When/Where:
Friday, August 31 at The Rig at Pearland HS at 7:00 p.m.
Records: Pearland (0-0) - FB Kempner (0-0)

What's at stake:
Pearland looks to win their seventh straight season opener after finishing with a sparkling 12-3 mark in 2006.

Oilers to watch:
Jr. RB Kasey Carrier [589 yards rushing, 7 TDs] and Jr. WR Kevin Miller [23 catches, 286 yards]. OL Brian Thomas (6-4, 270), DB Nick Saenz (6-1, 180, 4.5), TE Kevin Davis (6-4, 240), DE Bernard Obi (6-3, 225), DB Jarrad Stewart, DB Chris Landry, DB Matt Sanders, OL David Maciel, PK Robbie Hersh, LB Gary Robertson, DT Dantrayal Smith, DE Bruce Honore.
Jr. QB Samuel Allen will make his debut as Pearland's new field general. Sr. Carlos Lebron-Thachar may also see action behind center as well as on defense.

2007 Notes:
Pearland enters the 2007 as the defending Class 5A Divsion Region III champion. The Oilers are one of the top three winningest football teams in the Houston area over the past eight years. Only North Shore and Katy have more wins during that span of time.

The Oilers advanced to the 5A state semifinals last year after getting wins over Dulles (47-22), long time nemisis North Shore (21-14), Cinco Ranch (34-31 OT), and Cy-Fair (16-15) before coming up short 35-32 against Austin Westlake.

The Oilers met Kempner for the first time in 2004 at the Texas Football Classic in the Alamodome in San Antonio. Pearland blanked the Cougars 14-0. The Oilers beat Kempner in 2005 and 2006 to remain unbeaten in this non-district rivalry.

Fort Bend Kempner
Kempner was down in 2006 finishing with 3-7 overall record and 2-6 in district. The Cougars will have experience returning on the offensive line and defensive secondary, but they will be looking for some new players to step up at the skill positions.

Players to watch: QB Porter Nelsom, QB Michael Edwards, WR Quaylen Ewing, DB Darelle Freeman, DB Tony Clement, NG Andrew Ford, RB Kendall Blackshear, RB Josh Bell, SS Chris Banjo.

Kempner has always played the Oilers close and this game should be more of the same, though Pearland defense may have the upper hand to begin the 2007 football campaign.