The Teague Lions built a 22-6 halftime lead and made it hold up in a 28-20 win over the Mexia Blackcats at Lion Stadium Friday night. The Lions record improves to 3-1 and will travel to Bullard to finish the non-district portion of their schedule.
Teague running back Nyland Coaster rushed 17 times for 143 yards and three touchdowns in the win that the Lion offense took advantage of Blackcat miscues.
Mexia got on the board first, taking the first possession and six minutes off the first quarter clock. Senior quarterback Braden Wilson threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to Jatayveus Bluitt for the 6-0 early lead.
The Blackcat defense recovered a fumble at their 30, stopping a Lion scoring threat but would take a big loss on fourth down and would give the possession back to the Lions.
Teague did match the first quarter score when Coaster broke loose for his first score of the game. His 46-yard score with ten minutes remaining in the first half tied the score at 6-6 when the conversion failed.
Mexia advanced with a successful drive and kept it alive when converting a third and long but would later turn it over on downs. In the final minutes of the first half, senior quarterback Zak Leija scored on a 28-yard run and added the conversion run and the Lions had their first lead of the game.
The Blackcats were forced to punt and just before the final seconds ticked off the second quarter clock, Coaster pushed through on a one-yard plunge and following the conversion the Lions led 22-6 at the half.
Teague fumbled the opening kickoff of the second half and would also have to punt and that surrounded by a Mexia possession that ended in a turnover on downs. Mexia would cut into the lead midway through the final quarter. Jacques Cooper converted a fourth down and made it a touchdown run. The conversion failed and the Blackcats cut the lead to 22-12.
Teague answered with a Coaster touchdown run and the Blackcats added a late touchdown with just over a minute remaining. The onsides kick was recovered by the Teague Lion coverage team and they would run out the clock.
(Photos by Jessica Risken)
