NACOGDOCHES — The District 16-4A showdown between John Tyler and Whitehouse is now set.

Despite letting winless Nacogdoches hang around into the third quarter, the John Tyler Lions capitalized on four third-quarter Nacogdoches turnovers to score 29 points in less than seven minutes on the way to a 50-7 rout of the Dragons.

John Tyler (8-1, 4-0), the No. 2 team in Class 4A, will face Whitehouse — a 54-28 winner over Coriscana — for the 16-4A title next week.

With the Dragons breathing on the Lions' necks, John Tyler's stars rose to the occasion.

After DeQuante Woods lost a fumble on the opening play of the third quarter to give the Dragons the ball down 21-7, Tyus Bowser sacked Nacogdoches quarterback Patrick Ledet on fourth down to help the Lions regain possession.

A few plays later, Greg Ward found Woods for a 36-yard scoring pass to make to 28-7.

John Tyler forced and recovered Nacogdoches fumbles on the next four drives, which led to three more John Tyler touchdowns.

Bowser recovered two of those fumbles for the Lions.

Ward accounted for 361 yards — 301 through the air — with four passing touchdowns. With John Tyler ahead 35-7, Woods scored on a 2-yard run. Benitez Porfirio's point after was blocked by Gavin Nesbitt, but Ward recovered the loose ball and ran it in for the 2-point conversion to make it 43-7.

John Tyler added a 9-yard scoring pass from Ward to Fred Ross later in the third quarter.

Ross caught five passes for 105 yards and two touchdowns. Woods had three total touchdowns, two on the ground, but he finished with zero rushing yards.

Nacogdoches' only touchdown came on a 56-yard pass from Hunter McClellan to L.J. Barnes in the first quarter to tie the game at 7, but John Tyler responded with a 40-yard pass from Ward to Ross and an 8-yard touchdown run by Woods to put the Lions ahead 21-7 late in the first quarter.

John Tyler forced seven turnovers in the game, including passes intercepted by Terry Ausborne, Elliot Hart and Darion Flowers.

Nacogdoches will travel to Lindale in the regular season finale.

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