2013 East Texas Football Games of the Year, No. 24: Tenaha at Garrison

ETSN.fm's look at the top 25 games of the 2013 football season continues with the first of several involving Class 2A and 1A powerhouses.

When defending Class A Division II state finalist Tenaha travels to Garrison on Sept. 6, it will be a rematch of last year's defensive struggle in which Tenaha prevailed, 18-6.

The memory of the 2012 encounter will surely be fresh on several of the players' minds as both Tenaha and Garrison return plenty of firepower this season.

Tenaha, a prohibitive favorite to return to the state championship game for the third year in a row, returns 10 starters on both offense and defense.

Among the top returning offensive playmakers is senior running back Chavis Gregory (5-10, 210), who rushed for almost 1,600 yards and 23 touchdowns as a junior. Add quarterback J.R. Hill (5-11, 160) and receiver/defensive back Keontas Davis (6-1, 160) to the mix, and the Tigers could easily surpass last season's scoring average of 30.5 points per game.

Defensive lineman Denzelle Wiliams (5-11, 190) and linebacker Jacoby Ivy are just two standouts on a loaded Tenaha defense.

Garrison, which advanced two rounds deep in the 2A playoffs a year after a state-semifinal run in 1A, returns 16 starters and could challenge for a district title.

The Bulldogs posses several speedy options on offense that can serve a variety of roles, including running back Logan Clark (5-8, 165), who eclipsed 1,000 total yards and scored 17 touchdowns a season ago. Cameron Rodriguez (5-11, 180) and Khiran Arrington are also versatile cogs in an offense that put up more than 36 points per game in Garrison's final seven outings of 2012.

Defensive back Andrew Russell (5-9, 150) and defensive lineman Kade Hammer (5-11, 220) will serve as anchors on a defensive unit that allowed opponents just 17 points a game last year.