Lions Get Off On The Wrong Foot
Harold Wilson
Following a 38-7 loss to Texas High to begin the season and a new era under head coach Dereck Rush, John Tyler appeared in a rush to get back to the drawing board.
The first game proved forgettable for the Lions, who suffered their second-worst loss in a season opener in school history. The 31-point defeat trailed only a 55-20 loss to Garland in 2002, also the debut of a new JT coach in Kelvin Ratliff.
The Lions, famous in the past for their ground game, managed minus-13 yards in Friday's setback. Nine of JT's 26 carries resulted in negative yardage, three of which included sacks on Lions quarterback Billy Thompkins.
Little went right all night as JT turned the ball over four times and allowed Texas High to start possession five times inside Lion territory.
Texas High's first four scoring drives covered only 8, 13, 11 and 45 yards - thanks to a JT fumble, a 23-yard Lion punt, a 32-yard punt return by the Tigers and another 23-yard punt by the visiting team.
The Tigers then added two big plays to finish the scoring - a 66-yard scoring reception by John Stilson and a 65-yard fumble return by Brandon Brown after he stripped JT holder Devan Dewberry on a field goal attempt.
The special teams hurt JT on several occasions, with the Lions' first of four fumbles occurring on a punt return on their own 8-yard line to set up the initial Texas High score.
JT's eight punts averaged only 29 yards. Thus, Texas High started possession on the average right at midfield.
"We have to get better at special teams," Rush said. "We'll definitely do that."
The Lion defense and passing game fared better as both JT and Texas High finished with seven first downs while the Lions totaled 139 yards through the air.
Two bright spots showed in the form of Thompkins, a junior making his first varsity start, and Dewberry, who hooked up for three 30-plus yard passing plays. Thompkins tossed completions on 9-of-20 attempts and scored JT's lone TD on a 1-yard keeper late in the game, while Dewberry, a senior, finished with three catches for 98 yards.
Defensively, senior linebacker Chris Ratcliff led JT with seven tackles, in addition to playing fullback sparingly on offense.
"The defense held up the best they could," Rush said. "They were on our part of the end zone all night."
The JT schedule figures to offer few breaks the rest of the season. Dallas Carter and former JT coach Allen Wilson invade Tyler Friday to take on the Lions at 7:30 p.m. in the Trinity Mother Frances East Texas Football Classic.
Carter defeated arch-rival Dallas Kimball 13-12 Friday night in the "Oak Cliff Super Bowl," getting a touchdown from quarterback Jarvis Phillips on the game's final play. The Cowboys defeated the Lions in both meetings last year, including 32-21 victory in the Class 5A Division II bi-district playoff round.
"In the second half they showed some heart so we have some things to build on," said Rush, whose team held Texas High scoreless over the final two quarters. "We're going to get better."
LIONS' TALES: After Friday's setback, JT is now 34-16 all-time in season openers. The Lions won eight straight openers from 1973-1980. After losing four straight openers to Dallas Carter from 1986-1989, JT went the next decade without a loss in its first game - winning all 10 from 1990-1999 to set the standard at the school. JT holds a 9-6 all-time series edge over Carter, winning the first four (1978-1981), losing four straight (1986-1989) then capturing five consecutive victories (twice in 1996 and once in 1997, 1998 and 2000) before the two losses to the Cowboys last year.
The first game proved forgettable for the Lions, who suffered their second-worst loss in a season opener in school history. The 31-point defeat trailed only a 55-20 loss to Garland in 2002, also the debut of a new JT coach in Kelvin Ratliff.
The Lions, famous in the past for their ground game, managed minus-13 yards in Friday's setback. Nine of JT's 26 carries resulted in negative yardage, three of which included sacks on Lions quarterback Billy Thompkins.
Little went right all night as JT turned the ball over four times and allowed Texas High to start possession five times inside Lion territory.
Texas High's first four scoring drives covered only 8, 13, 11 and 45 yards - thanks to a JT fumble, a 23-yard Lion punt, a 32-yard punt return by the Tigers and another 23-yard punt by the visiting team.
The Tigers then added two big plays to finish the scoring - a 66-yard scoring reception by John Stilson and a 65-yard fumble return by Brandon Brown after he stripped JT holder Devan Dewberry on a field goal attempt.
The special teams hurt JT on several occasions, with the Lions' first of four fumbles occurring on a punt return on their own 8-yard line to set up the initial Texas High score.
JT's eight punts averaged only 29 yards. Thus, Texas High started possession on the average right at midfield.
"We have to get better at special teams," Rush said. "We'll definitely do that."
The Lion defense and passing game fared better as both JT and Texas High finished with seven first downs while the Lions totaled 139 yards through the air.
Two bright spots showed in the form of Thompkins, a junior making his first varsity start, and Dewberry, who hooked up for three 30-plus yard passing plays. Thompkins tossed completions on 9-of-20 attempts and scored JT's lone TD on a 1-yard keeper late in the game, while Dewberry, a senior, finished with three catches for 98 yards.
Defensively, senior linebacker Chris Ratcliff led JT with seven tackles, in addition to playing fullback sparingly on offense.
"The defense held up the best they could," Rush said. "They were on our part of the end zone all night."
The JT schedule figures to offer few breaks the rest of the season. Dallas Carter and former JT coach Allen Wilson invade Tyler Friday to take on the Lions at 7:30 p.m. in the Trinity Mother Frances East Texas Football Classic.
Carter defeated arch-rival Dallas Kimball 13-12 Friday night in the "Oak Cliff Super Bowl," getting a touchdown from quarterback Jarvis Phillips on the game's final play. The Cowboys defeated the Lions in both meetings last year, including 32-21 victory in the Class 5A Division II bi-district playoff round.
"In the second half they showed some heart so we have some things to build on," said Rush, whose team held Texas High scoreless over the final two quarters. "We're going to get better."
LIONS' TALES: After Friday's setback, JT is now 34-16 all-time in season openers. The Lions won eight straight openers from 1973-1980. After losing four straight openers to Dallas Carter from 1986-1989, JT went the next decade without a loss in its first game - winning all 10 from 1990-1999 to set the standard at the school. JT holds a 9-6 all-time series edge over Carter, winning the first four (1978-1981), losing four straight (1986-1989) then capturing five consecutive victories (twice in 1996 and once in 1997, 1998 and 2000) before the two losses to the Cowboys last year.
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