Tigers overpower Raiders in rivalry scrimmage

SILSBEE — One of Southeast Texas’ most historic rivalries returned to the field Thursday as Silsbee hosted Lumberton for a preseason football scrimmage. The Tigers and Raiders have not met in a regular-season game since 2020, when Silsbee ran roughshod over Lumberton in a 56-14 victory at Tiger Stadium. That Silsbee team later advanced through the playoffs before falling to eventual state champion Carthage. Since then, both communities have longed to see the two programs meet on the turf again. A preseason scrimmage would have to whet their appetites for now. Silsbee controlled the line of scrimmage Thursday, outmuscling the Raiders down after down behind a dominant offensive front. While the matchup presented a difficult test for Lumberton, it also provided the Raiders with valuable experience against a physical opponent before the games begin to count. Lumberton played without several starters as head coach Chase McDonald worked to keep his players healthy ahead of the season opener against Beaumont United. The absences gave younger Raiders an opportunity to gain experience against a Silsbee team known for its size, speed and physicality. Silsbee’s competition for the starting quarterback position continued during the scrimmage. Head coach Randy Smith has not officially named his Week 1 starter as junior Beau Breeden and sophomore Sedrick Matthews battle to replace Jacaleb Johnson, who is now at UTEP. Breeden was cleared to participate in the scrimmage and displayed impressive range on passes down the field. He started for the Silsbee junior varsity last season after transferring from Lumberton, but a knee injury limited his participation for much of the summer. Matthews, a talented young gunslinger, continued making his case for the starting position as the Tigers evaluated both quarterbacks against Lumberton’s defense. On the opposite sideline, Lumberton veteran quarterback Micky Nolan looked as advertised when given enough time to operate from the pocket. Mitchell, a recent Western Colorado commit, is entering his senior season after leading the Raiders’ record-breaking offense last year. He brings experience and composure to a Lumberton unit replacing several important contributors. The Raiders lost standout running back Chase Williams to Lamar University but return his backfield running mate, Nic Cratic. Cratic did not participate in Thursday’s scrimmage, leaving Lumberton without one of its most experienced offensive weapons. Both teams will now turn their attention toward their regular-season openers. Silsbee will travel to Vidor, where the Tigers’ defense will immediately be tested by the Pirates’ Slot-T offense. Lumberton will host Class 5A Beaumont United. The scrimmage did not officially restore the rivalry, but it gave both communities another glimpse of a matchup many hope will eventually return to the regular-season schedule. More importantly, it gave the Tigers and Raiders a final opportunity to identify weaknesses before the first Friday night under the stadium lights.