Tenaha Takes Rematch With Timpson 59-0 In Region III Final

Carthage High School. Thursday, December 7, 2017 –

The Tenaha Tigers Varsity Football team left no doubt when they demolished their district rivals the Timpson Bears, by a 59-0 score, in the Class 2A Division II Regional III Finals (State Quarterfinal), at Carthage Bulldogs Field, on Thursday.

The Tigers had beaten the Bears 40-6 just four weeks earlier to give Timpson their only District 11 loss. The Bears season ends with them posting an 11-3 win-loss record. Tenaha now stands at 14-0.

Tenaha scored on its first six possessions.  On the Tigers first possession, CJ Horn capped an 84-yard drive with a 1-yard keeper with 7:10 left in the opening period. Christian Castillo added one, of what would eventually be a perfect 7 extra-point kicks, to give Tenaha an early 7-0 lead.

Things soon got worse for Timpson as a fumble by the Bears gave Tenaha the ball back at the Bears’ 25-yard line just one minute later, with four minutes left in the first quarter. Onterio Thompson went in for a score from 15 yards out to give the Tigers a 14-0 advantage with 2:57 left in the opening stanza.

Timpson couldn’t get anything started and soon after a blocked Bears punt gave Tenaha the ball back at the Bears 12-yard line with slightly less than one minute left in the first quarter.

The Tigers wasted no time scoring the football. Onterio Thompson ran 12 yards straight up the middle of the field for Tenahas’ third score which gave them a 21-0 lead with 36 seconds left in the opening frame.

Thompson extended their lead to 28-0 with a 64-yard scoring run with 10.57 left in the second quarter. Timpson punted the ball back to the Tigers after their next offensive drive stalled after just four plays. Senior Trai Gardner returned the ball back to midfield where Tenaha used just three plays to get the ball into Timpsons’ red zone. Gardner capped a 50-yard scoring drive for the Tigers with a 4-yard touchdown reception with 5:58 left in the second quarter, giving his team a 35-0 advantage.

Timpsons’ next drive stalled and Tenaha took over at their 40-yard line with 4:10 remaining in the first half of play. Thompson scored on an up the middle counter run on first-and-goal at the 4-yard line with 2:47 left in the half.

Jordan Osby got Bears fans on their feet with a 48-yard run which gave Timpson good field position on their next drive but the Bears’ drive stalled just three plays later. Tenaha took a 42-0 lead into the locker room at the midway break after stalling the final seconds off the first-half clock by taking a knee.

The opening kickoff of the third period saw Jay Lloyd run 89 yards for a touchdown to start the second half, and to give the Tigers a 49-0 advantage.

Timpson gained only one first down on their next drive and they punted the football back to the Tigers who took over at their own 38-yard line with eight minutes left in the third period.

Trai Gardner scored on a 45-yard run with 7:06 left in the third period, giving Tenaha a 56-0 lead.

With 4:50 left in the fourth quarter, Christian Castillo added the final score of the contest which added a 32-yard field goal to Tenahas’ tally, and this gave the Tigers the final 59-0 margin of victory.

Tenaha gained eight first downs while Timpson gained three. The Tigers held a 352 yard to 67 yard advantage running the football. Tenaha completed five of five passes for 85 yards. Timpson completed three of 12 passes for 26 yards.

Tenaha Superintendent Scott Tyner stated, after the game, “This was the eighth consecutive regional final for our kids to play in in football or basketball. We are very proud of them.”

Head Football Coach Craig Horn stated, “There is nothing but good teams left. We will go to see them play and see what we need to prepare for.  Our offense and defensive lineman, and our team, have worked hard and prepared to take us to this point of the season.”

Tenaha has won many regional titles but none since 2013. Tenaha won the state title in 1998, and 2011, but haven’t reached the finals since 2012.

The Tigers will next play the winner of the Burton versus Falls City game which is being played on Friday night, December 8, 2017.