TEXARKANA, Texas -- Texarkana's three football teams posted impressive wins in high school football this week.
The fourth, No. 4 ranked Texas High, was stunned 32-27 by Whitehouse at Tiger Stadium in Grim Park. That one loss may cost the Tigers (7-2, 4-1) the District 8-5A, Division II championship, although the two teams could still tie for the league title. However, Whitehouse (8-1, 4-1) will go to the state playoffs as the league's top seed, virtue of its win in head-to-head competition with Texas High.
Both teams have one remaining regular-season game remaining, the Tigers playing at Longview Pine Tree, and Whitehouse entertaining Marshall.
Liberty-Eylau (6-3, 2-2) and Arkansas High (3-6, 2-4) rallied to post lopsided wins, with the Leopards thrashing Pittsburg, 41-30, and the Razorbacks defeating Hope, 65-35. Pleasant Grove (7-2, 3-1) clinched the District 7-4A, Division II runner-up spot behind champion Gilmer (8-0, 4-0) with a 55-0 thrashing of North Lamar on Thursday night.
The final regular-season games for local teams, includes Liberty-Eylau at Paris North Lamar, Arkansas High hosting De Queen and Pleasant Grove traveling to Longview to tackle Spring Hill.
Here are highlights from those local games, written by Gazette staffers:
Whitehouse 32, Texas High 27
Whitehouse's DeCarlton Wilson caught three touchdowns against Texas High, but it was his interception in the final minute that sealed the Tigers' fate.
The Wildcats snapped Texas High's 21-game district win streak, which dated back to 2019, with the victory.
That pick came just after the eighth lead change of the game, when Braylon Jackson caught a 54-yard bomb for Whitehouse to put the visitors ahead for good.
Tradarian Ball rushed 21 times for 158 yards and three touchdowns for Texas High, Javari Johnson added 20 carries for 109 yards, and Brandon Hall also rushed for a TD. David Potter hit on 8-of-17 passes for 97 yards and an interception.
Wilson had eight receptions for 176 yards and three TDs from Josh Green, who ran for a score and connected on 19-of-32 passes for 352 yards and four touchdowns with one interception.
Ball scored his second touchdown of the game on a 30-yard scamper with 7:16 left in the third quarter to cap a 9-play, 75-yard campaign.
Wilson finished a 10-play, 76-yard possession with his 19-yard TD grab with 4:49 left in the third, and the Wildcat defense forced a turnover on downs on the ensuing Texas High drive.
Whitehouse was driving, but Josh Stewart intercepted a pass at the 22-yard line to thwart the visitors going ahead two scores. Ten plays later, Ball was back in the end zone, diving in for a 3-yard score with 9:25 left.
Jackson hauled in a 54-yard bomb from Green with 1:40 remaining to give the Wildcats the lead once more.
Green converted two fourth-down tries on the next Wildcat possession and scored on a 6-yard run with 8:33 left in the half to regain the lead for Whitehouse, which marched 92 yards on 14 plays on the drive.
The Tigers needed seven plays to cover 75 yards with Ball breaking free for a 49-yard gain to set up his 2-yard TD run.
-- Josh Richert
Sports Editor
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Arkansas High 65, Hope 35
Defense was minimal for both teams as the scoreboard stayed lit up almost the entire contest during the annual "Battle of the Bridge," with Arkansas High winning the wild 5A-South Conference matchup.
The Razorbacks (3-6, 2-4) got out to an early 14-0 lead after executing touchdown drives on their first two consecutive series.
Quarterback Nate Wall, who was 15-of-28 passing for 325 yards and 7 total touchdowns, capped off the opening drive of 68 yards in just 3 minutes for the Razorbacks, using his legs to outrun the Bobcat defense from 19 yards out for the score.
After a Hope punt, the Razorbacks found paydirt when Wall found Gabriel Braggs for the 52-yard passing touchdown. Braggs hauled in just two passes on the night, but both resulted in touchdowns and 106 total yards receiving.
With just over a minute to play in the opening frame, Wall scrambled out of the pocket for rushed 74 yards for the touchdown to put Arkansas High back in front 21-14.
Razorback senior defensive end Jeremiah Jones then added the fourth tally as he stripped the Hope running back of the ball in the back field and ended up being a 35-yard score, increasing the Hogs' lead to 28-14.
Wall connected with running back Courtland Loudermill on a short pass that covered 75 yards for a touchdown. Loudermill, who rushed 16 times for 82 yards and two scores of his own, then tacked on a 19-yard rushing touchdown at the 7:26 mark to help give Arkansas High a 44-28 halftime cushion.
The Razorbacks finally ran away from the Bobcats in the third quarter and would go on to pile up 572 total yards of total offense, with three more passing touchdowns from Wall. The signal-caller connected on a 20-yard strike to Javen Davis, a second touchdown to Braggs covering 54 yards, as well as a 44-yard scoring strike to Kobe Burris (4 receptions, 84 yards receiving).
-- Brandon Walls
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Liberty-Eylau 41, Pittburg 30
TEXARKANA, Texas -- It didn't look good for Liberty-Eylau when Pittsburg grabbed a 21-0 lead in an important third-place game.
But the Leopards clawed their way back with 28 straight points, and hung on for the win on Senior Night.
Liberty-Eylau is now 6-3 on the season and 2-2 in District 7-4A, Division II, while Pittsburg falls to 2-7 and 2-2 in district.
The comeback started near the end of the first half when Greg London scored on a 10-yard run. Then the Leopards scored five touchdowns in the second half to rally for the victory.
The Pirates came up with some big plays to take the 21-7 halftime lead.
At the start of the second half, Pittsburg gambled on fourth-and-1, but the L-E defense stopped Holloway one-foot short. The big defensive stand seemed to spark the Leopards to their big comeback.
Quarterback Jaydin Hampton scored on a 4-yard run, and later he scored again on a 6-yard run to draw the hosts within 21-20.
Following a fumble, London scored on 5-yard run and ran for the 2-point conversion for a 28-21 Leopard advantage. London ran for 127 yards on 19 carries.
A short time later, freshman Dequane Prevo scored on a 37-yard reverse down the left sideline for a touchdown and a 35-28 lead. An interception by Marquaerius Price set the Leopards up at the Pirates' 29-yard line. London then scored on a 29-yard run to ice the game.
-- Bob Krayl
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Pleasant Grove 55 North Lamar 0
In a game played on Thursday night to avoid potential Friday night storms, the Pleasant Grove Hawks brought the thunder to Hawk Stadium in a thrashing of North Lamar.
The Hawks (7-2, 3-1) forced six fumbles against the Panthers (3-6, 1-3) and used a balanced approach on offense in the penultimate District 7-4A, Division II game, securing the second seed behind unbeaten Gilmer (8-0, 4-0).
Kaden McFadden turned the fifth forced fumble into a one-play score, running it in from 40 yards to set the final 55-0 margin.
The Hawks used an air attack more than they normally do.
A fourth forced fumble by the Hawk defense gave Pleasant Grove the ball on its 30. Jaylen Boardley scored his third touchdown of the night, spinning off several tacklers on a 25-yard run. Boardley finished with 92 all-purpose yards.
PG quarterback Ahkhari Johnson connect with Boardley as PG's lead swelled to 41-0. The junior signal caller finished the game 11 for 20 for 227 yards in the air.
Pleasant Grove combined a swarming, opportunistic defense with a balanced offensive attack to jump out to a 34-0 halftime advantage.
Johnson connected with Torion Phillips on a 37-yard bomb with 3:48 in the second quarter giving the Hawks a 34-0 advantage.
McFadden kept the Hawk train rolling in the second quarter, scampering around the right side from 28 yards to balloon the PG lead to 27-0. The Hawk ground attack netted 291 yards and featured 6 different ball carriers.
The Hawks turned two first-quarter Panther fumbles into two touchdown drives. Johnson took it in himself from the 3 to complete a 64-yard drive and added a passing score to Boardley from the 10.
Jayden Stewart put the Hawks on the board first, bulldozing his way into the end zone on a 15-yard run giving the home team a 7-0 lead with 9:57 left in the first quarter.
-- Matt Fry
In other Friday night games:
Hooks 28, DeKalb 24
Quarterback Trip Baysinger scored on winning 7-yard run in the game's final minute to power Hooks to a victory over the DeKalb Bears in a steady, drizzling rain, giving the Hornets sole possession of first place in the District 10-3A, Division II football race.
The win lifts Hooks (5-0 district) past DeKalb (4-1 district) in the league standings. Both teams are 7-2 overall.
New Boston (5-4, 4-1) stayed in the hunt with a 42-7 win against Paris Chisum. DeKalb beat the Lions, 30-12, earlier, and Hooks entertains New Boston in the regular-season finale Friday.
Following a scoreless first quarter, Baysinger got the Hornets on the scoreboard first with an 80-yard pass to Carter Harris. Matt Hays kicked it to 7-0 Hornets.
Keyshawn Wells then bolted loose for a 45-yard touchdown run and Hays' PAT gave the visitors a 14-0 lead.
The Bears rallied with two touchdowns of their own. Kiondre Schlesinger scored on a 35-yard run and Kaleb Dooley passed to Schlesinger for a 2-point conversion cut DeKalb's deficit to 14-8 at halftime.
The third quarter was also scoreless.
Dooley later added a 1-yard sneak and he ran for the 2-point conversion to put the Bears on top, 16-14.
Walls ran 16 yards for another TD and Hays' extra point made it 21-16.
Conrad Crouch crashed over from the 4 for a Bear touchdown and Dooley ppass to Crouch for the 2-pointer and a 24-21 advantage.
Baysinger's 7-yard touchdown run came with only 46 seconds remaining in the game. Hays' PAT made the final score, 28-24 Hooks.
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Maud 50, Clarksville 0
Maud mauled Clarksville, 50-0, to take over second place in the District 9-2A, Division II football race.
The Cardinals (7-2, 3-1) trails James Bowie (7-2, 4-0) by one game with one regular-season game remaining.
The Pirates actually clinched the district championship with their 50-8 win over Cumby. James Bowie defeated Maud in the head-to-head tiebreaker.
Three players scored two touchdowns each for Maud against the Blue Tigers. Cason Lavett scored on runs of 7 and 3 yards, Davin Myrtle scored on runs of 4 and 10 yards, and Tristin Lee added TDs on runs of 3 and 37 yards.
Gavin Mitchell added a 3-yard scoring run for the hosts.
Maud jumped out to a 14-0 lead at the first break and expanded it to 36-0 by halftime.
The Cardinals finished with 336 yards of total offense while holding Clarksville (4-5, 2-2) to 99 yards, including 26 on the ground.
Maud closes out the regular season Friday at Linden-Kildare.
James Bowie 50, Cumby 8
James Bowie wrapped up at least a share of the District 9-2A, Division II championship with the lopsided with Cumby in a drizzling rain.
The Pirates (7-2, 4-0) are the district's top seed going in the state playoffs, virtue of their win over second-place Maud (7-2, 3-1). The victory gave head coach Shawn Wells a league title in his first year at the James Bowie helm.
"It feels tremendous and it's great to win the championship in my first year," Wells said. "It rained throughout the game and I think we still managed about 400 yards rushing."
Lane Johnson paced the Pirates with 3 touchdowns rushing and teammate Dylan Braley added two scores on runs.
James Bowie closes out the regular season Friday at home against Detroit.
Magnolia 40, De Queen 0
Magnolia (6-3, 3-3 5A-South) ran for 372 yards, led by Garrion Curry's 184 yards and three scores, in a rout of homestanding De Queen (0-9, 0-6).
Ke'Erian Smith totaled 93 yards and a score on just six carries -- to average 15.5 yards a carry--and Dakota Dismuke had a rushing score for the Panthers.
Defensively, Magnolia limited De Queen to 86 total yards. Dalen Blanchard added a TD pass to Devonte Dennis for the Panthers.