Teague senior running back Ny’Land Coaster ran for four scores and the Lions never trailed in the game while taking a home victory over the Ferris Yellowjackets and improving their season record to 2-1 on the young season.
Coaster had 30 carries on the night for 203 yards, and the Lions controlled the game and the clock for the majority of the game.
The Lions took the first possession and Coaster picked up a first down at midfield on a four-yard run. Quarterback Garrett Winkler handed off to Jayden Brown on the jet sweep and he ran past the Yellowjacket defense for the 42-yard touchdown and the games’ first score. Brayden Leija ran in the conversion, and the Lions held an 8-0 lead with 8:53 remaining in the opening quarter.
Ferris took a gamble on their first possession and picked up one first down but would come up short on a fourth down near midfield. They would quickly get the ball back on a tremendous interception by Omar Tyner when he scooped the ball just before it landed on the carpet. Leija would pick off the Ferris quarterback and the first quarter would end with the Lions ahead 8-0.
Teague would put their second score on the board with less than a minute gone in the second quarter. Leija broke through on a six-yard run and then passed to Bryce Bates for the conversion for the Lion 16-0 lead.
Ferris cut into the lead quickly and in one of the oddest plays anyone will see all season. Robert Quigley ran for an apparent first down, converting on a third and short. As he was falling, the ball popped out and his teammate, Qui-Darwin Cotton, scooped it up and raced 45 yards for the touchdown.
The extra point was good, and the Lion lead was cut to 16-7 with ten minutes remaining in the first half.
The Yellowjackets forced a Teague punt and capitalized on a short kick. The 36-yard drive was completed in four plays and Jacob Banks scored on the one-yard run. Quigley added the conversion run and the Lions held a slim 16-15 lead midway through the second quarter.
Coaster took over the reins on the following drive with a pair of double digit runs to midfield.
Bates caught a 23-yard pass and Coaster finished the drive with a five-yard run to put the lead back to 22-15 on the failed two-point pass.
Ferris had one more opportunity in the first half when most everyone in the stadium thought they had used all of their timeouts. The officials determined they had one left to finish the half with a 34-yard field goal attempt that sailed wide of the goal and the Lions held the seven-point lead.
The Lions forced a Ferris punt and made quick work of their first possession of the second half.
Using the legs of Coaster, he carried four times on the drive and hit pay dirt with a five-yard score, extending the lead to 30-15 on the Bates conversion run.
Leija picked off his second pass of the game and returned the ball inside the Ferris twenty and Coaster scored his third touchdown of the game with the one-yard dive and the Lions controlled the game at 37-15.
Quigley added a one-yard run to finish off a long drive that consumed 60 yards in nine plays and over four minutes off the clock. The conversion pass was good and the Yellowjackets cut the lead back to two scores at 37-23.
They could draw any closer as the Lions matched them in the fourth quarter. Coaster scored for the fourth time on a three-yard run to extend the lead to 44-23. Ferris matched with an Adam Sasser 30-yard touchdown reception and the Lions answered with a Leija 15-yard touchdown.
Ferris added one final touchdown with a minute remaining on the clock on a 12-yard pass from Kaden Gonzalez to Cotton to set the final score at 51-37.
Teague has won both of the home games on the season and will take to the road on Friday night when the travel to Limestone County to battle the Mexia Blackcats.
(Photos by Jessica Risken)
