Greenville football coach Darren Duke coached for 16 years with Marvin Sedberry as an assistant at Greenville, Dallas Carter and Bryan.

 But Duke and his staff of assistants will be coaching against a Sedberry when the 3-2 Lions take on the 1-5 Terrell Tigers in a District 8-5A-II game at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Terrell Memorial Stadium in Terrell.

Marvin Sedberry Jr., the son of the former Greenville coach, is the head coach at Terrell and his father is the boys athletic coordinator at Furlough Middle School in Terrell. Sedberry Sr. guided the Lions to eight playoff trips during his 15 seasons as the Greenville head coach.

 “Of course I’ve known Marvin Jr. you know pretty much since he was in high school...,” said Duke. “Of course I worked for his dad all those years. But when it’s all said and done, kind of like last week against North Forney, it’s still the kids on the field that have to get out there and play. It makes for some interesting trash talking back and forth and this and that but it’s all in good competitive fun and I’ve known the family for a long time but it’s a win we need.”

 The Lions climbed up into a tie with Royse City for third place in the 8-5A-II standings with a 49-38 win last week over a North Forney team coached by Duke’s longtime friend Randy Jackson, who was also on the Lions’ staff at one time under Sedberry. An onside kick gamble when the Lions trailed 38-35 with 5:58 left paid off for the Lions. Tyrecus Davis leaped up to recover Zach Allen’s bouncing kickoff at the Falcon 45. Lion running back Lester Turner scored the go-ahead touchdown two plays later on a 45-yard run.

 Turner rushed for a career-high 223 yards on 20 carries, also scoring on bursts and 4 yards as the Lions rolled up a season-high 585 yards in total offense. Turner leads the Lions for the season with 549 yards rushing and five touchdowns on 79 carries.

 Greenville quarterback Brandon Stephens accounted for 302 yards of total offense, rushing for 112 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries and completing 14 of 28 passing for 190 yards, including touchdowns of 14 and 65 yards to wide receiver Caleb Johnson. Stephens now ranks second on the team in rushing with 401 yards and four TDs on 61 carries and is 40-of-91 passing for 559 yards and six scores. Johnson leads the Lion receivers with 18 catches for 268 yards and four TDs.

 Miles Denson ranks second in receiving (10-80) and rushing (29-195, 3 TDs).

 The Lions are now 2-1 in district play, while Terrell is 1-3. The Tigers opened district play with a 15-13 win over Sulphur Springs but have dropped their last three district contests by margins of 16-7 to Forney, 37-0 to Ennis and 42-7 last week to Corsicana. Ennis and Corsicana are tied for the district lead at 4-0.

 Terrell’s team looks a program in transition in Sedberry’s first season as head coach. The Tigers have switched time with two different quarterbacks (Tommy Steward and Trey Lunsford). Eleven Tigers have taken turns running with the football, led by Deitrick George with 216 yards and two touchdowns on 47 carries.

 The Terrell-Greenville rivalry dates back many years in different sports.

 “We’ve always been real competitive with them in every sport,” said Duke. “They have some good speed guys and things like that so we know we’ve got to go over there and play and we’re expecting a battle.”

 GAME: Greenville Lions (3-2) at Terrell Tigers (1-5).
