COURTESY PHOTO
Malakoff Tigers Head Coach Jamie Driskell and players celebrate their 29-17 Regional final victory over the Grandview Zebras during their school song Dec. 2 at Lumpkins Stadium in Waxahachie. 

WAXAHACHIE-What seems like a familiar story for the Malakoff Tigers took place once again Friday, Dec. 2 as they faced the Grandview Zebras in the Regional final with a trip to the State semifinals on the line at Lumpkins Stadium in Waxahachie. 
The two teams faced off for the 3A, Division I State championship back in 2018 with Grandview taking back-to-back titles in 2018 and 2019. The Zebras also handed Malakoff their only loss of the 2022 season back in September. 
This was the Tigers’ and Zebras’ second meeting of the season, their eighth in the last five seasons and first playoff matchup since 2020.
Malakoff finally got over the hump as they defeated Grandview, 29-17, to advance to the State semifinals to face the Brock Eagles. 
The first drive of the night for the Tigers saw them reach the Grandview 11-yard line, with Juan Gonzalez knocking through a field goal to give Malakoff a 3-0 lead. 
The score remained the same entering the second quarter before the Zebras kicked a field goal of their own to tie the game 3-3 with 8:36 remaining in the first half. 
The Tigers scored the first touchdown of the night courtesy of a three-yard touchdown rush by Jason Tennyson to give Malakoff a 9-3 lead after a blocked extra point with 3:19 remaining in the second quarter. 
The Zebras scored late in the second quarter to take a 10-9 lead into halftime on a 65-yard touchdown pass.
After a scoreless third quarter, the Tigers got the ball to the Grandview 20-yard line after a long rush by Corey Phillips. The long drive set up a 20-yard touchdown rush by Damien Jackson to push the Tigers back in front, 15-10. 
Tennyson added his second touchdown of the night on a one-yard rush to give the Tigers a 22-10 lead with 7:40 remaining in the game.
A late penalty on the Zebras for 12 men on the field, coupled with Tennyson’s third touchdown on a 41-yard run sealed the 29-17 victory for the Tigers to give them the 3A, Division I, Region 2 title and send them to the State semifinals.
Malakoff (13-1) faces off against Brock (10-4) at the Ford Center in Frisco at 7 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 8 as a spot in the 3A, Division I State championship is within grasp.