DIV. II REGION II-2A BI-DISTRICT: MILDRED VS. LONE OAK, 7:30 P.M. FRI., CANTON

By Raymond Linex II

The numbers from last year are painful to revisit. Three turnovers. Seven first downs. Twelve penalties.

Zero points.

The good news for Mildred is Patrick Harvell doesn’t need one of those Men in Black pens to wipe memories. Two-thirds of this year’s team wasn’t around for last season’s 41-0 bi-district loss to Lone Oak.

The two teams meet again at 7:30 p.m. Friday in Canton in a rematch of last year’s laugher.

“This is really a totally new bunch of kids for us,” said Harvell, whose 6-4 club has won five straight. “Many of the kids that are playing with us this year didn’t play in that game.”

As much as a year has changed things for both clubs, so has the very recent past. Lone Oak (8-2) was cruising in District 13-2A, undefeated until last week’s 35-7 loss to Caddo Mills. It left the Buffaloes in a three-way tie for the title with Caddo Mills and Winnsboro, just like last season.

But, Lone Oak will not have its full arsenal Friday. The Buffaloes lost several players to a positive drug test, unknown variety or number of athletes, for 30 days, the Greenville Herald-Banner reported last week.

“They’re still a very good football team,” Harvell said. “They went 8-2 for a reason.”

The Buffaloes are still sound offensively, almost lethal with an array of screen passes, he said. Defensively, their front seven is as good last year’s that limited the Eagles to 140 total yards.

Another difference will be weather. Last year, it was windy and bitterly cold. This Friday, it should be another spring-like evening.

Mildred had one critical turnover in last year’s game that was definitely weather-aided, when a screen pass was pushed behind the line of scrimmage by a strong north wind, and Lone Oak’s Trenton Overly scooped it up and went 50 yards for a 20-0 lead in the first half.

The Eagles have preached the importance of turnovers this season, along with field position and ball control, and it’s worked, getting them to this point. Now, they must make sure of another key element to record the program’s first playoff win since 2000.

“We have to take advantage of opportunities,” Harvell said.

The Eagles did not do that a year ago, almost seeming to relish the postseason trip rather than seize upon it. It happens to teams unaccustomed to playoff success.

This team doesn’t have a player that knows what a playoff win in football feels like. Then again, it only has a handful that know what a 41-0 shellacking feels like.

And it has the past five weeks as a strong foundation to build upon.

“I don’t know that I have ever been involved with a team that has faced and overcome as much adversity as this one,” Harvell said. “We’re not going to face anything that will throw us off track. …

“It’s just a mindset. Our kids believe we can win this ballgame.”

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Mildred vs. Lone Oak

Division II Region II-2A Bi-district Playoffs

7:30 p.m. Friday (106.9FM The Ranch, www.1069theranch.com)

At Canton

RECORDS: Mildred is 6-4 and co-champion in District 14-2A. Lone Oak is 8-2 and tri-champion in District 13-2A.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Mildred: L Drew Burnett, RB/DL Payton Weaver, QB/FS Daniel Folsom, WR/CB/K Trevor Owen. Lone Oak: WR/DB Trenton Overly, TB/DE Devonta Cooper, QB Trevor Lasseter, K Michael Cano.

UPDATE: This is a rematch of last year’s bi-district meeting, won by Lone Oak, 41-0 … Mildred is coming off a 38-7 win over Rice, the Eagles’ fifth in a row … Mildred’s five-straight playoff appearances are best in the Golden Circle by three years … Folsom did not start last week, but finished with 135 yards and 3 TDs, his third 100-yard game of the season … Mildred has not given up a point in 6 of its last 8 second half quarters and has scored in 12 of the last 13 … Lone Oak was undefeated in 13-2A until a 35-7 loss to Caddo Mills last week … the Greenville Herald-Banner reported Nov. 6 that “several” Buiffaloes were suspended 30 days for positive drug tests, but did not list names … Lasseter, who threw for 193 yards last week, is not listed on Lone Oak’s roster or statistical leaders on maxpreps.com, a site coaches can upload information to … Cooper had 75 yards and a touchdown against Caddo Mills … Overly had 6 catches for 101 and 2 TDs last year against Mildred, and also had a 50-yard fumble return for a TD.

— Raymond Linex II