Hoco win

Texas beats opposing Tigers in Homecoming game

Story by Kailyn Williams, Sports Editor

October 1, 2023

Sophomore running back Tradarian Ball escapes defender in Homecoming game against Mount Pleasant Friday, Sept. 29, 2023. The Tigers brought home the win with a final score of 58-29, moving their district record to 2-0.

The Texas Tigers topped the Mount Pleasant Tigers on Friday, Sept. 29, 2023, with a final score of 58-29.

The Texas offense started off strong in the opening of the first quarter, converting first downs and moving the ball downfield well.

Junior running back Javari Johnson ran the ball for big yardage, positioning sophomore running back Tradarian Ball for an easy touchdown run with 9:22 left in the first.

Texas followed the touchdown with an onside kick and recovered, putting the ball on Mount Pleasant’s 38-yard line with 9:19 remaining in the quarter.

The Mount Pleasant defense broke through the offensive line to drop junior quarterback David Potter for a sack, putting Texas at second down and sixteen.

Potter countered with a 24-yard pass completed to senior receiver TJ Gray, followed by a touchdown pass to Gray to put Texas up 14-0 with 5:57 remaining in the first quarter.

Mount Pleasant answered with a touchdown of their own after completing a long ball downfield to move them into Texas territory. Senior quarterback Mason McMinn ran the ball in for a touchdown, making the score 14-7 with 4:26 remaining in the first.

Johnson added to the lead for the Tigers with 1:29 left in the quarter after running in his first touchdown of the night.

McMinn completed back-to-back passes to senior receiver Dylan Bennett, moving them downfield in a hurry with less than a minute remaining in the first.

Senior defensive lineman Tyquan Black got through the Mount Pleasant offensive line to drop McMinn for a sack, ending the first quarter with a score of 21-7.

Potter completed a long ball downfield to junior tight end Knox Pilgreen early in the second quarter. However, Texas turned the ball over on a fumble.

Junior linebacker Isaiah Dowden answered with a pick-six, making up for the fumble on the previous drive. With 8:52 left in the second, Texas led 28-7.

The Texas defense continued shutting down the Mount Pleasant offense, keeping them at bay.

“Overall, I feel like we all played pretty well,” Senior safety AJ McElroy said. “I think we will take next week to clean some things up and come back even stronger.”

After a face mask penalty moving Texas half the distance to the goal line, Ball ran in a five-yard rushing touchdown, making the score 35-7 in favor of Texas with 5:45 remaining in the half.

Mount Pleasant ran a double pass play, getting a man wide-open downfield for an easy touchdown. Junior Texas safety Alex Jones blocked the point after kick, allowing sophomore corner Roman Wyatt to run it back for a safety with 4:02 remaining in the half.

After a personal foul call and the ejection of a Texas Tiger, Mount Pleasant gained a first down and ultimately pushed across a touchdown with 44.6 seconds left in the half.

Mount Pleasant recovered an onside kick and managed a field goal with three seconds remaining. Texas remained in the lead at the end of the half, 37-23.

The Texas defense came out early in the third quarter, forcing and recovering a fumble with 10:26 left in the quarter.

Within a minute, the Texas offense pushed out two touchdowns after a short pass to Ball and a touchdown run from Johnson. With 7:31 remaining, Texas led 51-23.

Mount Pleasant’s McMinn used his legs on multiple runs in a row, converting a few first downs and, ultimately, made it into the endzone on another quarterback keeper. Texas remained in the lead 51-29 at the end of the third quarter.

The fourth quarter went relatively quiet for both sides, with the exception of a touchdown from Ball for Texas. Ultimately, Texas brought home the Homecoming win with a final score of 58-29.

“I think they played well with good effort all night,” Head Coach Gerry Stanford said. “I think there’s some things we need to clean up, but obviously it’s good to be at home and get the Homecoming win.”

About the Contributors

Kailyn Williams, Sports Editor

Kailyn Williams is a third-year senior member of the newspaper staff and Sports Editor. She is an overachieving perfectionist, who doesn’t like failing. She is a member of the varsity volleyball and softball team and likes to maintain straight A’s.

Anna Bell Lee, Managing Editor/Webmaster

Anna Bell Lee is in her second year on the newspaper staff and is now Managing Editor and Webmaster. She is passionate about life and everything she does. She is a very organized and Type-A person but also loves to go with the flow. She loves her dog as if she were her child and would do anything for her. Lee plans on going to college for either nursing or journalism.

Kristina Colburn, Assignments Editor

Kristina Colburn is currently the Photo Assignments Editor for THS Publications. She is also a member of National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, Key Club, AP Ambassadors, HOSA, Model UN and the Multicultural Club. In her spare time, Kristina likes to relax and listen to music, shop online, thrift and occasionally pick up a book. In addition, she likes to travel. She has been to France and Spain, and is hoping she can travel more in the upcoming years. In the future, Kristina aims to major in Criminal Justice at the University of North Texas or Anthropology at Baylor University.

Julianna Horton, yeabook editor-in-chief

Julianna Horton is a third-year yearbook staff member, taking on the role of EIC, while also serving as a third-year staff photographer. Aside from publications, Horton is also a social officer of the Texas Highsteppers and a member of National Honors Society, Rosebuds Junior Garden Club, AP Ambassadors, Dyslexia Ambassadors, Quill & Scroll and student council. Outside of school, Horton dances at Judith McCarty School of Dancing. This will be her 15th year. She also participates in the Texarkana Community Ballet production of “The Nutcracker.” She consistently volunteers at First Baptist Church in the preschool division. Over the summer, Julianna worked at Brookhill Ranch Summer Camp as a junior counselor. She is very excited to take on her new responsibilities for senior year but sad to see it come to an end!

Nadia Lopez, Visual Journalist

Nadia Lopez is sophomore and a first-year staff member for THS Publications. Apart from this she is a member of Mu Alpha Theta and a new member of Rosebuds. She loves to hang out with friends, watch shows and take pictures. She wants to travel the world and is starting her journey by traveling to France and England in the summer. After High school she wants to peruse her studies in the medical field.

Anna Haley, assignments editor

Anna Haley is a third-year staff photographer, serving as Tiger Times Assignments Editor. Anna enjoys fishing and hunting, but if she isn't doing that, she’s reading at her desk, getting some piercing or playing Guns N’ Roses through the speakers in Room 50A. Anna is involved in National Honor Society & Mu Alpha Theta and is a 2-year member of the Texas Imagemaker Team (Top 10 Photographers in the state of Texas), as well as an ILPC All-State Journalist & hopes to be a recurring member of both. Anna is a die-hard Aggie fan, but she will miss her beloved sidekick, EIC, Oviya Justin, when she ventures to the dreaded University of Texas. She is excited for her last year in publications!

Lyric Curtis, Visual Journalist/Staff Writer

Senior Lyric Curtis is a first year staff writer in THS Publications. She is also a first year photographer for the publications team. Curtis is a member of the varsity softball team at THS and has actively participated in Leader In Me for 4 years. She enjoys taking photos, hanging out with friends, laughing at any and everything and listening to her all-time favorite artist, Frank Ocean. Curtis hopes to pursue a career in dental hygiene and attend college at Texas A&M University at College Station. She wants everyone to feel heard and accepted because life is tough!