Tatum Overcomes Slow Start for 40-28 Win Against Pleasant Grove

TATUM -- Senior running back Shaq Johnson and senior athlete Toby Henderson ran for two touchdowns apiece to lead Tatum to a 40-28 win against Pleasant Grove on Friday.

Tatum (3-0) came back from two first-quarter deficits thanks to Johnson's four-yard, second-quarter touchdown run, which put the Eagles ahead for good. That was Johnson's second scoring run of the first half following his one-yard touchdown in the first.

Henderson's 21-yard, third-quarter touchdown jaunt put Tatum ahead 27-14, and Javolick Garrett's 62-yard punt return touchdown pushed the Eagles' lead to 34-14 with 7:20 left in the third.

Tatum outscored Pleasant Grove (0-3) 21-0 in the second and third quarters.

Pleasant Grove staged a fourth-quarter comeback, getting a three-yard Kayin Cooks touchdown run and Casey Rayburn's second touchdown run of the game to cut Tatum's lead to 34-28, but Henderson made a spin move and scored from 39 yards on an impressive touchdown run with 7:09 left to ice the game.

Pleasant Grove's Riley O'Dell gave PG a 7-0 lead in the first, but Tatum's Demetrius Hill returned the ensuing kickoff 72 yards to tie the game. The Hawks regained the lead on Rayburn's eight-yard run, and Johnson cut PG's lead to 14-13 with his one-yard score, leading to the big second and third quarters for the Eagles.

Tatum has a bye next week. Pleasant Grove visits Commerce.