Lions Ripped by Tigers, 47-0

By Will Johnson

Messenger Reporter  

TENAHA – After a season opening loss to the Groveton Indians, the Lovelady Lions were looking to even their record when they hit the road last Friday. Unfortunately, the road they traveled led to the home of the #9 ranked Class 2A-DI Tenaha Tigers and the Tigers were less than hospitable.

It was the big play that did in the Lions during the 47-0 loss. After a stop by the Lions’ defense, a bad snap on Lovelady’s initial possession gave Tenaha the ball on the Lions’ two-yard line and set up the first score of the game at the 8:20 mark of the first quarter.

Things went south from there. The next time Tenaha touched the ball, Jordan Marshall went 48 yards to pay dirt. The two point conversion was good and the Tigers led 14-0.

After a Lions’ punt pinned the Tigers at their own 21, Tray Tutt took a handoff on a jet sweep and went 79 yards for a touchdown to make the score 20-0.

Tenaha would tack on another score before the first quarter came to an end as QB Hayden Jenkins hit Erik Smith on a swing pass that Lovelady appeared to have stopped.

The horn to end the quarter blew but the whistle never did. Smith managed to break free from the scrum and rambled 68 yards for a TD. The two point conversion was good and after the first period of play, the Lions trailed 28-0.

Jenkins was back at it again as the second quarter hit the midway point. The Tenaha QB drifted back to set up a screen and found Jeremy Patton who followed his blockers for a 69-yard TD.

The Tigers added one more TD before the half as Michael Hogg, Jr. took a handoff from Jenkins and turned it up-field for 75 yards and a score to make the Tenaha lead 41-0 at the half.  

A fourth quarter, 49-yard TD from Hogg closed out the contest as Tenaha defeated Lovelady, 47-0.

The Lions will stay on the road next week as they travel to Normangee for a game against the Panthers. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 pm.

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