September 24, 2026 (Photo Album) - The Tenaha Tigers varsity football team fell short 40-35 to the Union Grove Lions at Raymond Jackson Tenaha Tigers Stadium on Friday, September 18th. Tenaha is now 2-2 this season.
Tenaha scored first with a 2-yard rush by Quentin Goodson within the first 5 minutes of play time. Union Grove came back and made a 13-yard touchdown from Hudson Wightman, with a failed extra point field goal attempt; Tigers led by 1. With 3:32 left to play in the second quarter, QB Clayton Creech hit Jacobe Calloway for an 82-yard touchdown pass giving the Tigers a 14-6 lead halfway through the second quarter.
Union Grove recovered a fumble at the 35-yard line. The Lions pushed the ball down the field for a touchdown with 34 seconds to spare in the half; Tigers led 14-12 after Ciro Sandoval stopped the two-point conversion at the one-inch line. Even with several good passes and a 17-yard rushing gain from Clayton Creech, Tenaha was not able to make one more touchdown before the end of the half.
After an onside kick, Union Grove starts the second half of the game at the Tenaha 40-yard line. A 24-yard pickup for Wightman and a 4th down conversion helped Union Grove score another touchdown plus a two-point conversion, giving them their first lead of the game, 20-14 with 7:49 of play in the third quarter. The Tigers took over at their 43-yard line on their first drive in the second half. Jacobe Calloway had a nice 20-yard pick up to put the Tigers at the 40-yard line but a pass intended for Creech was intercepted by Union Grove. Wightman, on the pick, went in for the 85-yard interception return. Union Grove went up 26-14 with 5 minutes left in the 3rd quarter. The Tigers roared back by making their way down the field and Bubba Norris on a 7-yard carry for the touchdown; with 1:29 left in the 3rd quarter, Tenaha trailed 26-21.
There was a 15-yard penalty against the Lions, so Sandoval punted for the Tigers at their own 45-yard line. The ball bounced out of the hands of a Union Grove receiver and into the hands of Sandoval; Tenaha was 1st and 10 at the 43-yard line. Bubba Norris put the Tigers back on top with a 43-yard touchdown run. The Tigers retook the lead 28-26 at the end of the 3rd quarter.
Union Grove started the 4th quarter with a 58-yard touchdown run by Wightman to put the Lions back on top 32-28 after another failed two-point conversion; 11:46 left in the game. Tenaha’s Calloway received the punt at the 20-yard line for a 76-yard return. With a 4-yard touchdown run, Clayton Creech put the Tigers back up 35-32 with a 10:58 remaining. Starting their next drive mid-field, Union Grove had a 29-yard gain by DJ Edwards, putting them at the 16-yard line. Wightman had no trouble finding the end zone for another touchdown. The two-point conversion gave the Lions a 40-35 lead.
Back-to-back holding penalties against Tenaha slowed them down from scoring again, but the Tiger defensive live held off Union Grove. The 40-35 win against Tenaha puts Union Grove 4-0 this season.
The Tigers will host the Cross Roads Bobcats on Friday on September 25th for the first district game.
