Tenaha Pulls Away From White Oak For 26-15 Win In ETSN.fm + Dairy Queen Game Of The Week

[By Nathan Wright, Special to ETSN.fm]

WHITE OAK -- The ETSN.fm/Dairy Queen Game of the Week between Class 2A No. 3 Tenaha and Class 3A No. 10 White Oak lived up to its billing Friday night at Roughneck Stadium.

In a battle of state semifinalists from a year ago, Tenaha (3-0) took a 12-0 lead into halftime and led 18-0 in the third quarter before White Oak (3-1) made a game of it, scoring twice in the third period to pull within 18-15.

But the Tigers were able to keep the Roughnecks out of the end zone and add an insurance touchdown of their own before the final buzzer sounded on a 26-15 Tenaha victory.

“Every victory is a big victory,” Tenaha head coach Terry Ward said. “For us to come into a school this size and to play good and play for a victory is good for our kids. It is such a confidence builder for our kids.

“Our kids, they laced them up and played hard. Our defense played lights out. Getting this victory, on the road, hopefully it will carry us to some big things.”

After a five-punt, scoreless first quarter, the Tigers struck first, on a 64-yard run by Kebo Reed. The PAT was blocked and Tenaha led 6-0. It wouldn’t be the first long touchdown of the night for the Tigers.

Two possessions later, the Tigers again scored on a long play. This one, a 37-yard run by Cobe Carraway, was actually the shortest touchdown run of the night for Tenaha.

The Tigers took a 12-0 lead into halftime after failing short on a two-point conversion attempt.

Things got a little more interesting in the second half. White Oak recovered an onside kick to open the third quarter. However, the Roughnecks had to settle for a 42-yard field goal attempt that was wide left.

Tenaha took over and scored in three plays. Caraway scored his second touchdown of the night, this time on a 69-yard run. The PAT was blocked again and the Tigers led 18-0 with 8:08 to go in the third quarter.

It was anything but a comfortable lead for the Tigers.

White Oak finally got on the scoreboard on its next possession. Dax Davis caught a 26-yard pass from Cordelle Smith to cut the Tenaha lead to 18-7 with 6:52 remaining in the third.

After the teams traded punts again, the Roughnecks found the end zone again, this time on a 68-yard punt return by Davis to cut the Tenaha lead to only three points at 18-15 with 29 seconds left in the third quarter.

With 6:24 to go in the game, D’Andre Thomas scored the Tigers’ fourth and final long touchdown of the night when he ran it in from 61 yards out to give Tenaha a little more breathing room at 26-15.

“The (offensive) line,” Thomas said. “The line stepped up big. And we have never played defense like that.”

White Oak had another chance to score, but a fourth-down pass went incomplete from the Roughnecks’ 42-yard-line in the final minutes. Tenaha was then able to drive inside the White Oak 20-yard-line and run out the clock.