The Teague Lions built a big lead and finished with a 27-12 over the Fairfield Eagles to claim the runner-up spot in the district race. The Teague win eliminated the Groesbeck Goats and put the Mexia Blackcats into the playoffs as the fourth-place team.
(Photo by Jessica Risken)
Malakoff concluded the regular season with a shutout win over the Goats. Malakoff wins the district at 6-0 and the Lions were one game back at 5-1. For the remaining two spots were the Goats, Blackcats, and Eagles, all finishing with identical 3-3 records. Fairfield beat Groesbeck and in the point system had to advantage over the other two and claims the third place, the Blackcats were at zero in the system and finish in the fourth spot and Groesbeck had a negative score in the point system and are eliminated.
(Photo by Payton Botelho)
Teague took the ball first and marched down the field and scored on their first possession. Zak Leija tossed a quick pass to Shamar Davis for 11 yards. The drive stalled inside the Fairfield 25-yard line, and the Lions were faced with a fourth and eight. Leija threw toward the back of the endzone and Caden Gonzales hauled it for the 22-yard touchdown. The try for two was no good and the Lions had a 6-0 lead.
(Photo by Jessica Risken)
The Lions second possession lasted 13 plays and ended at the Eagle four-yard line. Evan Chavers sliced in and sacked Leija and the Eagles got the stop on defense. Fairfield had some offensive production when Braiden Barret ran for 12 to get them a first down but three plays later, Dixon Nichols sacked quarterback Cameron Cockerell and the threat was ended with an interception by Davis.
(Photo by Payton Botelho)
Teague took advantage of the possession near midfield. On the fifth play of the drive, Leija hit Jehmel Rice up the middle for a 54-yard touchdown pass, the second of the game for the Lions. Henry Cordona added the extra point for the 13-0 lead.
Fairfield drove as far as the ten-yard line before the half. The drive covered 12 plays and went from the Fairfield 23-yard line down to the ten when Cockerell’s pass bounced off the defender and fell incomplete and the half ended at 13-0.
(Photo by Jessica Risken)
Following a scoreless third quarter, the Lions were continuing a drive. Leija scrambled for a 30-yard run to the 20-yard line and a penalty backed them up outside the Fairfield 25. Leija hit Tylin Randle with a pass for a first down inside the ten-yard line and a couple of plays later, Davis scored on a five-yard run. Cordona added the point after and the lead extended to 20-0.
The Eagles had another drive stall inside the Teague 30 when the Lion defense stiffened. Davis took over the drive and had a 31-yard run when he spun out of a tackle at the line of scrimmage. He added another 18-yard run down to the 16 and three plays later, freshman Jaden Cole scored on a three-yard run to set the score at 27-0.
(Photo by Payton Botelho)
Fairfield did get a score on the board. Hayden Lummus and Anthony Dimiceli teamed up for a sack of Cockerell for an 11-yard loss and on the next play, Cockerell dumped a pass to Camron Daniels and he ran to the ten-yard line before being tackled. Barrett went the final ten yards for the touchdown and the mishandled snap left the score at 27-6 with the Lions leading.
(Photo by Payton Botelho)
A short punt put the Eagles near midfield and Cockerell threw a pass to Jonathon Garcia and he took care of the rest, completing a 41-yard pass play in the final minute of the game. The onside kick was covered by the Lions and they would go on to complete the 27-12 win.
Teague will take on the Whitney Wildcats on Thursday and Hewitt Midway High School in the first round of the playoffs. Fairfield moves on take the runner up from District seven, Grandview, on Friday at Robinson. Mexia will go to Waco ISD Stadium to take on District seven winner, West. Malakoff, the champion of 8-3A Division I, will play Dallas Madison on Friday at Corsicana.
