Lindale, TX – The No. 2 Lindale Eagles secured sole possession of first place in District 8-4A Division II on Friday, October 17, 2026, defeating the No. 10 Pine Tree Pirates 45-21 at Pirate Stadium in Longview. The victory improves Lindale's record to 7-0 overall and 4-0 in district play, while Pine Tree falls to 4-3 overall and 3-1 in the district.
Senior Hank Thurman led the Eagles with a stellar rushing performance, carrying the ball 29 times for 196 yards and five touchdowns. Lindale's defense also played a crucial role, limiting Pine Tree's offense after an initial strong drive.
Pine Tree opened the game with a methodical 16-play, 71-yard drive that consumed 7:28 off the clock. Quarterback Colton Croft's 23-yard run on a fourth-and-1 sneak highlighted the possession, which also saw the Pirates convert a pair of fourth-and-1s. The drive culminated in a five-yard touchdown pass from Croft to Bosston Johnson, giving Pine Tree a 7-0 lead with 4:27 remaining in the opening quarter.
However, after gaining 71 yards on its opening drive, Pine Tree's offense managed only 55 yards on 19 offensive snaps for the remainder of the first half. Lindale responded on its second possession, marching 80 yards in eight plays. A 28-yard reception from Bentley Johnson set up a 12-yard touchdown pass from David Lindig to Reed Carnathan, who hurdled a defender en route to the end zone, tying the game at 7-7.
Both defenses then exchanged stops until Lindale senior JB Ray provided a momentum-swinging play on special teams. Following a short Pine Tree punt, Ray scooped up the bouncing ball and returned it 59 yards to the Pirate 7-yard line. Thurman scored on the next play, giving the Eagles a 14-7 lead with 2:15 left until halftime.
Thurman continued to find success in the second half, extending Lindale's lead to 21-7 with a 13-yard touchdown run midway through the third quarter. Pine Tree's offensive struggles persisted, as the team netted only 60 total yards on its eight possessions following its opening-drive touchdown.
Lindale's advantage grew to 31-7 before Pine Tree recorded its initial first down of the second half. This lead was built on a 33-yard field goal by Mason Malone and a 38-yard touchdown run from Thurman. Pine Tree finally broke its offensive drought with a 62-yard touchdown pass from Croft to Rashaad Wofford with 7:06 remaining in the game. Following a 21-yard touchdown run by Thurman, Croft connected with Johnson for a 42-yard touchdown pass. Thurman capped the scoring in the final minute with a one-yard run.
Overall, Lindale rushed for 291 yards and amassed 382 yards from scrimmage, securing 21 first downs. Pine Tree finished the night with 263 total yards, with 104 of those yards coming on their final two late touchdowns, and recorded only 10 first downs.
Next week, Pine Tree will visit Chapel Hill, while Lindale is scheduled to host Kilgore.
