John Tyler fans cheer during a high school football playoff game at Mesquite Memorial Stadium in Mesquite, Texas, on Saturday, Nov. 24, 2018. (Chelsea Purgahn/Tyler Morning Telegraph)

MESQUITE — It is survive and advance this time of the season.

And that’s exactly what the John Tyler Lions did on Saturday afternoon.

Using the thunder leg of kicker/punter Frankie Sanchez and a defense that harassed Lancaster all day, the Lions scored a 22-10 victory over the Tigers in a Class 5A Division I area football playoff game on Saturday before 10,000 fans at Mesquite Memorial Stadium.

The victory, JT’s eighth straight, moves the Lions into regionals where they will face Frisco Lone Star (10-2), a 49-21 upset winner over Lufkin on Saturday in Waco.

The third-round playoff game is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 1, at John Kinkaide Stadium in Dallas. The kickoff is set for 2 p.m. and the 9-2 Lions will be the home team.

Lancaster ends its season at 7-4.

JT’s high-octane offense was held in check, but the Lions made the plays when needed.

JT head coach Ricklan Holmes said Sanchez flipped the field and the game with his play in the second quarter when the Lions were trailing 3-0.

Lancaster had a big rush as Sanchez stood in the end zone preparing to punt. The senior avoided two tackles, moved to his left, and let loose with a 67-yard punt to the Tigers’ 23.

Not only did he avoid a safety, but also gave Lancaster its worst field position of the game thus far.

Two plays later, Tyrell Jones stripped the ball from Tiger running back Tre Bradford and Darieon Warren recovered at the 20 to put the Lions in business.

On the next play, quarterback Devlen Woods hit K’Lon Warren in the right flat for a 19-yard pass to the 1. Roderick Hawkins Jr. then bulled over for the TD on the following play. Sanchez booted the extra point to give the Lions a 7-3 advantage with 4:29 on the clock.

Despite being held to 85 total yards in the first half, the Lions held the lead at intermission.

“Frankie is the player of the game; he made the play of the game,” Holmes said. “As an athlete, most see green ahead and will take off and will try and make a play … try for the first down. But Frankie made the smart play. He did what God gave him the ability to do; to kick.”

For the game, Sanchez averaged 42.6 yards on nine punts. Sanchez also booted field goals of 36 and 26 yards.

Another Sanchez punt backed the Tigers up to the 1 and it helped result in a safety when Ja’Bralen Yarber tackled Bradford in the end zone with 10:22 showing in the third.

Bradford, Lancaster’s 1,000-yard rusher, tried to sweep to the right but Yarber dominated his blocker and swallowed up the Tiger for the safety to give JT a 9-3 advantage.

The Lions went up by two scores when Sanchez booted a 36-yard field goal with 2:17 left in the third. The FG put JT ahead 12-3 entering the final period.

The Lions looked to add to their lead moments after Cameron Grant intercepted a pass.

Three plays later, Kitan Crawford burst through the middle for what appeared to a be a 45-yard TD. However, JT was called for a personal foul at the 21, negating the TD.

As the fourth quarter began, JT did not move the ball and Sanchez placed the ball at the 4. 

Two plays later, Lancaster QB Derrick Cooper put the ball on the ground and JT’s Ashton Williams recovered the fumble at 2.

The Tiger defense rose up and forced a field goal try and Sanchez kicked a 26-yarder as JT led 15-10 with 8:57 on the clock.

Lancaster wouldn’t go away and finally found the end zone when Cooper connected with Majik Rector for a 5-yard TD pass. The PAT by Jossue Lopez was good and the Tigers pulled within 15-10 with 4:55 on the clock.

With the Tigers’ crowd buzzing, the Lions stepped up and Woods threw his best pass of the day from the 27, a slant to Anthony Miner, who caught the ball at about the 45 and it was off to the races.

Miner split the Tigers’ defenders and completed the 73-yard TD pass. Sanchez made the PAT and JT was ahead 22-10 with 4:04 to play.

Later Crawford added an interception. 

Isaiah Johnson, Kimbrick McCaney, Jones and Williams had sacks and McCaney also tipped a pass.

The Lions held Bradford to 54 yards on 18 carries.

The normally 100-yard rusher Hawkins was the target of the Tiger defense and he was held to 16 yards on 19 carries.

Holmes noted how proud he was of his team and their gritty performance and said his squad did not execute some things and that was in part due to Lancaster.

It was a flag-happy game as JT was called for 11 penalties for 88 yards, while the Tigers were flagged 13 times for 105 yards.

LIONS TALES: It was the 58th playoff win in the Lions’ history. It raises Holmes’ postseason record to 7-3 and his overall record at JT to 65-22.

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Class 5A Division I

Area Round

Mesquite Memorial Stadium

John Tyler 22, Lancaster 10

John Tyler   0   7   5 10 — 22

Lancaster    3   0   0   7 — 10

First Quarter

LAN—FG Jossue Lopez 30, 4:24.

Second Quarter

JT—Roderick Hawkins 1 run (Frankie Sanchez kick), 4:29.

Third Quarter

JT—Safety, Ja’Bralen Yarber tackles Tre Bradford in end zone, 10:22.

JT—FG Sanchez 36, 2:17.

Fourth Quarter

JT—FG Sanchez 26, 8:59.

LAN—Malik Hector 5 pass from Derrick Cooper (Lopez kick), 4:55.

JT—Anthony Miner 73 pass from Devlen Woods (Sanchez kick), 4:04.

                                JT           LAN

First Downs               11           19

Rushing Yards           37-148     42-88

Passing Yards            111          224

Total Yards                259          312

Passing Stats             5-22-2      19-45-2

Punting Stats             9-42.6       5-36.5

Fumbles                    1-1            6-2

Penalties                   11-88         13-105

Individual Stats

Rushing—JT, Devlin Woods 10-89, Kitan Crawford 2-37, Roderick Hawkins Jr. 19-16, Ka’Darian Asbell 5-4, Cameron Grant 1-2. Lancaster, Tre Bradford 18-54, DQ James 6-23, Philbert McCoy 2-14, Cameron Camper 1-2, Dennis Barnes 1-(minus 1), Derrick Cooper 14-(minus 4).   

Passing — JT, Woods 5-22-2-111. Lancaster, Cooper 19-42-2-224; McCoy 0-3-0.

Receiving — JT —  K’Lon Warren 2-22, Anthony Miner 1-73, Ke’Andre Street 1-13, Hawkins 1-3. Lancaster, Malik Rector 7-62, Latrell Caples 3-53, Bradford 2-31, Chris Green 2-26, LD Fair 2-19, Cameron Camper 1-16, Tarion Landers 1-14, Ketron Jackson 1-13.