The Teague Lion took control of the game in the second quarter and had to hang on for their first points, first win, and first home win of the young season over the Buffalo Bison.
Teague had been outscored 111-0 in the first three games, but their defense had played well at times with the big deficit. The Lions needed some major held from Sebastian Carter and Emaje Holmes and the Lion defense held the Bison scoreless in the second half.
The Bison took the ball first and exploited the defense on the first play from scrimmage. Aiden Savage threw a lateral to Thomas Grissett and he threw downfield to a wide-open Kyle Harrison to complete an 80-yard touchdown play and take the early lead. The conversion was no good and the Bison had a 6-0.
Teague took their first possession and marched down the field. Sophomore Jehmel Rice and freshman Kymani Johnson moved the ball into position. The drive would get inside the five and Johnson scored on a four-yard touchdown run for the first points of the game. Henry Cardona added the extra point for their first lead of the season with a 7-6 score near the midpoint of the first quarter.
Buffalo took over on the next possession and Savage and Jesus Guzman could not make the connection and the ball fell to the ground. Cardona picked it up and raced up the middle for a 37-yard touchdown for the Lion defense. He stepped to the kicking formation and added the extra point and the Lions took the 14-6 lead.
In the early moments of the second quarter, the Lion defense rose to the occasion. Savage took off running and Lion defensive lineman Taylor Cotton slapped the ball away and returned it to the Buffalo 21-yard line. The Buffalo defense stiffened and on fourth down, Rice tossed a touchdown pass to Caden Gonzales that covered 20 yards. Cardona added his third extra point and the Lions stretched to lead out to 21-6.
Buffalo would control the back half of the second quarter. Savage hit Ethan Williams on a 27-yard touchdown to cut the lead to 21-12. They would back the Lions inside the ten and forced a punt, but Harrison muffed it and the Lions recovered. They would stall again and punted and this time, Harrison cut through the Lion coverage team on a 68-yard punt return for the touchdown and cut the lead to 21-18 on the missed conversion.
Teague took the first possession of the second half and went back to work with fresh legs from the break. The running of Rice and Johnson put the Lion across midfield and converted a couple of third downs, the second on a Rice run of 37 yards to the Buffalo 28-yard line. Rice converted a fourth down with another keeper to the seven. Johnson finished the drive with a two-yard run and the Lions led 27-18 on the missed snap on the point after attempt.
Buffalo would mount a couple of drives but could not put the ball in the end zone. Luke Stacks ended a Bison drive with a forced fumble and he would recover it midway through the third quarter. Holmes and Carter combined for three second half sacks and six total takeaways for their first win of the season.
The Lions finish the non-district portion of their schedule with a road trip to Hillsboro to take on the Eagles.
(Photos by Jessica Risken)
