Final Score: Lone Oak 10, Tioga 20

Tioga, TX - The Lone Oak JV Buffalo JV football team made the long trek to Tioga High School to take on the Tioga JV Bulldogs on Thursday night, September 19th. This game marked the last non-district matchup for the JV Buffaloes as they prepare to begin district play next week versus the Paris Chisum JV Mustangs.

In similar unfortunate fashion to last week’s first offensive series for the Buffaloes, Lone Oak fumbled the ball away again, on their opening play, quickly giving the Bulldogs an opportunity to put the first points of the game on the scoreboard. Tioga would take advantage of the Buffalo miscue, and answer almost immediately afterward with a touchdown, giving the Bulldogs the early lead, 0-8. Lone Oak turned the ball over on downs again on the ensuing drive, giving the Bulldogs another quick opportunity to score - on which they would capitalize - making the score 0-14, after a failed two-point conversion attempt. On that two-point conversion attempt, the Buffaloes would generate some excitement, as Noah Coulter raced 91 yards to return a Tioga turnover into the opposite endzone, giving Lone Oak their first two points of the game. After this sequence of events, the score would be Lone Oak 2, Tioga 14.

Lone Oak’s third offensive drive was met with better execution, but would eventually sputter out as they approached the endzone, sadly coming away with no points despite several good runs by running back Wesley Hudson and quarterback Haydin Shires.

Lone Oak’s defense put up a good fight at times in the first half of play, but overall, found little success in stopping the powerful Tioga Bulldog rushing attack in the early-going. Combined with several miscues on offense, the Lone Oak JV Buffaloes would find themselves needing to dig their way out of the same 2-14 hole at the end of the half.

The defense would play much better in the second half and the Buffaloes would create for themselves some great opportunities to get back into the game late in the second half. Early in the fourth quarter, after a huge defensive stop, Lone Oak captured some momentum with an explosive 73 yard run by Wesley Hudson on the ensuing first offensive play, getting the Buffaloes back across midfield and into the scoring territory. Haydin Shires would cap the quick two-play drive off with a touchdown on a tough run to make the score 8-20. Lone Oak converted the 2-point try on a quick pass to Gage Brumit, making the score 10-20.

Wide receiver Joseph Whitehead would recover kicker Riley Rolen’s onside kick attempt after the touchdown to give the Buffaloes another opportunity to put points on the scoreboard and potentially tie the game. Unfortunately for Lone Oak however, after a good drive, Tioga’s defense would hold firm on their own goalline, forcing an interception in their own endzone to help the Bulldogs seal the game with a final score of 10-20.

The Buffaloes finish non-district play with a record of 1-3, and open district play at home against the Paris Chisum JV Mustangs on Thursday, September 26th, at Buffalo Stadium.