The Teague Lions took a 28-0 and held off 21 unanswered points from Fairfield to take the fourth spot in the district race and end the Fairfield Eagles season.
Both teams needed a win to clinch a spot and the Lions took a 14- 0 lead at the half and stretched it out to 28-0. The Lions had to withstand 21 straight to seal the victory and take the fourth place position in District 8-3A Division I. Malakoff claims the district title followed by Groesbeck, Kemp and Teague.
The Teague defense forced a three plays and out on the first possession. On the punt, the ball bounced into the hands of star running back Nemier Herod. He took off through the Eagle special teams unit on a 45 yard return to the Fairfield 20. On the first play of the drive, Herod took the handoff and scored on the 20 yard touchdown run. Uriel Medina added the point after for an early 7-0 lead.
Fairfield began the next two drives near midfield but could not advance into the Teague end of the field. The Lions second score of the night came off an unusual drive that took four plays with three penalties. Herod took off on a 65 yard run that was called back on a holding penalty and then he was stopped for no gain. The next play was a quick pitch up the near sideline and he was run down at the one yard line. Luke Stacks came into the game and scored the one yard touchdown run and the extra point stretched the score to 14-0.
The Eagle offense mounted one of their best drives of the night and picked up a first down on a pass interference penalty and a couple of runs by Dylon Rushin. Daryan Harris had an 11 yard run to the Lion 14 but the drive stalled and the Eagles missed a 32 yard field goal that went wide to the right on the final play of the half.
Teague took the ball to begin the second half and Herod scored his second touchdown on the night, this time on a three yard run. The lead expanded to 21-0.
The teams exchanged punts and the Lions. Teague began a drive at their 32 yard line and marched 68 yards in eight plays. Herod had runs of 17 and 24 yard and then took a big hit for a loss. Rushin came off the end and met Herod for the stop at the 14 yard line.
Teague had a five yard penalty and then quarterback Jake Callahan connected with Brylon Jackson for a 19 yard touchdown and the lead was its largest on the night at 28-0.
On the ensuing kickoff, Luke Latham received the kick at the four yard line and weaved his way through the defenders and broke out in the open on the far sideline on a 96 yard kickoff return to put the Eagles on the board. Jonathon Garcia kicked the extra point and cut the score to 28-7 in the fourth quarter.
Teague faced a third and long and Rushin sacked Callahan and forced a punt. On the Fairfield possession, Rushin converted a third and 20 with a 34 yard run inside the Lion 30. Harris took the handoff on a second down play and scored on a 16 yard run late in the game to get the Eagles to within 28-14.
The onsides kick put the Lions near midfield but the Eagles used the time outs and forced the Lions into a turnover. Jaylyn Daniels picked off the Callahan pass deep in Fairfield territory with time running slim in the contest. Crawford connected long distance with JaCorey Daniels for a 49 yard play to the Teague 35 yard line. On fourth and seven from the Teague 32, Crawford lifted a high pass through the arms of the Teague defender and into the hands of Garcia for the touchdown with less than two minutes remaining in the game but the Eagles had cut the lead to 28-21.
Teague covered the onsides kick and needed one first down to close out the game. On fourth and short, Stacks flipped over a defender and got enough to move the chains and seal the Teague victory.
Teague moves into the bi-district round with a game with the two-time defending champion Grandview on Thursday at 7pm in Whitney. Groesbeck will take on Dallas Madison on Saturday at Waco and Kemp will battle West. Malakoff wins the district and gets the game with Maypearl.
(Sports Photography by Melissa Lee)