Touchdown Pass in Closing Seconds Sends Ennis to 14-10 Win Over Lindale

ENNIS -- Quarterback Tre Elliott hit David Perry on a 20-yard scoring pass with three seconds remaining, lifting the Ennis Lions to a hard-fought 14-10 victory over the Lindale Eagles on Thursday night at Lion Memorial Stadium.

The win virtually assures the Lions (5-4, 4-2 in District 16-5A) of a playoff spot, and forces Lindale (4-5, 2-4) into a must-win situation with Whitehouse in Lindale next week in the district finale, while Ennis will travel to Corsicana to take on the Tigers.

Lindale took a 10-7 lead with 11:34 remaining in the game on a 66-yard pass from Montana Meador to Kendrick Price, and appeared ready to put the game away. But the Eagles were stymied with just under two minutes to play when Ennis blocked a Jordan Lawless field goal attempt.

The Lions were able to move quickly downfield, as Elliott completed four passes, setting the offense up at the Lindale 20 with seven seconds remaining.

After an uneventful first period in which both teams traded three punts apiece, the offenses began to find some traction in the second quarter.

With just over nine minutes to play until intermission, the Eagles began to move. Running back Ryan Taylor was the main workhorse on the drive, which was also helped by a 15-yard face mask penalty when quarterback Meador was sacked at his own 20.

Taylor produced gains of 12, 6 and 4 yards, as the Eagles got to the Ennis 18.

But on first down, Meador tried to hit Cameron Sir Louis over the middle, only to have Ennis' Dytaveion Hill pick it off.

Lindale managed its only score of the first half on its next drive, moving from its own 30 to the Lions' 20. Lawless knocked it through from 34 yards with 7:48 remaining in the half.

Ennis wasted little time in grabbing the lead, as Treyvon Smith reeled off a 43-yard burst up the middle to the Lindale 13. Two plays later, Smith bulled over from 2 yards out, giving the Lions their 7-3 halftime advantage.