PackAttack

I remember the 4" pipe mortar at old Panther Stadium in my youth. Those aerial shells exploded into a purple and gold burst and an explosion after every Panther TD. That was way before my time with the Sideliners, if they ever used the mortar shells at ABE it was outside the stadium on the SE corner, but don't remember that happening there. Several years ago the Sideliners did seek a local firework vendor to donate fireworks to a local resident that lived a 1/3 mile from the stadium. He would sit in his backyard listening to the games on the radio, he would shoot off the fireworks when Lufkin ran through the helmet or scored. That sort of went away. I may remember why the fireworks ended at Panther Stadium. The visitors sat on the West side by the foundry/ RR Tracks. The Sideliners shot the mortar tube on the North end of the field about 50 ft behind the endzone. One night in 1968, Lufkin was hosting Marshall, anyway during the game Lufkin scored, the Sideliners lit the fuse and the mortar soared skyward, the projectile reached it's peak but did not explode, arching back downward behind the Marshall stands and exploding at about 40-50 ft above the stands. Needless to say folks scattered like ants, and that was the last firework of the night, maybe the last one in Panther stadium before they moved on to ABE in 1973. I don't remember Sideliner fireworks at ABE. Cell phones are allowed at football games. As I understand, the new restriction applies only to students during school hours.

With Abseck on board and a new direction for the football program. Anyone here on the site planning to buy some tickets and get back in the stands again for 2025? I know for some of you it's been a while since that has happen. I renewed my tickets, had them in same place since the early 90s. Have a lot of time on my hands right now, sort of the calm before the storm so to speak.

Hope everyone will take the opportunity to help support the Lufkin Sideliners as they kick off the 2025 season with a BIG FISH FRY with all the trimmings out at Angelina College. The Sideliners have been rebooted this year, the funds they generate go right back into the football program to help the kids. This is the start of a new ERA for the Panther Nation, so lets get this started off in a big way. The fish fry is taking place the day after the Panthers scrimmage with Huntsville at ABE, it's $20 for adults and $10 for students, kids under 6 eat FREE. The Panther team will be there, the Lufkin Jam Band will be there, Pack cheerleaders, they will have some fun football stuff set up to throw the ball around if you can still throw. https://www.tickettailor.com/events/lufkinsidelinersboosterclub501c3/1700583

FYI - @ Barbers Hill - Carl Abseck HC - 4 years. *2021 Regional Area Finalist, 8-4 *2022 Regional Area Finalist, 8-4 *2023 Regional Area Finalist, 9-3 *2024 Regional Area Finalist, 8-4 *33-17 Overall * 4-4 Playoffs* Carl Abseck * 10 years being head coach and athletic director overall Cedar Park and Barbers Hill.. He brings to Lufkin an overall record of 105-27 and a playoff record of 21-9. Just want to remind everyone who we have heading up the football programs now. A comparison record to Lufkin's last 13 years * 2012 (9-4), 2013 (5-6), 2014 (6-5), 2015 (7-4), 2016 (7-4), 2017 (11-3), 2018 (10-2),2019 (9-2), 2020 (6-5), 2021 (4-6), 2022 (6-4), 2023 (5-5) and 2024 (10-2) * 95-52 Overall * 6-11 Playoffs *Avg 7.3 wins per year.

FYI ▪ Head Coach: Carl Abseck at Cedar Park - 6 years as HC. *2020 State Finalist, 14-1 *2019 Regional Semi-Finalist, - 11-2 * 2018 Regional Area Finalist, - 8-4 ▪ 2017 Regional Semi-Finalist, 11-2 ▪ 2016 Regional Semi-Finalist, 12-1 ▪ 2015 State Champions, 16-0 *72-10 Overall at Cedar Park* 17-5 Playoffs*

Lufkin Football 7th and 8th Grade Team camp starts next Monday at 5:00pm, last chance for our middle school guys to get a HEAD START on their 2025 season. Get signed up NOW! I want to add these camps for our youth and Middle School kids are the building blocks to the future of the future success of this Panther football program. A new day and a new era!

Super excited to get the 2025 schedules out and get our season tickets in hand. My only decision now is if we want to swap for some seating lower than Row 40?, been up in those same seats about 35 years. Anyway, we'll figure that out when the time comes. Have to admit I'm looking forward to the new look of the program. Reading good things about the kids buying into Abseck and Co and what they are trying to get accomplished, players have been working hard and bulking up. You can really see the physical change in many of the players from last year, they are bigger. The schemes are different on both sides of the ball, and the Panthers will get a big test to start things off in Longview. This all comes with a certain degree of tempered anticipation, knowing that there is still much learning and growing ahead of this group. These kid are working very hard and I'm looking forward to watching some exciting Panther football this season.

2025 JV and Freshman schedules:

Legendary Lufkin basketball coach Jesse Walker passes away Father figure to many players, hoops guru led team to state championship title in 1979 https://lufkindailynews.com/news/community/legendary-lufkin-basketball-coach-jesse-walker-passes-away/article_db41c9e6-8fcd-4fd6-8531-b0e23b2cd809.html Former Lufkin head basketball coach Jesse Walker, who led the Panthers to the 1979 Class 4A state basketball championship, passed away early Sunday. Walker, who had coaching stops at Athens, Lufkin, Sweetwater, Van Horn and Zavalla, won 506 games as head coach at Lufkin and was inducted into the Texas High School Basketball Hall of Fame in 2000.

Good to see Kenny getting deserved recognition.

Have a definite sense that Kenneth Waters role this year will be expanded, also looks like he has put on about 10 lbs since 2024.