12/01/2000

From Staff Reports

1 p.m. Saturday, Mesquite Memorial Stadium

RECORDS: Commerce (12-0); Spring Hill (10-2)

PLAYOFF PATH: Commerce: d. Wills Point, 17-7, in bi-district; d. Gainesville, 27-14, in area. Spring Hill: d. Queen City, 13-7 in bi-district; d. Brownsboro, 30-20 in area.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Commerce: QB/DB Broderick Kelley, RB Demarcus Harrison, S Antonio Kull, TE/DE Zach Phifer. Spring Hill: QB Jim Alford, FB Gene Johnson, DB/K David Brelsford, LB Chris Allen.

COMMERCE UPDATE: The defending 3A Division II champions have won 28 straight games. Commerce's defense has shut out six opponents this year. Kelley, one of the few holdovers from last year, is an adept runner at QB and also a playmaker in the secondary. Seven players have at least 40 carries.

SPRING HILL UPDATE: This is Spring Hill's deepest playoff penetration. Alford has completed 126 of 219 passes for 1,942 yards and 18 TDs. Johnson has rushed for more than 1,200 yards and has 18 TDs. Brelsford is 15-of-17 on FG tries. WR Michael Stanton is playing on a detached ACL in his right knee.

– Philip Forester

Dallas Morning News