2013 East Texas Football Games of the Year, No. 10: White Oak at Tatum
No one will forget the show White Oak and Tatum gave to basketball fans in East Texas this past spring, but these two rivals could be battling it out for a district title this fall as well.
Even though the Oct. 11 showdown in Tatum will be the District 9-2A Division I opener for both teams, the game could go a long way in determining district seeding come playoff time. White Oak, Tatum and Troup all went 4-1 in league play last season to share the district title.
Last season's game -- a 28-21 Tatum victory -- came down to the final seconds with Tatum scoring the game-winner on a 49-yard screen pass just moments after White Oak took a 21-20 lead on an 84-yard TD strike from Dylan Gale and Jansen McCurdy, which was the the third time those two hooked up for touchdowns.
White Oak brings back twice as many starters as Tatum, including the aforementioned QB-WR duo of Gale and McCurdy. And the Roughnecks are hungry for a win over Tatum, something White Oak's done just once in 17 meetings since 1990.
ETSN.fm 2013 Preseason Top 25 Games of the Year
- No. 10 -- White Oak at Tatum
- No. 11 -- Lancaster at John Tyler
- No. 12 -- Mount Pleasant at Sulphur Springs
- No. 13 -- Carthage at Jasper
- No. 14 -- Whitehouse at Sulphur Springs
- No. 15 -- West Sabine at Alto
- No. 16 -- Gilmer vs. Henderson
- No. 17 -- Tatum at Troup
- No. 18 — Center at Jasper
- No. 19 — Kilgore at Henderson
- No. 20 — Elysian Fields at Hughes Springs
- No. 21 – Longview vs. Olive Branch, Miss.
- No. 22 – Chapel Hill at Henderson
- No. 23 – Jefferson at White Oak
- No. 24 – Tenaha at Garrison
- No. 25 – Tatum at Center