The Diboll Lumberjacks secured their place in the postseason by defeating Teague 23-13 last week. This victory also earned them the No. 3 seed from District 9-3A Division I. The Lumberjacks, with a season record of 4-6, will face Orangefield, who boasts an 8-2 record, in the bi-district round of the playoffs. The game is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Friday in Jasper.
Diboll”s journey this season has seen its ups and downs, particularly in the non-district games, where they struggled with a 1-4 record, managing only a win against Rusk at 27-20. The team kicked off district play with a commanding 42-8 victory over Huntington. However, they faced a tough challenge against Palestine Westwood, narrowly losing 38-35 while the Panthers were undefeated and ranked No. 4 in Class 3A Division I. After another setback against Fairfield, Diboll bounced back with wins over Crockett and Teague to secure a playoff berth.
“We”re starting to play a little bit better each week and starting to find our niche, so to speak,” said Blake Morrison, the head coach of the Lumberjacks. “It was good to get a win and keep our playoff streak alive, and getting to the dance and see what happens.”
Coach Morrison has a track record of leading the Lumberjacks to the playoffs every year since 2015, his second season at the helm. He acknowledged the challenges the team faced throughout the season, particularly with a younger squad that dealt with injuries and growing pains. “Coming into this we know we were going to be young and we had some growing pains and injuries and all that, but once we started maturing a little bit, getting some experience and getting some people healthy, things got back on track,” he added.
In their upcoming matchup, Diboll will contend with an Orangefield team that finished second in District 10-3A Division I, trailing only Hardin, who remains undefeated at 10-0. Orangefield”s two losses this season were against Hardin and Class 4A Division I Bridge City, with the latter finishing the season at 9-1 and claiming the District 10-4A Division I title.
