Lee County & Triton Play for Title on Monday – A Look At All The Numbers

Lee County will host the Triton Hawks Monday night at 6:30 at Paul Gay Stadium in a game to determine not only the Tri-County 3A Conference Champion, but also the one guaranteed playoff spot for the upcoming state playoffs.   Both teams enter the Monday game with 3-0 conference records and a 2-game lead on the rest of the conference.   Regardless of what happens in each teams’ final game the following Friday, this one is for all the marbles and will give Monday’s winner a trophy and a ticket to the 1^st round of the playoffs.

The two teams couldn’t be more different when it comes to stats and how they have got to this point.   Below is a look at the two teams and what they bring to Monday’s game in Sanford.

Records

Lee County (5-0, 3-0); Triton (3-2, 3-0)

Lee County Schedule

Beat (4-2) South Granville 27-6

Beat (3-2) Overhills 30-27

Beat (3-3) Union Pines 56-14

Beat (2-4) Harnett Central 38-0

Beat (0-5) Western Harnett 54-6

Triton Schedule

Lost to (3-3) Knightdale 33-0

Lost to (2-4) South Johnston 20-19

Beat (2-4) Southern Lee 27-7

Beat (0-5) Western Harnett 43-20

Beat (3-3) Union Pines 60-27

Team Rushing

Lee County

Carries – 133

Yards – 634

Yards Per Carry – 4.7

Yards Per Game – 126.8

Rushing TDs – 10

Triton

Carries – 231

Yards – 1593

Yards Per Carry – 6.9

Yards Per Game – 318.6

Rushing TD’s – 14

Team Passing

Lee County

Pass Attempts – 107

Completions – 68

Completion % – 63.6%

Total Passing Yardage – 1075

Passing Yardage Per Game – 215.0

Passing TD’s – 12

Passing INTs – 2

Triton

Pass Attempts – 22

Completions – 7

Completion % – 31.8%

Total Passing Yardage – 187

Passing Yardage Per Game – 37.4

Passing TD’s – 1

Passing INTs – 1

Lee County Run to Pass Ratio

Total of 240 plays – 133 Rush, 107 pass – 55.5% rushing, 44.5% passing

Triton Run to Pass Ratio

Total of 253 plays – 231 Rush, 22 pass – 91.3% rushing, 8.7% passing

Team Defense

Lee County has given up 53 points on the season (10.6 per game) while Triton has allowed 107 points (21.4) on the season.  

Our Observations

It does not require a long look at the numbers to see that Triton likes to run the ball.   The Hawks are leading the league in rushing by a mile with 318.6 YPG and are last in passing.   Lee County is more balanced and near the top of both rushing & passing in league totals.  

Where This Game Will Be Won

Nothing sticks out like a sore thumb anymore than the disparity between two stats that these teams bring into Monday night’s game.   We mentioned that Triton is averaging 318.6 yards per game.    Lee County has given up 91 yards on the ground the entire season and average only allowing 18.2 yards per game on the ground. So much of a difference between the two stats makes me think that this is the one that will decide the game.    Triton will be running against one of the best run defenses in the state.   Whoever wins this battle at the line of scrimmage when Triton has the ball will have a good night.    Triton has shown that if their run is shut down, there is little else to rely on.    If Triton can run the ball and keep the Lee offense off the field, the Hawks could certainly pull the upset at Paul Gay Stadium on Monday night.    Offensively, Lee County should get its points.   There are too many weapons for the Yellow Jackets on the offensive side it is hard to imagine Triton will stop the Yellow Jackets completely. 

So, it will come back to the Lee defense – which I imagine is exactly where the Lee County coaches like it – to decide who will win this game.    The defensive front for Lee County has been impressive all season – with Delmaz Jennings, Dayreon Jennings, Derran McKoy, Ross Johnson, TJ Johnson, Landon Johnson, Rodney Ingram and Diego Geuvara – and made us forget all about the losses off the defensive front from graduation off last season’s State 3A Runner-Up.   

Monday temperatures are expected to be in the 70s and still in the 60s at kickoff.   Make sure to come out and support the Yellow Jackets at Paul Gay Stadium this Monday night and pull Lee County through to the Tri-County title.

Tickets must be purchased in advance and fans can go the gofan.co to purchase the Lee Co – Triton game tickets.   Monday night’s game will air on WJFA 105.5 FM and stream online on the WFJA website at: www.wfjawwgpradio.com.