DALLAS-Texas High's aerial attack was unveiled Friday night at Bishop Lynch's Roffino Stadium.
Senior quarterback Cade Pearson completed 25 of 40 passes for 439 yards and five touchdowns as Texas High won its season opener over the Friars, 44-21.
Texas High's running game was held in check most of the night, having gained only 61 yards on the ground until Devuntay Walker's dazzling 88-yard scoring run with 1:57 left in the game.
Leading 37-14 going into the final 12 minutes it appeared the Tigers were on cruise.
The hometown Friars rallied behind the spectacular running of Jaire Moore and pass catching of tight end Duncan West. Moore finished the night with 180 yards on 22 carries, while West caught four passes in the fourth quarter.
Jagger LaRoe, one of three quarterbacks used by the Friars, threw a 32-yard touchdown pass to Jarek Broussard, his second TD of the game.
Bishop Lynch drove to the Tigers' 12 late in the game before a fourth-down pass fell incomplete. Walker scored on the next play. Walker finished with 114 yards on six totes.
Once the Tigers revealed Bishop Lynch's inability to defend the pass, it was throw, throw, throw.
Pearson completed 14 of 25 passes in the first two quarters for 276 yards and three touchdowns.
THS failed to score on its first two possessions, including a 25-yard field goal attempt that sailed wide left with 8:15 remaining in the first quarter.
The Tigers' young defense forced three first-quarter punts, holding the Friars to 11 yards. Bishop Lynch's only first down came on a roughing the quarterback penalty.
Pearson started finding his targets in the second quarter and Texas High put 23 points on the scoreboard. His passing numbers would have been even better if not for three drops.
A short punt gave the Tigers possession at their own 40, and seven plays later Tevailance Hunt caught a short pass, broke two tackles and sprinted in for six points with 10:53 left in the half.
Another short punt, and the Tigers set in motion a scoring drive from their 49. Pearson completed three passes, including a 17-yard scoring strike to Hampton with 7:31 remaining in the second quarter.
The Friars' biggest play on offense came seconds later on a 22-yard run by Jaire Moore, but he fumbled and Eric Sutton recovered for the Tigers at their own 44.
Pearson completed passes of 23 and 30 yards to Walker and Hunt, respectively. After two of the next three passes were dropped, Isidro Hernandez booted a 25-yard field goal to make it 17-0.
Desperate for some offense, the Friars put Moore to work. On second down he broke free for 63 yards to the Tigers' 13. Two plays later Broussard swept around Texas High's left side, breaking two tackles at the goal line for a touchdown with 3:23 left before intermission.
That was plenty of time for the Tigers to add another score.
Starting at their own 13, Pearson found Hunt and Walker on four passes before connecting on a 32-yard TD pass to Hampton with 1:17 still on the clock.
Hampton had six receptions for 135 yards in the first two quarters.
Texas High 0 23 14 7 - 44
Bishop Lynch 0 7 7 7 - 21
Second Quarter
THS-Tevailance Hunt 30 pass from Cade Pearson (Isidro Hernandez kick), 10:53
THS-Quan Hampton 17 pass from Pearson (Hernandez kick), 7:31
THS-Hernandez 25 field goal, 5:31
DBL-Jarek Broussard 10 run (Carson Garrett kick), 3:23
THS-Hampton 32 pass from Pearson (kick fails), 1:17
Third Quarter
DBL-Jermaine Mask 22 run (Garrett kick), 7:21
THS-Hunt 27 pass from Pearson (Hernandez kick), 5:00
THS-Markese Martin 45 pass from Pearson (Hernandez kick)
BL-Broussard 32 pass from Jagger LaRoe (Garrett kick)
THS-Devuntay Walker 88 run (Hernandez kick), 1:57
THS DBL
First Downs 21 13
Yards Rushing 14-149 38-243
Yards Passing 439 134
Passes A-C-I 40-25-1 18-10-1
Fumbles-Lost 2-0 4-2
Penalties-Yards 8-69 6-60
Punts-Avg. 3-24.7 4-30.0
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING-THS-Pearson 5-21, Walker 6-114, Martin 3-14. DBL-LaRoe 2-minus 12, Mask 11-65, Jaire Moore 22-180, Broussard 3-10.
PASSING-THS-Pearson 25-40-1-439. DBL-Sam Vrana 3-7-1-11, LaRoe 6-9-0-111, Raymond Baccera 1-2-0-2.
RECEIVING-THS-Hampton 9-174, Hunt-9-148, Walker 2-31, Martin 4-87, Eric Sutton 1-3. DBL-Will Gates 1-3, Broussard 4-52, Duncan West 4-84.