TYLER -- It took John Tyler a quarter to get going, but once it did, there was no stopping the offense.

The Lions were held scoreless in the opening quarter but rallied in the next three to finish with a commanding 43-17 victory against Tomball in a 5A Division I Region II bi-district game Friday.

The Lions finished with more than 200 yards passing and rushing for 458 yards of total offense. It seemed there wasn't a player who didn't get involved, as six different players finished with at least 40 total yards.

Devlen Woods finished 11-of-15 for 203 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran for 56 yards. Roderick Hawkins finished with 140 total yards and two touchdowns.

"When we’re on the field offensively, there shouldn’t be nobody that can stop us," coach Ricklan Holmes said. "I call them the greatest show on turf right now because of what they’re doing running the ball and passing the ball. As long as our defense keeps doing what they’re doing to help them out and get the ball back in their hands, I’m looking for us to play a long time.”

Hawkins started the scoring with a 60-yard touchdown catch on the first play of the second quarter. Devlen Woods threw him a short pass and Hawkins gained the rest, dodging several defenders on his way to the end zone.

The play served to ignite the Lions' offense.

Cameron Grant caught a long pass on JT's next drive, rumbling 33 yards to the Tomball 5. He finished off the drive with a touchdown run on the next play. Hawkins scored again with a minute left in the half on a 10-yard run and added the two-point conversion to give JT a 22-3 lead heading into halftime.

The playoff game was the first for JT in two years after it missed the playoffs a year ago. Hawkins said that was something the Lions held onto this season and heading into Friday's game.

“It was really motivation," he said. "A chip on your shoulder. We had that in the back of our mind. Through all the preparation. Through summer and spring it has been on our mind to get back in this position.”

As much as the offense shined, the defense was equally impressive.

Roy Lampton donned a blue chain in the shape of the Lions' logo after the game. It's a "turnover chain" modeled after the University of Miami's. Lampton played a part in forcing two turnovers. He recovered a fumble in the first half and came away with an interception on Tomball's first drive in the second. The interception sapped the momentum from the Cougars, and after John Tyler scored on the ensuing drive, was the proverbial coup de grâce.

"I got hands on the receiver and I as I was fixing to let him go, I saw the ball was thrown," Lampton said. "Isaiah (Johnson) had a good rush on the quarterback and I saw the ball and just had to go get it.”

Defensive lineman Ja'Bralen Yarber also stood out on defense, coming away with two sacks in the victory.

John Tyler advances to the area round where it will face Lancaster (8-3) at 2 p.m. next Saturday at Memorial Stadium in Mesquite.

John Tyler 43, Tomball 17

At CHRISTUS TMF Rose Stadium, Tyler

Tomball         3    0    7    7         --    17
John Tyler       0     22   7   14            –    43

First Quarter
TOM – Austin Hudgens 26 field goal, 0:37.
Second Quarter
JT – Roderick Hawkins 60 pass form Devlen Woods (Frankie Sanchez kick), 11:47.
JT – Cameron Grant 5 run (Sanchez kick), 7:53.
JT – Hawkins 10 run (Hawkins two-point), 1:00.
Third Quarter
JT – Ka'Darian Asbell 8 run (Sanchez kick), 4:36.
TOM – Jake Johnson 16 catch from Hunter Dunn (Hudgens kick), 2:07.
Fourth Quarter
JT – K'Lon Warren 19 pass from Woods (Sanchez kick), 11:12.
JT – Kitan Crawford 47 run (Sanchez kick), 7:56.
TOM – JayRis Smith 29 pass from Dunn (Hudgens kick), 3:50.

                                           TOM                   JT
First Downs                          13                       18
Total Yards                           286                     458
Rushes-Yards                  30-69                39-255
Passing Yards                       217                  203
Comp.-Att.-Int.                 14-26-1              11-15-0
Punts-Avg.                          5-46.6                3-35.5
Fumbles-Lost                         1-1                  0-0
Penalties-Yards                     9-98              6-50

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING—Tomball, Daveon Vean 16-50, Kasen Handal 2-18, Jermain Mayes 9-10, Dillon Godfrey 1-2, Hunter Dunn 2-(-11). John Tyler, Roderick Hawkins 13-71, Devlen Woods 5-56, Kitap Crawford 1-47, Cameron Grant 9-35, Ka'Darian Asbell 4-32, Tevarri Graves 4-13, Cameron Ford 1-1, Dayton Sherfield 2-0.
PASSING—Tomball, Dunn 14-26-1--217. John Tyler, Woods 11-15-0--203.
RECEIVING—Tomball, JayRis Smith 3-85, Logan Compton 4-64, Jake Johnson 6-52, Handall 1-16. John Tyler, Hawkins 2-69, Ke'Andre Street 4-53, K'Lon Warren 2-41, Grant 1-33, Anthony Miner 1-9, Asbell 1-(-2).

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