On Friday night, the Texas High Tigers faced off against the Hallsville Bobcats in Hallsville, Texas. The Tigers were victorious with a score of 34-8 in the final away district game.

After winning the toss, the Tigers deferred giving the ball to the Bobcats to begin the game. After a quick four and out, Texas High retained possession however faced the same fate and was forced to punt the ball.  

After another failed Hallsville drive, Texas kicker Isidro Hernandez was able to connect on a 16-yard field goal, making the score 3-0.  Hallsville failed to score in the first quarter. Hernandez connected again on a field goal to put the Tigers ahead 6-0.

Seven and a half minutes into the quarter, quarterback Cade Pearson handed the ball to running back Marquese Martin for a one-yard touchdown, making the score 13-0. With 58 seconds remaining in the first half, the Hallsville defense brought down Cade Pearson in the end zone for a safety. This concluded the first half as the Tigers went to the locker room with a 13-2 lead, receiving the kickoff to begin the second half.

“It’s the mentality. We’ve got to get our minds right on starting games fast,” Texas head coach Barry Norton said. “Everybody’s going to play their best against us, so we’ve got to be ready all the time.”

After halftime, during Bobcat possession, Texas High’s Quan Hampton made a 40-yard interception return to the Bobcat 27-yard line. After several unsuccessful handoffs, Pearson handed the ball to running back Devuntay Walker, who made a 29-yard touchdown run with 4:30 left in the quarter. Hernandez kicked another successful point after attempt, making the score Texas High 27-2.

Two minutes into the last quarter, the Bobcats made their first touchdown after a rush by Clint Lapic. They attempted a two-point conversion, but failed, making the score 27-8 with Texas High in the lead.

The Tigers were able to quickly generate a lot of offense thanks to subsequent passing and run plays that led to a 39-yard touchdown from Pearson to Hampton. The extra point was good, making the score 34-8.

Looking like a team stuck in mud, Hallsville was again forced to punt after being unable to push back against the Tiger defense. The time ran out, making the Tigers’ record 9-0 with a final score of 34-8.

“The game went mighty fine. We didn’t play good in the first half, but we pushed through it, and the second half we just really demolished them,” quarterback Riley Russell said. “Not all teams are perfect, but we strive to be perfect every time.”