HENDERSON TAKES CARE OF BUSINESS | Baker’s Lions rolling, 3-1 headed into district after rout of Gainesville
Much like the University of Texas, people have been asking for a while if Henderson is “back.”
Folks, it looks like they might be. They’re well on their way.
The Lions got a kickoff return for a touchdown from Anthony Newman, an interception return for a score and a 52-yard TD from Lemarion Coleman, and two rushing touchdowns from Vince Howard and Jesstin Starling – and that was just in the FIRST QUARTER Thursday night, on the way to an overwhelming 62-6 win over the Gainesville Leopards in a neutral-site game played at Texas A&M-Commerce University.
Henderson alumni Clay Baker is the head coach of the Lions now, in his second season as such, and has them rolling. They’re 3-1 and could easily be 4-0 – they went down to the wire with Liberty-Eylau a couple of weeks ago, dropping a 44-41 decision late where L-E was able to run out the clock.
Gainesville is the opposite; they fall to 0-4.
Picking up where they left off in the second quarter, Henderson’s defense forced a turnover on downs at midfield, just inside Leopards’ territory, and Howard hooked up with Macen Jones for a touchdown.
After another defensive stop and a big run by Jordan Ervin to get them inside Gainesville’s 30-yard-line, Starling scored his 11th touchdown of the year, a 2-yard run that gave the Lions a 49-0 lead, still in the first half.
Starling would score again before the night was over, a third touchdown in the game for him and 12 on the year. Gainesville did get one touchdown, and Henderson finished out everyone’s scoring with a rush TD by Jayden Bishop.
That’ll do it for the Lions’ non-district schedule, and they passed that test with flying colors. They’re off, now, to the District 9-4A, Division I portion of their schedule, and it looks a good bit different than it did last year.
Some people still refer to it as “The District of Doom,” which is a bit archaic at this point, but might still fit.
Henderson draws Palestine first – the Wildcats visit Henderson ISD Lion Stadium next week, on Friday, Sept. 27.
After that, Henderson makes a bit earlier-than-usual, it seems, trip to Kilgore to face the Bulldogs (Oct. 4).
Henderson hosts district newcomer Mabank on Oct. 11, then visits another newcomer, but an old rival, in Pine Tree on Oct. 18, and they’re currently state-ranked, No. 7 in the Dave Campbell’s Texas Football Class 4A-DI poll (Kilgore is No. 8, by the way).
Chapel Hill, the No. 2 team in that same poll, comes up on the Lions’ schedule, a home game for Henderson, on Nov. 1, and the Lions finish up the regular schedule with a trip to Lindale on Nov. 8.
