TEXAS HIGH
LAST WEEK: The Tigers opened District 8-5A, Division II play with a 56-31 win over Hallsville to celebrate Homecoming.
THIS WEEK: Ranked No. 4, Texas High travels to Mount Pleasant.
OFFENSIVE STANDOUTS: RB Tradarian Ball scored twice while rushing seven times for 64 yards, Javari Johnson added 13 totes for 84 yards, and QB David Potter connected on 7-of-15 passes for 164 yards and three touchdowns. WR TJ Gray had four catches for 83 yards and two scores, Xavier Dangerfield caught a TD, and Brandon Hall had two receptions for 62 yards and also ran for a score. KJ Reader returned an on-sides kickoff back for a touchdown.
DEFENSIVE STANDOUTS: Isaiah Dowden had 12 tackles -- seven solos -- to lead the Tiger defense, and Keith Lewis and Ean Crite added 10 stops apiece. Lewis also had an interception return for a touchdown and seven solo tackles, and Crite added two sacks and three tackles for a loss. Kenneth Merriman had seven tackles, a sack and two stops for a loss, Brandon Childs and Shitez Wilkerson had six stops apiece, Wilkerson also picking off a pass, and C.J. Brown had five tackles.
COACH GERRY STANFORD: "Obviously, you don't want to drop the opening kickoff; it's someone we never want to do. You give credit to the kids because we came out ready to play but just some miscues early gave Hallsville a lead. The kids really settled down, played a really focused first half and we were pleased with the outcome.
"The biggest thing is getting the first district win, and it came against a quality opponent. The first one is often the hardest one to get. Hallsville has a good ball club and I expect them to be difficult to deal with (for other teams) as the district schedule plays out."
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ARKANSAS HIGH
LAST WEEK: Arkansas High fell to Magnolia, 43-15, in the 5A-South opener for both teams.
THIS WEEK: The Razorbacks are home for just the second time this season, hosting Camden Fairview in another conference game.
OFFENSIVE STANDOUTS: RB Courtland Loudermill rushed 14 times for 81 yards and a touchdown, and WR Deandre Burnell had two receptions for 44 yards and a TD. QB Nate Wall completed 5-of-13 passes for 69 yards and the score, and Loudermill also had three grabs for 25 yards.
DEFENSIVE STANDOUTS: Kamryn Holloway and Kyron Young each had six tackles -- five solos -- and a tackle behind the line of scrimmage, Jordyn Williams had six solos tackles, and Miquelon Traylor added six tackles -- four solos -- and a sack. Rodney Kindley had four tackles, and Christian Roberts had three tackles, one for a loss and an interception.
COACH TREY OUTLAW: "We knew Magnolia was going to be a tough test; they're a very heavily senior-laden team and this is the group they've been looking forward to since they were eighth graders. Talking with their coach (Mark King), he feels like this is a team that can compete deep in the postseason. Two weeks ago they beat a very good Wynne team, which was predicted to be No. 2 or No. 3 in the state.
"What surprised me, and you don't see it on film and you don't see it from the stands when you scout them, is how big and developed their kids are. You can tell they've had a weight program for several years, and it's definitely a goal of ours to look like that. It's not something that happens overnight. It's something you have you have to commit to in the weight room. Right now, we've got to keep fighting and playing hard."
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PLEASANT GROVE
LAST WEEK: Pleasant Grove wrapped up its non-district schedule with a 30-14 win over Paris.
THIS WEEK: The fourth-ranked Hawks are open before facing Gilmer in a matchup of top 5 teams in the District 7-4A, Division II opener in two weeks.
OFFENSIVE STANDOUTS: RB Torion Phillips had a receiving touchdown, and RB Spencer Danner had 24 rushes for 213 yards and two scores as the Hawks rolled up over 440 yards on the ground. Jayden Stewart also ran for a TD. Ahkhari Johnson rushed six times for 98 yards, Jaylen Boardley added five carries for 42 yards, and Jordan Patterson had three for 34 yards.
DEFENSIVE STANDOUTS:
COACH JOSH GIBSON: "The score looked like it was a tough ballgame, but really we held Paris to one touchdown, held them to under 175 yards of total offense and so our defense really dominated the game, to be honest. Offensively, we had over 440 yards rushing, again, and that's a hard thing to do when opponents know that you're going to run the ball. To do that for the third week in a row against a good team, it shows that we dominated in the trenches, on the offensive side of the ball.
"Overall, we're really pleased with the way things turned out. The thing that got us, and it was as bad as I've been a part of, was there were tons of penalties against us. We had 13 called on us, and they had two against them -- and one was declined. That kept the score closer. We came out healthy and led into the break on a really high note, where we can catch our breath and great ready for district."
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LIBERTY-EYLAU
LAST WEEK: Liberty-Eylau fell to Sulphur Springs at Gerald PrimStadium, 24-6.
THIS WEEK: IDLE
OFFENSIVE STANDOUTS: JJ Hampton completed 20 of 38 passes for 149 yards and a touchdown. Greg London added 16 carries for 46 yards and also caught four passes for 40 yards. . Dequane Prevo caught three passes for 26 yards and a touchdown. Kayden Cooper caught 3 passes for 26 yards and Jordan Reed finished with three grabs for 29 yards.
DEFENSIVE STANDOUTS: Csmeron Hadaway led the Leopards with nine tackles and Jaquan Johnson added eight stops. Tracy Revels finished with five tackles and a fumble recovery. Rodrifc Galloway, Tarvious Neal, Wyatt Clepper and Courtlyn Crabtree each contributed four tackles apiece.
COACH DEWASKI DAVIS: "Sulphur got after us pretty good early. I think we were too relaxed. We were more relaxed than we should be. The second part of the season is coming. We have to fix some things and that loss is on me."