Crockett High School, Monte Jack Driscoll Stadium -
The Tenaha Tigers Varsity Football Team took a convincing 60-22 win over Burton High School in the Class 2A DivisionII State Semifinal round game played at Crockett on Thursday night.
The Tigers will now face a #3 ranked Muenster team on Thursday, December 21, 2017, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. Kickoff is slated for 11 a.m. Muenster eliminated Wellington on Thursday by a 31-28 score. Both Tenaha and Muenster have perfect 15-0 season records.
Tenaha used a 418 yard to 166 yard advantage in rushing during the game to get a 60-22 scoring advantage by game's end. The Tigers also intercepted three Burton Panther's passes during the contest. The Tigers' sole turnover was a fumble.
Tenaha passed for 158 yards completing 4 of 6 attempts. Burton completed 15 of 22 attempts for 171 yards.
The Tigers won the coin toss and elected to kick the ball to the Burton Panthers to start the game. Burton turned the ball over on downs after just four plays and Tenaha took over at the Panther's 38 yard line early in the game. Moments later, Onterio Thompson scored on a 4-yard run with 8:31 left in te first quarter. Tenaha took a 6-0 lead after a failed extra point kick.
Tenaha took a 13-0 lead when Trai Gardner returned a Panthers' pass 96 yards for a score with 4:53 left in the opening stanza, and Christian Castillo added an extra point kick conversion.
Gardner broke up a pass on fourth down during Burton's next offensive drive and Tenaha took over with 1 1/2 minutes left in the opening stanza. Gardner took a pass from Tigers quarterback CJ Horn and raced 71 yards to the enzone to give THS a 20-0 advantage near the end of the first period of play.
Panther Tristian Brantley got Burton on the board with a 39-yard field goal with 8:43 left in the first half. Tenaha lost a fumble to Burton moments later and the Panthers' DeMonderick Winters capped a 31-yard scoring drive with a 1-yard touchdown run to cut Tenahas' lead to 20-10 with 5:31 left in the second quarter. This score held up until halftime.
After a touchdown on the opening kickoff return was called back, Trai Gardner scored on a 70-yard touchdown to give THS a 26-10 advantage to start the third quarter. He then extended the Tigers' lead to 33-10 later, with 4:41 left in the third stanza with a 56-yard touchdown reception from Horn.
Burton scored on a kickoff return during the ensueing kick. Tenaha answered just one minute later with a 55-yard Onterio Thompson scoring run which gave THS a 40-16 lead with 3:29 left in the third frame. Thompson scored again on a 28-yard touchdown run with just over one minute left in the third stanza. Tenaha took a 46-16 lead into the final period.
Thompson added a 73-yard rushing score score early in the fourth quarter and Castillo added the kick needed to give THSa 53-16 lead with 11 minutes left in the contest.
Burton scored with 10 minutes remaining, capping a 55-yard drive which cut the THS lead to 53-22.
LaDarrius Garrett scored the game's final touchdown on a 17-yard run with 6:33 left in the contest. This proved to be the final score and gave Tenaha the 60-22 State Semifinal Class 2A Division II win. Tenaha last went to the state title game in 2012. They last won the title in 2011 and 1998. The Tigers were state runners-up in 1996.
