The Lee Rebels went nearly 43 years without seeing the Plano Wildcats on the other side of the football. They made their return worth the wait Friday night under the lights.

Lee opened the 2026 season Friday night with a 41-33 road victory over Plano at John Clark Stadium, using an explosive and balanced offense along with a key second-half defensive stand to leave the Metroplex 1-0.

The matchup marked the first Lee-Plano meeting since the 1983 state semifinal, when the Rebels defeated the Wildcats 35-14 on their way to the Class 5A state championship game. Friday's meeting brought together two of Texas high school football's most accomplished programs, with Plano owning seven state championships and Lee three.

This time around, it was a new generation of Rebels writing its chapter in the matchup.


Rebels strike early

Lee wasted little time establishing itself on the road, jumping out to a 15-0 advantage before Plano began working its way back into the game.

Senior quarterback JP Reyes directed a Rebels offense that repeatedly found ways to move the football. Reyes finished the night with 308 passing yards and three touchdowns, completing big throws to a receiving corps led by junior Ja'Braylen Anders.

Anders hauled in nine passes for 130 yards and two touchdowns, giving Plano problems throughout the night.

Lee also found points on special teams when Maddox Marquez broke loose for a 91-yard kickoff return touchdown, answering a Plano score with one of the biggest momentum swings of the first half.

By halftime, the Rebels held a 28-20 lead, but Plano wasn't going away.


Defense changes the game

With the Wildcats continuing to threaten, Lee's defense delivered its best stretch of the night after halftime.

The Rebels forced five consecutive Plano three-and-outs during the second half, preventing the Wildcats from turning the game into a back-and-forth shootout.

Lee's pass rush also made life difficult for Plano, finishing with four sacks.

That defensive stretch gave the Rebels' offense opportunities to control the game, and Lee ultimately finished with a commanding 537-297 advantage in total offense.


Hamm delivers the knockout punch

Plano still managed to make things interesting late, pulling within striking distance and forcing Lee to find one more answer.

That answer was Hayes Hamm.

The senior running back carried the ball 26 times for 156 yards, but none were bigger than his final 43.

With 1:01 remaining, Hamm broke free for a 43-yard touchdown run, giving the Rebels the late score they needed to finally put Plano away.

It was an appropriate finish for an offense that showed it could hurt opponents in several different ways.

Reyes threw for more than 300 yards. Hamm topped 150 on the ground. Anders surpassed 100 receiving yards. Marquez supplied a special-teams touchdown.

Tyler Day added another explosive play with a 71-yard touchdown run while also contributing on the defensive side of the ball.

By the end of the night, Lee had amassed 537 yards and 41 points against a Plano program coming off a playoff appearance in 2025.

More importantly, the Rebels found a way to finish.

A new season starts 1-0

There were mistakes. There were momentum swings. Plano repeatedly found ways to climb back into the game.

But for a Lee team opening its season more than five hours from home, the Rebels answered each time the Wildcats threatened to take control.

That's not a bad way to begin 2026.

And 43 years after Lee and Plano last met with a trip to the state championship game on the line, the Rebels once again walked away from their meeting with the Wildcats as winners.

Lee (1-0) returns home Friday, Sept. 4, to host El Paso Franklin at Astound Broadband Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.