The Teague Lions pitched a second half shutout and took the final regular season game over the Diboll Lumberjacks. Teague claims the runner up spot in District 9-3A Division I behind the Palestine Westwood Panthers.
Teague moves on to take on the Coldspring-Oakhurst Trojans, the third-place finisher in District 10-3A Division I. The game is set for a 7pm kickoff at Madisonville’s Mustang Stadium.
Diboll set themselves up with an early lead off the opening kickoff. Kevi Davis took the kick and raced through the Teague defenders for an apparent touchdown. J’Kybryan Harris ran Davis down to the five-yard line. Jamauri Guillen scored on a quarterback keeper from five yards out and took the 7-0 lead.
The teams exchanged punts, and the Lions started a drive and picked up a couple of first downs. On a third-down play, the ball was knocked loose and Zamarlin Canada scooped it up and ran downfield. Harris ran down Canada and knocked the ball loose and Jacob Matthews covered it, and the Lions regained possession and began another drive. A pair of Ny’Land Coaster for a couple of first downs and Jaden Cole finished the drive with a 50-yard run for the touchdown. Cole also caught the conversion pass at the back of the end zone and the Lions took an 8-7 lead.
The Lumberjacks scored early in the second quarter to take a 14-8 lead, and the Lions went back to work. Beginning at their 35, Leija completed a 12-yard pass to Korey Silar, converting a third down. Colton Smith hauled in a 12-yard pass on a fourth down and the Lions moved down to the Lumberjack five-yard line. Cole took the handoff and scored the five-yard touchdown and the Lopez point after putting the Lions back in front 15-14.
Diboll made quick work of the next drive to take the lead into the half. Guillen broke away on a 39-yard run and then Campean caught a 41-yard pass to the five-yard line. Michael Mosely scored the five-yard touchdown, and the Lumberjacks held a 21-15 halftime lead.
The Lion offense wasted no time grabbing the lead for good. Harris caught a long pass down the middle from Zak Leija that covered 62 yards, and Lopez added the extra point for the 22-21 Teague lead.
Teague put their defense in domination mode and shut the Lumberjacks down with a three and out. Teague took over at midfield worked downfield on a seven-yard drive, all on the ground. Cole had a pair of first down runs and a couple of penalties backed them up on the drive. Leija called his own number for a 13-yard touchdown run midway through the third quarter. The point after put the Lion lead at 29-21.
Diboll coughed the ball up on the kickoff but could not turn it into points. The Lions scored early in the fourth quarter on a Korey Silar one yard run to put the lead at 36-21. Diboll could not get close enough to score in the remaining time and won the game 36-21.
Palestine Westwood takes the District 9-3A championship and the Lions claim the runner-up position. The Diboll loss sent the Lumberjacks the third-place spot and the Fairfield Eagles take the final spot when they defeated the Crockett Bulldogs on Saturday.
(Photos by Jessica Risken)
