Tenaha’s Impressive Streak Comes To An End With Loss To Muenster In Regional Title Game

FORNEY -- Tenaha's five-year streak of reaching at least the state semifinal round ended Friday with a 33-16 loss in the Class 2A Division II, Region III championship game to Muenster at Forney's City Bank Stadium.

The Tigers closed their season with an 8-6 record. An impressive feat considering the team started the year 0-5.

Muenster (12-1) advanced to the state semifinals for the first time in school history. It will face Bremond in the next round.

Quarterback Blayne Jones, who rushed for 93 yards and threw for another 97 yards, scored three fourth-quarter touchdowns to put Tenaha away. Muenster led 13-10 after the first three periods.

Jones broke the game open with a 40-yard pick-six just eight seconds after reaching the end zone on a 4-yard run, a 27-10 lead for Muenster with 11:28 remaining.

The signal caller salted his team's victory seven minutes later on a 36-yard scoring run. Tigers running back Onterrio Thompson closed scoring with a 36-yard run with less than four minutes to play.

Tenaha kicker Abel Rodriguez got the Tigers on the board first with a 33-yard field goal in the first quarter, and the two sides traded leads through the remainder of the first half.

Trace Klement's 2-yard run in the second quarter gave Muenster a 7-3 lead. But the Tigers answered three plays later on quarterback C.J. Horn's 3-yard scamper.

Dalton Bartel gave Muenster an edge at the break with his own 3-yard score.

Tenaha has an opportunity to be in a similar December position next season. The Tigers will retain 30 letter winners for the 2016 campaign.