The Teague Lions scored a season high 30 points on the road and that was enough to give the Lions their first win of the season. The 30-12 win over the Buffalo Bison ended the non-district portion of the schedule.
Steps away from a touchdown with a couple of Buffalo Bison on his heels is Teague Lion #5 J’Kybryen Harris.
The Lions took a 24-0 first quarter lead and never looked back, earning the first win for new head coach Zach Linscomb.
Teague had the first possession of the game and made quick work of the yardage and would take a lead they would not give up the remainder of the night. Sophomore quarterback Zak Leija found his playmaker, junior Jehmel Rice for the 47-yard connection and put the Lions ahead 8-0 on the successful two-point conversion.
The Lion defense was stiff throughout the game but they played tough in the middle and the Bison could not move the ball. They were also without starting quarterback Aiden Savage and reverted to a quarterback by committee and it took some time to get the offense in motion.
Teague had a two-touchdown run in the final minute of the first quarter. J’Kybryen Harris caught the second touchdown pass from Leija on the night, this one covering 20 yards. Harris earned most of the yardage on the drive and the conversion made it 16-0 with :48 seconds remaining.
The defense put the final touchdown on the board in the first quarter and the second touchdown in 12 seconds. Buffalo running back Cheek on a second effort lunge fumbled and Rice hand hit scooped it up and raced 45 yards for the touchdown with :36 seconds remaining. The conversion was good and the Lions had a commanding 24-0 lead.
Late in the half, Buffalo put points on the board and were able to put themselves back in the game. Quarterback Craig Shannon called his own number and scored on a one-yard run. The conversion attempt was backed up to the 18-yard line on a personal foul and the point after was no good and the Lions held a 24-6 halftime lead.
The Bison first possession of the second half put them in good field position but the drive stalled and the punt team came on the field. The Buffalo punt rolled to the Lion ten-yard line and Teague had a long field to negotiate. They would do that in high gear when Leija stood in the pocket and hit Harris in stride, converting the 90 yard catch and run for the touchdown. The conversion was no good and the lead grew to 30-6 with 9:18 remaining in the third.
The second quarterback for the Bison scored their second and last touchdown on the night. Zayne Johnson tossed a pass to the Heyden Ducat for the touchdown with just over two minutes remaining in the third quarter to cut the lead to 30-12.
Neither team posted a score in the fourth quarter and the final score was 30-12.
Leija completed 12 of 20 passes for 275 yards and three touchdowns, two of the going to Harris, who had seven catches for 171 yards. Rice caught two passes for 58 yards and a score, in addition to his scoop and score in the first half.
The Teague Lions will wait two weeks for their district 8-3A Division I opener since they draw the open week in the first week of district games. They will host the Eustace Bulldogs on September 30.
(Photos by Jessica Risken)
