December 21, 2024

HAPPY FRIDAY! | It’s regular season finale night in high school football

Mitch Lucas 1 month ago

EDITOR’S NOTE: ETBlitz.com editor / publisher Mitch Lucas was reporting live, as it happened, from Henderson-Lindale, Tatum-Jefferson, and Arp-West Rusk. Read this recap as the ETBlitz-area teams had this schedule Friday night: Henderson (6-3) at Lindale; Arp (6-3) at West Rusk (4-5); Tatum (6-3) at Jefferson (9-0); and Cushing (2-7) at Overton (7-2). Two more games kick off at 7 p.m.: Buffalo (1-8) at Troup (6-3), and Gladewater (3-6) at White Oak (5-4).

Now, we’re not guaranteeing these links will all work. But if you want to try and watch these games along with us, here are a few:

Kilgore played last night and demolished Mabank, 48-0 (JUST SMASHING | Kilgore completes regular season with big win over Mabank, goes into 4A postseason as district’s No. 1 seed); Leverett’s Chapel blasted Campbell (56-8); and Gilmer went all the way to Paris (the Texas version) to blow by North Lamar, 56-0 (GILMER WALLOPS NORTH LAMAR | Buckeyes leave no doubt, finish regular season with 56-0 win).

While you’re waiting on this to go live, go check out our story on what these games mean right here: WHO’S IN? WHO’S DONE? | A look at what ETBlitz-area football teams are headed to the playoffs, who has to win to get in, and seeding, or maybe the district standings going into tonight, after Thursday’s games, right here: DISTRICT STANDINGS | Updated district standings after Thursday’s games, prior to tonight’s regular season finales.

See y’all at 6!

OK! We’re under way. Checking in with Henderson at Lindale first.

  • Lindale gets the ball first after the kickoff, and it’s a first down, all the way to the Eagles’ own 45-yard-line.
  • The Eagles are in blue jerseys with blue numbers, white helmets with an Indianapolis Colts-looking stripe down the center. Henderson is in blue pants with red and white trim, white sox, and the blue helmets with the classic “H” logo.
  • WHOOP, FUMBLE! Henderson’s Varian Williams recovers, at Henderson’s own 39. That’ll be the Lions’ first possession of the game, with 10:13 left in the first quarter. And here comes quarterback Vince Howard and the Lions’ offense.
  • Jordan Ervin takes the hand-off on first down, and by the way, Jesstin “Meaty” Starling and Ervin are both in the backfield.
  • Starting offensive line is Ryne Malone, D’Kalyn Pellum, Braxton Bennett, John Bateman and Trent Henderson (appropriately named) for the Lions, who actually were just forced to punt. With 8:44 left in the first quarter, Lindale gets it back at their own 25.
  • Lindale just attempted a fourth-down conversion from Henderson’s 46! And it failed! Henderson gets the ball back with 6:57 left at midfield.
  • Lemarion Coleman takes care of things on first down, getting a another first down immediately, into Lindale territory, just barely.
  • Starling, so quick and over 1,200 yards for the year before this game ever kicked off, is a burst of speed down to Lindale’s 38, and then a pass from Howard to Coleman gets the Lions to the 29, for a second and 1 coming up.
  • The Lions can’t get much on first or second down, and are in a third and 12 at Lindale’s 23.
  • Wow — Howard outruns everyone on what looked to be a designed quarterback run, down to Lindale’s 14-yard-line. They’re saying Howard is a yard short; it’s fourth and 1 there.
  • It is going to be very close where the official marked it.
  • And they rule he didn’t get it! Wow! It looked like he did, but the ball after being spotted is still at the Lindale 14, where the Eagles take over.
  • Now, at TATUM AT JEFFERSON, the Eagles just forced a turnover on downs on Jefferson, and Cayden Tatum, on first down still in the first quarter, they’re at their own 41.
  • The game is scoreless, by the way: Tatum 0, Jefferson 0.
  • A couple of penalties, though, and Tatum is in first and very long, first and 25 from the 25. Jacorie Bradley, Tatum’s quarterback, runs for 9, to the Eagles’ 34.
  • Cayden Tatum, for Tatum, just picked up 15 yards on second down, and they’re in third and 2 at midfield.
  • It’s the end of the first quarter, with no score in Jefferson between the Tatum Eagles and home-team Jefferson Bulldogs.
  • Back to Lindale, where Henderson’s Starling just carried Eagles with him all the way to Lindale’s 7-yard-line! LOL!
  • On the next play, though, something weird happened at the point of the handoff, and it’s a loss of about 3, all the way back to the Eagles’ 10.
  • On the very next play, a handoff to Coleman leads to another loss of yards, back to the 16. Henderson is going the wrong way.
  • That’s the end of the first quarter in Lindale, as well, and that game — Henderson at Lindale, for the final playoff spot in District 9-4A, Division I — is also scoreless.
  • Back to Jefferson. Tatum gets another run from Bradley and is down to the Jefferson 31, just after the second quarter began, a 14-yard run by Bradley.
  • On third and 16 at Lindale’s 16, Henderson’s Howard is hit and rocked. He loses the ball, but Jordan Ervin recovered, but a huge loss of 20, all the way back to the 36. It’s fourth down from there. Without a penalty, they need to get to Lindale’s 1 (!) for a first down.
  • Tatum’s Luke Sigler is tackled at the 27-yard-line, and the Eagles have fourth down there.
  • Henderson is going for it. A pass out in the flat to Zeshaun Reed, who gets all he can, but is stopped at Lindale’s 15. Henderson will have to give the ball back to Lindale there, with 11:03 left in the half.
  • On fourth down and 6 for Tatum, meanwhile, from Jefferson’s 27, Bradley throws the ball into the end zone, going for all of it. It’s incomplete in the end zone!
  • Jefferson will take over at its own 27, with just over seven minutes left in the first half, still 0-0 between Tatum and Jefferson.
  • Adrian Lawson just caught a huge pass, all the way down to Tatum’s 25-yard-line, for a huge first down.
  • At Lindale, the Eagles just executed a halfback pass, all the way to Henderson’s 3.
  • Henderson collapses on the running back on first down; it appears the Eagles lost a yard. There’s 8 1/2 minutes left in the half, and no score.
  • On second and goal from the 3, and Lindale’s Johnson scores on the 3-yard play. With 8:12 left in the half, Lindale is up, 6-0. There’s an injured player, extra point pending.
  • Meanwhile at Jefferson, Chris Webb just scored for the Bulldogs, and Jefferson leads Tatum, 6-0, with 5:20 left in the first half. The Bulldogs (9-0) missed the extra point.
  • Speaking of extra points, Lindale gets it, and the Eagles lead, 7-0.
  • On Henderson’s next drive, disaster: a fumble on the handoff, and Lindale has recovered at Henderson’s 36.
  • There’s 7:25 left in the half, with LHS still in front, 7-0.
  • Lindale tries a deep one into the end zone: incomplete.
  • The Eagles are at Henderson’s 11, and it’s caught by Lindale’s Fowler for a 11-yard score, with 5:40 left in the half. The extra point is good, and the Eagles have doubled their lead to 14-0.
  • Henderson still has plenty of time, 5:18, clock running, at its own 25.
  • Oh, my gosh: Lindale gets the ball right back, an interception at Henderson’s 35 by Lindale’s Jackson Parker. There’s 4:54 left in the half and Henderson is now in trouble.
  • A big play to Johnson, a pass, takes the Eagles all the way to the Lions’ 20. I promise I’m getting Lindale’s roster at halftime, guys. Sorry.
  • Johnson, the running back, is tackled by Henderson’s Anthony Newman, but not until he gets a first down at Henderson’s 11.
  • A Lindale receiver appeared to drop the ball at the 7, but they’re ruling he caught it and then fumbled it out of bounds there.
  • Johnson gets to the 1, and runs into a wall of Henderson defenders there.
  • We’ll get to the other games soon, but this game is winner-goes-to-the-playoffs, loser-stays-home. Let’s stay with this for now.
  • A false start by the Eagles moves them back to Henderson’s 6.
  • And there’s ANOTHER flag. And another false start! LOL!
  • Now they’re in first and goal at the 11, and were all the way to the 1 moments ago.
  • Well, no matter now. Lindale just got a touchdown pass, with exactly two minutes left in the half, my gosh.
  • The extra point is perfect. It’s Lindale 21, Henderson 0. Who in the world would have ever thought this?
  • So the Lions begin after a touchback with two minutes left, at their own 25. Lindale has scored three touchdowns in this game, all in the second quarter, just a snowball effect there on the Lions.
  • The weather is apparently not good there; our announcers are talking about the possibility of a delay.
  • They’ve been in a time out, and now they’re back, with 1:53 left. Henderson in second and 11 at its own 24.
  • Howard goes long, attempting to hit Macen Jones downfield, along the sideline, but Jones can’t haul it in.
  • It’s third and 11. A pitch to Coleman and he looks to have the first down at the 35.
  • Howard tosses it downfield again, almost like a punt, and it’s picked off. Lindale has the ball at its own 33, with 1:35 left. That was the third turnover for Henderson in this half.
  • Disaster, part two: a 65-yard touchdown pass-and-catch for Fowler, who has put his team up, 28-0, with 1:19 left. This is shocking.
  • If this game goes into lightning delay, Henderson may not have a chance to come back.
  • Henderson, after a pair of good runs by Starling, is at midfield, with a half-a-minute left, specifically 36 seconds.
  • There was just a false start called, and they’ll be in second and 13 at their own 46.
  • A loss on second and long, and that may do it for the first half.
  • It does. The teams head to the locker room with Lindale up, 28-0, all of the points scored in the second quarter.
  • Going to step away a second myself. First of all, some scores.
  • Jefferson leads Tatum at half in Jefferson, 6-0. Wow, Eagles playing the Bulldogs super tough.
  • An epidemic of 6-0 scores: Arp leads West Rusk, 6-0, at Bruce Bradshaw Stadium on the WR campus in New London, also at the half.
  • Oh my word: Overton leads Cushing, 46-0 — you read that right — at the half!
  • Gladewater and White Oak have just kicked off in White Oak, and Troup and Buffalo have also just kicked off in Troup. We’ll be back shortly to resume.
  • Forgot one: Liberty-Eylau leads Sabine, 42-0, also at halftime. What a rough year for Sabine. I had so much hopes for them. Just a rough schedule and then the loss of starting quarterback Colt Sparks to the injury. Get well, Colt.
  • Well, it’s an abbreviated halftime tonight in Lindale; there was no halftime performances by either band or the Lionettes, and rain is still falling steadily, as the third quarter gets under way. Lindale, as a reminder, bad as it hurts to say it, is in front, 28-0 over Henderson.
  • Henderson gets the ball at the 25-yard-line after the kickoff and touchback, and immediately the Lions are called for a false start. They’re in first and 15 at their own 20, with just one second off the third-quarter clock.
  • A week ago tonight, Overton came back from a 24-0 deficit. Let’s see if the Lions can do some damage.
  • The Lions get two good runs from Starling and Ervin, and they’re in third-and-respectable, third and 5, at their own 30.
  • Howard’s pass is behind Ervin, though, and with 10:30 left in the third, Lindale is going to get the ball back after a punt. Not much of a return, though, and Lindale takes over at its own 39, 10:24 left in the third.
  • Over in Jefferson, Tatum is at Jefferson’s 16-yard-line, and now a run to the 9. The Bulldogs are really having a hard time handling Tatum’s run, apparently.
  • It’s 8:24 left in the third quarter. A third and goal is coming up at Jefferson’s 4.
  • TOUCHDOWN CAYDEN TATUM! TOUCHDOWN, TATUM! Tatum has tied state-ranked and undefeated Jefferson! And Zeke Lester hits the extra point. TATUM LEADS JEFFERSON, 7-6, with 7:51 left in the third quarter!
  • Oh, man! Tatum just recovered an onside kick! Grant Adock just grabbed the ball for Tatum at the Jefferson 40-yard-line!
  • In Lindale, Howard connects with Amauri Murphy to Lindale’s 40.
  • And in Jefferson, Tatum has a first-and-10 at Jefferson’s 16!
  • I love the NFHS Network guys, but it’s letting me down tonight. I’m sorry, guys. Cannot log in to see Arp-West Rusk. But Dennis Jacobs is on hand for us, and it’s 12-0 Arp in the third quarter.
  • Lindale has the ball back, and is threatening again, at Henderson’s 28.
  • Tatum, in third down from Jefferson’s 23, makes it fourth and 8 at the Jefferson 15.
  • But Bradley is hit and sacked on fourth down. Tatum still leads, 7-6, and the Bulldogs will take over at their own 36, still in the third quarter.
  • Jefferson struggling to move the ball tonight. And Tatum’s defense has a lot to do with that.
  • The Eagles add a field goal, and now lead Henderson, 31-0, with 1:45 left in the third.
  • Jefferson has just scored, and added the extra point. Still in the third, Jefferson is back in front over Tatum, 12-7.
  • Let’s see what’s happening elsewhere. Gladewater leads White Oak, 13-0, at the start of the second quarter. Troup is up on Buffalo, 14-7, with 2:29 left in the first. Liberty-Eylau leads Sabine, 42-0, although we don’t know how much is left in that game.
  • Henderson again trails Lindale, 31-0, with 10 seconds left in the third quarter, and Arp leads West Rusk, 12-0, 8:04 left in the third.
  • When we can find the broadcasts of the other games, we’re going to join those games momentarily. If we can’t, LOL, then this is going to come to an abrupt end, and we’ll catch you all up later tonight with all of the final scores and as many details and stories as we can.
  • Tatum just failed on a fourth-down conversion at midfield, and as the fourth quarter starts, the Eagles trail Jefferson, 12-6.
  • This note from Dennis Jacobs, at West Rusk-Arp: “Arp intercepts a WR pass at its own 1. Get the ball to the 4. On fourth down, the punter (doesn’t handle) the snap and West Rusk recovers the ball for a touchdown.” The extra point was blocked, though, by Arp, who leads now 12-6. There’s a minute left in the third quarter in that one.
  • Lindale has scored AGAIN, and leads Henderson, 38-0, with 10:36 left in the game.
  • Another note right now from Dennis: 19-6 Arp. The Tigers have just scored.
  • Recapping some stakes on the line tonight in these games…
  • The Henderson-Lindale winner takes the fourth seed in the District 9-4A, DI playoffs. The season ends for the losing team, and that looks, for all intent and purpose, that it’s going to be the Henderson Lions, unfortunately. Henderson trails 38-0 with 8 1/2 minutes left in the game.
  • Arp and West Rusk are playing in New London. The winner goes into the UIL Class 3A playoffs as the number three seed, the losing team as the number four. And Arp is leading the Raiders, 19-6, early in the fourth quarter.
  • Sabine and Liberty-Eylau are simply finishing the regular season. L-E can’t take the lead in the district, even with a Jefferson loss to Tatum tonight, and the Leopards are stuck in that number two seed in District 8-3A, Division I. Not a bad place to be, all things considered. Sabine is finishing its season, and the Cardinals will finish up 2-8. L-E won that one, 64-0.
  • Jefferson just took over after a fumble at midfield by Tatum, and still leads 12-6. That game is pretty much just for bragging rights: Jefferson will go in as the 8-3A champion, as mentioned, and Tatum is locked into that fourth-place slot. But the Eagles are going to the playoffs.
  • Troup leads Buffalo, 14-7. Troup’s Tigers are also locked in at the number two slot in District 11-3A, Division II, behind undefeated New Diana. The Tigers already know they’re playing Anderson Shiro next Friday in Crockett, in the first round of the postseason.
  • Gladewater and White Oak are playing for pride, but that’s ok sometimes. The Bears are up 20-7, with six minutes left in the first half.
  • Tatum trails Jefferson, 18-7, now with 7:02 left in the game.
  • The Raiders just got a touchdown, and have gotten within six, 19-13, in the fourth quarter with Arp.
  • Henderson now trails, 45-0, in Lindale, with 4:30 left.
  • Cayden Tatum just scored again for the Tatum Eagles, a 31-yard score! Tatum goes for two, to get within three points, but the two-point conversion fails, and the Eagles are down by five, 18-13, with 6:02 left.
  • Trailing 19-13 in the fourth quarter, in a steady rain, West Rusk just recovered an Arp fumble.
  • Wow, and then Arp just intercepted West Rusk right back, on the WR 6-yard-line.
  • And in Lindale, Henderson’s season has come to an end. Lindale wins, 45-0, and claims the fourth and final playoff spot in 9-4A, Division I. Lindale finishes 5-5 in the regular season and 3-3 in district play, and they’ll play at District 10-4A champ Little Cypress-Mauriceville next week. Kilgore will go in as the district’s number one seed, and host either Vidor or Lumberton next week. Pine Tree, as the second seed, will also host a first-round game next week, and Chapel Hill will be the third-place team in 9-4A, and will be on the road.
  • We’re going to step away here, and we’ll be back with final scores shortly. Y’all have a great night.

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