Tigers wins battle of the big cats
After only scoring 7 points in two games, Texas High puts 37 on the scoreboard against the Leopards
September 16, 2017
The Texas High Tigers faced off against the Liberty-Eylau Leopards tonight at Grim Stadium. The game ended with 37-23 victory for the Tigers.
The Leopards executed a short series of offensive plays for a touchdown one minute into the first quarter, allowing Liberty Eylau to put the first points on the board.
After a holding call on the Tigers, they bounced back with a 15-yard touchdown to tie the game 7-7 at the end of the first.
One minute into the second quarter, the Tigers tried a fourth-down conversion and succeed forcing a first down. On the next play, they scored an 11-yard touchdown with a pass by quarterback Coltin Clack to wide receiver Chris Lyles to make the score 14-7 Texas High.
On a fourth down, the Leopards kicked a successful field goal to make the score 14-10 Texas High.
Clack makes two rushes in a series of offensive plays amounting to 51 yards, putting the Tigers at the 5-yard line. They are stopped by the Leopards and are forced to go for a field goal on the fourth down which is good making the score 17-10 Texas High.
Texas High defensive back Elias Thurman gets an interception at the 45-yard line and runs it to the 5-yard line. The next play by Clack made the score 24-10 Texas High.
Texas High Athletic Director Gerry Stanford receives a technical foul for arguing for an official pushing the Leopards 15 yards forward. Leopards run the ball to the 2-yard line but fumbled the ball and the Tigers recover the ball. The first half ends with the Tigers ahead 24-10.
Four minutes into the second half the Leopards score a touchdown after a series of offensive plays making the score 24-17 Texas High.
Pass interference on the Leopards resulting in Texas High moving up 10 yards and getting a first down. Clack passes to wide receiver Jaqaulin Brown for a 35-yard play. The next play Clack passes to wide receiver Tevailance Hunt for a touchdown making the score 30-17 Texas High because the PAT wasn’t good.
“I think it is a great change of pace and Tevailance is a tremendous athlete that offers a lot to our team,” Stanford said. “We will continue to look at those things and see what the defense gives us.”
The Leopards score a touchdown with eight seconds left in the third from the 3-yard line making the score 30-23 Texas High with a failed PAT.
“I think the biggest part [of our improvement] was our execution overall,” Stanford said. “We have been practicing all week and the kids just went out and executed.”
Clack throws a pass to wide receiver Vonderick Stanley for a 30-yard touchdown that made the score 37-23 Texas High at the end of the game.
However not scoring any points these players benefited the team in major ways. Running back Chris Sutton had a large amount of rushing yards tonight and Elias Thurman had two game changing interceptions. The offensive line also held the Leopards well and provided more time for big plays to be executed by the offense.
“I think wins are always great confidence boosters,” Stanford said. “We have been looking for positives and things to build on and tonight those positives really showed up”