TYLER, Texas -- After looking so impressive offensively for the first three weeks of the season, an injury to starting quarterback David J. Potter derailed Texas High's offense Friday night in Tyler.
The Tigers struggled to get past winless Tyler Legacy Red Raiders, 17-14.
Potter's hamstring injury early in the first quarter against Legacy forced sophomore Kameron Wrightner into action at quarterback.
The Red Raiders put up the first points of the night on a 6-yard touchdown run by quarterback Luke Wolf. August Williford added the extra point to put Legacy in front, 7-0, with 5:28 left in the first quarter.
Tyler Legacy went up 14-0 with 4:37 to go before the half. They did so on a Texas High miscue. A lateral from Wrightner missed its target and was scooped up by Nathaniel Kirksey for a defensive touchdown. Williford's kick made it 14-0.
Tradarian Ball finally got the Tigers on the board with 55 seconds left in the first half. He ran it in from the 5- yard line for a touchdown that was set up by a 33-yard Wrightner to T.J. Gray completion. Franklin Delk added the PAT to make it 14-7.
On the following kickoff, Delk's kick was returned 72 yards by Legacy's Ke'Braylon Jackson. A personal foul penalty was tacked on and Legacy set up on the Tigers 8 yard line. Markus Hall's third interception of the year and 53 yard return ended the threat as the Tigers trailed by 7 at the half.
After the second half kickoff the Tigers drove inside the Red Raiders five yard line. A long sack of Wrightner resulted in a missed 32 yard field goal by Delk. Neither team scored the remainder of the third quarter. Texas High went to the fourth still trailing 14-7.
On their first possession of the final period, Texas High tied it up 14 all on a 7 yard Ball TD run, and a Delk point after with 10:32 left in the game. The drive was aided by a 15 yard personal foul call on the Red Raiders following a Joe Miller reception from Wrightner.
A Legacy punt pinned the Tigers back on their own four yard line with 6:46 left. Javari Johnson started the drive with runs of 13, 8, and 34 yards to the Tyler Legacy 40 yard line. On fourth and six from the Legacy 36 yard line, the Tigers opted to punt the ball back to the Red Raiders with 3:47 still on the clock in regulation.
The Red Raiders went three and out. A five yard punt return by Ball left the Tigers with 2:58 remaining and the ball on Legacy's 45 yard line. Johnson moved the sticks with back to back five yard gains down to the 35. Then it was Ball's turn on runs of 9 and 8 yards down to the 13.
Ball appeared to put the Tigers up on a 13-yard touichdown scamper that was called back for a holding call. Back to back Ball carries put the ball on the Red Raiders four yard line with nine seconds left on the clock. Franklin Delk in his first varsity start hammered it through the uprights from 21 yards away to give the Tigers the 17-14 road victory.
Texas High goes to 4-0 on the year and begins district play next week in Hallsville.
Texas High's T.J. Gray catches a pass against Tyler Legacy on Friday, Sept. 15, 2023, in Tyler, Texas. The play set up a Tradarian Ball touichdown for the sixth-ranked Tigers. (Photo by Kevin Sutton/TXKSports.com)
Backup quarterback Kameron Wrightner throws a pass against Tyler Legacy on Friday, Sept. 15, 2023, in Tyler, Texas. (Photo by Kevin Sutton/TXKSports.com)