Week Three: Third and Eight

By Will Johnson

Messenger Reporter

EAST TEXAS – The area football teams hit the fields throughout East Texas on Friday night and a few were faced with unfavorable turf conditions after afternoon showers turned the field of play into a mud pit. Two of the teams squeaked by with one point wins, one held on to win by a TD and a few just didn’t bring their “A” games.

Starting in Houston County, the Grapeland Sandies hit the road for a match-up against the Buffalo Bison but it seemed as if they left their offense in Sandieland as the Bison hammered Grapeland by a final score of 51-12. The loss drops the Sandies to 1-2 on the season. They will try and get back to .500 this week as they host the 0-3 Colmesneil Bulldogs.

The Crockett Bulldogs, meanwhile, stayed undefeated on the season as they took care of business with a 37-14 win over the Rusk Eagles at Monte Jack Driskell Stadium. The Dawgs hit the road for the first time this year as they bring their 3-0 record to Madisonville for a tilt against the 1-2 Mustangs.

The Lovelady Lions slipped by the Joaquin Rams on Friday night by a single point, 21-20, to stay undefeated on the season at 2-0. Lovelady faces a tough test this Friday as they hit the road for Jewett and a game against the undefeated, Class 3A DII Leon Cougars.

Moving to Anderson County, the Palestine Wildcats continued their surprisingly hot start to the season and remained unbeaten following their win against the Fairfield Eagles by a score of 27-10. The Wildcats return to the Dogwood City for a home game against the Van Vandals in a battle of 3-0 teams this Friday.

The Elkhart Elks used a 21 point third quarter to hold off the Troup Tigers, 21-14, and improved to 2-1 on the season. The Homecoming win was huge for Elkhart, following their performance against Leon the previous week. A bye this week gives the Elks time to nurse any nagging, early-season injuries before they open district play on Sept. 23 against the Westwood Panthers in Westwood.

The Cayuga Wildcats squandered a 14 point halftime lead to the Frankston Indians as the Indians scored on a two point conversion with no time remaining in the game to sneak by the Wildcats 22-21. It was the first loss of the season for Cayuga and dropped their record to 2-1. The Wildcats welcome the 1-2 Rice Bulldogs to Cayuga for Homecoming this week.

The Indians’ win – on a Hail Mary and two-point conversion – moves their season record to 2-1. They also play a pack of Bulldogs on Friday as they hit the road for a game against the 1-2 Jefferson Bulldogs.

The Westwood Panthers fell victim to Mother Nature last Friday as they hosted the Kirbyville Wildcats in a mud pit. A heavy afternoon downpour made field conditions treacherous, at best, and did not allow for the Panthers to get their offense on track as they fell by a score of 26-14. This Friday, Westwood – now at .500 for the season – travels to Troup for a game against the 1-2 Tigers.

In other action around the immediate area, it was a battle of Tigers, as Trinity took on Centerville. It was the Tigers from Trinity who came out on top as they defeated Centerville by a score of 35-24. Trinity, now 1-2, is at home this week as they welcome the undefeated Shepherd Pirates to town for game on Friday night.

Rounding out the area teams, the 2-1 Oakwood Panthers continued to dominate their opposition as they steamrolled the Chester Yellow Jackets 62-6. The Panthers have a bye this week before they welcome the Methodist Children’s Home Bulldogs to Oakwood for a game on Sept. 26.

Will Johnson may be contacted via e-mail at [email protected].

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