Class 5A Division I Region I semifinal
2 p.m. Saturday at Abilene’s Shotwell Stadium
TV: Ch. 21, tape-delayed at noon Sunday
Playoff road: Trinity — d. Arlington Martin, 31-0; d. Lewisville, 42-17. Permian — d. Mansfield, 60-21; d. El Paso Montwood, 37-17.
Euless Trinity (11-1): Stetson Smith caught two touchdown passes and finished with four catches for 110 yards in last week’s 42-17 victory over Lewisville. Smith, a junior who is listed as a quarterback, has become Trinity’s second-leading receiver with 11 catches for 275 yards and four touchdowns in five games. The 17 points allowed by Trinity matched the points allowed in the previous seven games.
Permian (12-0): Permian fell behind 14-0 in the first quarter last week before rolling to a 37-17 victory over El Paso Montwood. QB Taylor Byrd is the team’s leading rusher (771 yards, 21 touchdowns) and an accurate passer with 2,323 yards, 20 touchdowns and only two interceptions. All but one of Permian’s victories have been by more than two touchdowns.
Trend: Trinity has beaten its 10 opponents by an average score of 36-5 since its 30-3 loss to Permian in September.
| Trinity | Category | Permian | | 32.4 | Scoring avg. | 45.3 | | 7.6 | Scoring defense | 14 | | 239.6 | Rushing avg. | 228.3 | | 106.6 | Passing avg. | 212 | | 56 | Rushing defense | 92 | | 123.1 | Passing defense | 155.1 | |
KEEP AN EYE ON …
Trinity QB Denarius McGhee
McGhee hardly resembles the player who, in his second start, stumbled in the 30-3 loss at Permian. In the last two weeks, the junior has completed 18 of 29 passes for 386 yards and four touchdowns and rushed for two touchdowns. After throwing two interceptions in the Permian game, McGhee had just one in the next 10 games.
