Odds, Texas High wins, even Greenville was a different team.
The Tigers outscored Greenville 35-0 in the first and third quarters Friday at Tiger Stadium in Grim Park en route to beating the Lions, 45-19.
The seventh-ranked Tigers improve to 8-0 overall and 4-0 in District 16-5A, with Greenville dropping to 1-7 and 0-4, respectively.
"I wanted to defer after winning the opening coin-toss, but we also wanted to start the game faster, which we did," THS coach Barry Norton said. "We went the no-huddle most of the game. I think it gave us a little more energy and it worked.
"We gave them extra possessions on two of their touchdowns. We've still got to be more physical defensively. I thought we played better tonight than the last couple of weeks. I was proud of the kids and the way they executed the no-huddle. It was the first time we've done it all year long."
After being outscored 13-7 in the second quarter, the Tigers put the game out of reach in the third stanza on two touchdowns by senior Markese Martin, who was playing his first game in three weeks. Martin would finish the game with four touchdowns, two on the ground and two via the airways from quarterback Cade Pearson.
Martin scored on a 15-yard run with 6:53 left in the third quarter, and again on a 33-yard catch and run with 2:31 left in the quarter. He finished the game with 72 yards rushing on nine carries, with his two receptions resulting in another 47 yards.
Pearson would finish the game 14 of 18 for 186 yards and two TDs. Sophomore Coltin Clack took over in the fourth quarter, completing 4 of 5 passes for 44 yards to set up a 26-yard field goal by Isidro Hernandez.
It looked like a repeat of last year's nightmare-Greenville fell behind 28-0 in first quarter-for the Lions in the first half, but two second-quarter touchdowns by Greenville changed that.
The Tigers scored the game's first points 16 seconds into the contest on a 23-yard pass from Pearson to Tevailance Hunt.
THS made it 14-0 on its second possession when Markese Martin hauled in a 14-yard scoring pass from Pearson with 8:32 left.
Three punts would follow before Devuntay Walker plowed over from 5 yards for the Tigers with 1:03 left in the first quarter.
Texas High's momentum would be lost early in the second period when the Lions' Jakwan Allen intercepted an overthrown pass and returned it to the Tigers' 46. Five plays later, Hale scored from 2 yards out.
Moments later linebacker Xavier Hopkins recovered a Greenville fumble at the Lions' 26. Three consecutive runs by Martin, the final six resulting in a Tiger touchdown with 4:03 left in the half made it 28-7.
However, the stubborn Lions refused to fold, going 75 yards in 11 plays for six points.
A 20-yard completion was wiped out by an illegal formation. It appeared Texas High had recovered a fumble on the next play and was bound for six points, but the ball was whistled dead and the Lions retained possession at the Tigers' 28.
Quarterback Caleb Jarvis completed a slant to Derrick Givens, who broke several tackles en route to the end zone with three seconds still on the clock.
Perhaps the most impressive statistic in the game was the Tigers converting the game's first seven plays from scrimmage for seven first downs.
Cadamion Hale finished the first half with 107 yards, but was held to 12 yards the final two quarters to lead the Lions with 119.
Texas High travels to Hallsville next week, hoping to wrap up the district championship.
Greenville 0 13 0 6 - 19
Texas High 21 7 14 3 - 45
First Quarter
THS-Tevailance Hunt 23 pass from Cade Pearson (Isidro Hernandez kick), 11:44.
THS-Markese Martin 14 pass from Pearson (Hernandez kick), 8:32.
THS-Devuntay Walker 5 run (Hernandez kick), 1:03.
Second Quarter
GHS-Cadamion Hale 2 run (Koltin McNair kick), 8:54.
THS-Martin 6 run (Hernandez kick), 4:03.
GHS-Derrick Givens 28 pass from Caleb Jarvis (run fails), 0:03.
Third Quarter
THS-Martin 15 run (Hernandez kick), 6:53.
THS-Martin 33 pass from Pearson (Hernandez kick), 2:31.
Fourth Quarter
GHS-Hale 1 run (kick blocked), 10:31.
THS-Hernandez 26 FG, 7:21.
G'ville THS
First Downs 11 23
Yards Rushing 45-151 32-222
Yards Passing 137 230
Passes A-C-I 14-10-0 23-18-1
Fumbles-Lost 4-1 0-0
Penalties 5-55 10-91
Punts-Avg. 6-28.2 3-38.3
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING-Greenville, C. Jarvis 9-19, Christian Dunson 4-8, Cadamion Hale 28-119, Melvin Mapps 2-4, Davion Brown 1-3, Ty Hoskins 1-minus 2. THS, Pearson 4-9, Walker 14-125, Martin 9-72, Coltin Clack 1-minus 5, Chris Sutton 4-21.
PASSING-Greenville, C. Jarvis 9-13-0-122, Weston Jarvis 1-1-0-15. THS, Pearson 14-18-1-186, Clack 4-5-0-44.
RECEIVING-Greenville, Dunson 2-3, Brown 3-21, Jaylon Davis 1-15, Derrick Givens 2-66, Melvin Mapps 2-32. THS, Hunt 5-66, Hampton 5-78, Martin 2-47, Ladd Preston 4-20, Walker 1-10, Chris Lyles 1-9.