The Teague Lions came from behind to take a lead twice on Friday, only to have a 40-yard field goal at the buzzer lift the Tolar Rattlers to a 23-21 win Friday night in Teague.
Tolar was in the Division 1 Class 2A state final last season and lost to the Timpson Bears and graduated some off that team but came in with a talented group and the Lions matched up well. It was a game played between two talented, disciplined and well-coached teams.
The game was expected to be a grind it out game, but the Rattlers jumped out to an electrifying start. Kelvin Murray took the opening kickoff 90 yards for the touchdown and sixteen seconds into the game, Tolar led 7-0.
The Lions reached the ten-yard line on their first possession, sparked by a 40-yard blast by Ny’Land Coaster. The drive would end on a missed pass at the Tolar ten.
During the game, the snap sailed over the punter’s head and on three consecutive punts, Zak Leija netted a zero, minus one and 13 yards and affected the field position during the game. Leija threw an interception in the early moments of the second quarter and Tolar started in the Teague end of the field.
Drake Owens and Peyton Brown lumbered through the Teague defense inside the Lion 20-yard line, but sophomore quarterback Briton Rice pushed his way in on a one-yard touchdown run to extend the lead to 14-0 at the half.
A short punt and a Tolar turnover on downs set the Lions up to put their first touchdown on the board. Korey Silar ran for 16 and Coaster added a nine-yard run for a first down. Coaster continued to plow through the Rattler defense and Silar finished the drive with an eight-yard touchdown run. Alex Lopez added the extra point, and the Lions cut the lead in half at 14-7.
The Lion defense held, and Rice punted to pin the Teague at their own eight-yard line. The Lions worked out of their own end and Leija called his own number and burst through the Rattler defense for a 72-yard touchdown run. Leija passed to K’Kybryen Harris for the conversion and the Lions had their first lead of the game 15-14 with 10:41 remaining in the game.
Tolar answered with a ten play 69-yard drive with Owens catching an 11-yard touchdown pass to put the Rattlers ahead 20-15 with just over five minutes remaining.
Teague would not be outdone with their own ten play 71-yard drive to regain the lead in the final moments of the game. Silar caught an eight-yard pass for a first down and Braden Gauntt hauled in one for 13 yards. On first down from the Rattler 20, the flow of the play went left and Leija hit a wide-open Harris for the touchdown with :42 seconds remaining. The try for two was no good and the Lions clung to a 21-20 lead.
The Rattlers took possession at their own 32-yard line and with no timeouts, Rice hit Dacen Watkins for a 28-yard pass to the Lion 30. Tolar clocked the ball with a pass to the ground a couple of times and had three seconds to go. Brooks Stone lined up for a 40-yard field goal at the end of the game. The kick sailed true, and the Rattlers would win the exciting game by a 23-21 score.
Teague will travel to Ferris for their third game of the season.
(Photos by Jessica Risken)
