By Matt Vines, Journal Services
WINNFIELD — Ten weeks of football – all the wins, losses and power rankings calculations – boils down to really simple math for Winnfield in the regular-season finale.
If the No. 29 Tigers (2-7) are to make the 28-team Division III Non-Select playoff, they’ve got to knock out No. 28 Lakeside (3-7) when the Warriors come calling Friday.
Both teams are looking for their first District 3-2A wins after each team has fallen to Red River, Mansfield and Many.
The Winnfield offense has been relatively productive throughout the season as the rushing combination of Detavious Williams and Richard Williams have paired with an improving Nickalas Mockosher at quarterback.
Winnfield has scored 28 or more points five times this season, including in this past week’s 58-36 loss to Red River.
But it’s the defense that hasn’t slowed down opposing offenses enough.
Winnfield has allowed 45 or more points in six of the last seven games, including 55 or more points in all three district losses.
Lakeside and quarterback Brock Case has been explosive at times scoring 30 or more points in all four of their wins (Arcadia, Plain Dealing, Northwood-Lena, and Ringgold).
But the Warriors were shut out in a 39-0 loss to Mansfield while also falling to Many (56-13) and Red River (49-21) by wide margins.
Both teams made the playoffs in 2024 with Lakeside winning a first-round game as a No. 11 seed.
But the loser of Friday night’s clash is almost surely out of the postseason as neither team will supply much of a power rankings boost given their record.
Winnfield hung around against Red River this past week as the teams traded two scores early, but a Red River kickoff return for a touchdown set the stage for a second-quarter push that built a 34-13 halftime lead.
Senior quarterback Malique Smith passed for 272 yards on 25-of-32 while throwing for four touchdowns and running for another. Smith added 74 rushing yards.
