ four playoff games.
Out at receiver, Ethan Helton had a huge game against Corpus Christi London in the second round with six catches for 117 yards, while fellow receiver Berend Kahlden had a 59-yard touchdown last week.
The Viking defense is only giving up 20 points per game, but they will have their work cut out for them against Lorena. Look for senior safety Gavin Hester to be a leader in the secondary after he racked up 17 tackles in the nail-biting victory over Edna.
Lorena Leopards (12-2)
Head Coach: Ray Biles: 30th season (198-137)
2021 Playoff Results
Bi-District: W 53-28 vs. Hitchcock
Area: W 50-6 vs. Woodville
Regional Semifinals: W 62-13 vs. Columbus
Regional Finals: W 63-28 vs. Diboll
Key Players
After losing its first two games of the season to fellow state semifinalists Franklin and China Spring, Lorena has responded in convincing fashion. On their 12-game winning streak, the Leopards have an average margin of victory of 41 points.
Their offense averages 47.9 points per game and is led by a two-headed monster at running back. Seniors Reed Michna (1,323 rushing yards, 20 touchdowns) and Rhett Hanson (1,080 rushing yards, 23 touchdowns) have just about split carries evenly on the season, but it was Hanson who was the star of the show last week with 203 rushing yards and five touchdowns against Diboll.
Alongside them, senior quarterback Ryne Abel (2,692 passing yards, 27 touchdowns) adds to the experience of the backfield.
However, his receiving corps is much more youthful. Sophomores Jadon Porter (1,107 receiving yards, 12 touchdowns), Camden Brock (525 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns), and Kasen Taylor (423 receiving yards and two touchdowns) are the three leading receivers for the Leopards on the season.
Defensively, linebacker Braylon Henry (111 total tackles, 14 TFLs), another sophomore, has been the star of the show for the Leopards.
In the trenches, defensive tackle Joe Gutshall (71 tackles, 20 TFLs) has been a frequent visitor to opposing backfields and will look to disrupt Lago Vista’s rushing attack on Thursday.
And when it comes to the Viking passing attack, cornerback Colton Dale and fellow defensive back Andrew Brittain will look to add to their team-leading four interceptions on the season.
Final Thoughts
Lorena has been on a tear since its season-opening losses and will be a heavy favorite to punch its first ticket to state in over 30 years on Thursday night in Georgetown.
However, Lago Vista has proven its ability to grind out wins after its impressive victory over Edna in the third round.
The Vikings will likely need big performances on Thursday from Stobb and Parsons out of their backfield if they are to keep up with Lorena’s high-flying offense and earn their first-ever state title game appearance.
We’ll have coverage live from Georgetown on Thursday at 7:00 so make sure to check Twitter for updates on this 3A Division I state semifinal matchup.
See the rest of the state semifinal matchups Here
