Lindale's Clint Thurman attempts a pass against Iowa Colony Friday night at Merrill Green Stadium in Bryan.

BRYAN — Iowa Colony entered Friday night’s Class 4A Division I area round game with a reputation of intercepting passes.

The Pioneers came into the contest with 27 interceptions and picked off four more passes on Friday — three in the second half — on the way to a 45-22 win over Lindale at Merrill Green Stadium.

There were fireworks early.

Lindale got the ball first and went 75 yards on 13 plays, finishing with a 3-yard touchdown run by Clint Thurman to take a 7-0 lead with 5:56 left in the first quarter.

On Iowa Colony’s first play from scrimmage, Pat Weldon intercepted the pass at the Lindale 33 and returned it to the Iowa Colony 44. On the next play, Thurman found Cade Hodde in the middle of the field, and Hodde turned the corner for a 44-yard touchdown reception to make the score 14-0 with 5:30 left in the opening quarter.

The Pioneers first play from scrimmage went different this time around. Freshman Carson White kept it and went 47 yards to the house to cut the score to 14-7 with 5:20 on the clock.

Scoring fizzled from there for most of the rest of the first half, especially for the Eagles. Iowa Colony scored on a 29-yard pass from White to Jacody Miles with 11:00 left in the second quarter. The Pioneers added a 3-yard touchdown run by defensive lineman Joseph Mosely in the final minute of the half to take a 21-14 lead.

Lindale was going to try to tie the game before halftime, but Darren Brown came up with an interception for Iowa Colony — the first of the game for the Pioneers.

Iowa Colony needed just four plays to score in the second half as Miles scored from 17 yards out to make the score 28-14.

Lindale marched into the red zone until Jarvis Solomon picked off his 10th pass of the season at the goal line.

After Lindale forced a punt, Iowa Colony got it back with another interception as Chandler Love picked it off and returned it to the Lindale 12-yard line, setting up a 23-yard field goal by Andy Cruz to make the score 31-14 with 10:56 left in the game.

Lindale answered with an 83-yard touchdown pass from Thurman to Chad Ward, and Thurman connected with Aiden Warnell for the 2-point conversion to cut the score to 31-22 with 10:09 on the clock.

Lindale’s defense got a stop but was stopped on fourth down at the Iowa Colony 45 on the ensuing drive. The Pioneers capitalized with a 31-yard touchdown run by Aaron Tenner to push the score to 38-22 with 3:44 to play.

Bruce Robinson recorded the fourth interception for the Pioneers, and Tenner ran it in from 27 yards out with 2:33 remaining to cap the scoring.

White was 8 of 15 for 161 yards with a touchdown and an interception, and he ran for 52 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries. Miles had four catches for 108 yards and a touchdown, and he carried eight times for 68 yards and a touchdown. Tenner had 13 carries for 123 yards and two scores.

Thurman, who entered the game 106 of 198 for 1,600 yards with 14 touchdowns and four interceptions and 284 carries for 2,024 yards and 33 TDs, finished 12 of 32 passing for 207 yards with two touchdowns and four interceptions, and he carried 17 times for 40 yards. Caleb Hart had 16 carries for 62 yards. Ward had four catches for 123 yards and a touchdown, and Hodde had three receptions for 63 yards and a score.

Lindale’s season came to an end at 7-5. Iowa Colony (12-0) advances to face Chapel Hill.