Hallsville Visits Texas High as Tigers Aim for Perfect Run Through 14-4A

District 14-4A

Hallsville Bobcats (6-3, 3-1)

vs.

Texas High Tigers (8-1, 4-0)

7:30 p.m. Friday

Tiger Stadium at Grim Park, Texarkana

Coaches

• Hallsville: David Plunk
• Texas High: Barry Norton

Last week

• Hallsville: won 56-35 vs. Mount Pleasant
• Texas High: won 45-0 at Marshall

Playmakers

Hallsville

• QB Macailyn Wilder, Sr., 5-9, 155 (98 of 183, 1,671 yards, 17 TDs, 9 INTs; 157 carries, 1,042 yards, 17 TDs)
• RB Khalil Sneed, Jr. (107 carries, 767 yards, 7 TDs; 13 catches, 185 yards, 2 TDs)
• WR Jamil Young, Jr., 6-0, 180 (24 catches, 547 yards, 7 TDs; 1 KO return TD)
• WR Andre Jones, Sr., 5-10, 165 (30 catches, 540 yards, 6 TDs)
• DL David Jackson (36 tackles, 11 for loss, 8 sacks, 2 forced fumbles)
• LB Dewayne Johnson, Jr., 6-1, 195 (54 tackles, 8 for loss, 5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 3 fumble recoveries, 1 kick block, 1 def. TD, 10 QB pressures)
• LB Tyler Martinez, Sr., 5-11, 200 (63 tackles, 9 for loss, 3 sacks, 1 INT, 1 forced fumble, 2 fumble recoveries)
• DB Ky-untae Hicks, Jr. (45 tackles, 1 sack, 3 INTs)
• DB Jecori Crayton, Sr. (34 tackles, 4 INTs, 2 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery)
• K Paden Brown, Sr. (2 FGs, 49 PATs)

Texas High

• RB Tre Walker, Sr., 5-8, 170 (197 carries, 1,141 yards, 12 TDs)
• LB Anthony Rhone, Sr., 6-1, 210 (committed to SMU; 107 tackles, 1 INT, 1 fumble recovery)
• QB/P Dakota Hunter, Sr., 5-11, 170 (75 of 134, 1,104 yards 11 TDs, 8 INTs; 35.2 yards per punt)
• DB Kevin Harris, Sr., 6-2, 170 (28 tackles, 2 INTs, 1 fumble recovery)
• DB Marquan Daniels, Sr., 5-10, 155 (62 tackles, 3 INTs)
• ATH Javon Thomas, Jr., 6-1, 190 (50 carries, 308 yards, 2 TDs)
• DE Wanya Jenkins, Sr., 6-3, 210 (44 tackles, 1 fumble recovery)
• LB Aaron Faucette, Sr., 6-1, 178 (78 tackles, 1 INT)
• DT Will Brown, Jr., 6-2, 276 (32 tackles, 1 fumble recovery)
• K Mantas Urieneizus, Jr., 5-7, 150 (6-for-6 FGs, 24-for-25 PATs)

Just the facts

• Texas High is 6-4 vs. Hallsville since 1988.
• Hallsville won 19-7 at home against Texas High in 2012.
• Hallsville averages 39.4 points per game and allows 32.7.
• Texas High averages 34.1 points per game and allows 9.9.
• Texas High has won six consecutive games.
• During that winning streak, the Tigers have allowed 7.2 points per game.
• Hallsville and Texas High's four common opponents are the teams with which they share District 14-4A: Marshall, Mount Pleasant, Pine Tree, and Sulphur Springs.
• Hallsville is 3-1 against those teams with a cumulative score of 177-136.
• Texas High is 4-0 against those teams with a cumulative score of 184-36.
• Hallsville's lone district loss came at Sulphur Springs, which beat the Bobcats 65-38. Texas High beat Sulphur Springs 43-7 in Texarkana.
• Both teams have already clinched a playoff berth.
• Texas High will be the district's No. 1 Division I seed.
• Hallsville will go to the Division II bracket. The Bobcats could be the No. 1 seed in D-II with a win against Texas High and Sulphur Springs home loss to Marshall. Otherwise, Hallsville will be the No. 2 D-II seed.

Key matchup: Hallsville's backfield vs. Texas High's defense.

The Texas High defensive unit may be the story of the season in District 14-4A. The Tigers have allowed more than 15 points once in their first nine games and held six of those opponents to single digits, including three shutouts.

Texas High has proven stingy at all three levels of its defense, but the Tigers' defensive prowess starts at linebacker with leading tackler and SMU commit Anthony Rhone, who has more than 100 tackles this season after racking up about 150 as a junior.

Rhone and company must keep tabs on a talented Hallsville backfield that has fueled the Bobcats' high-scoring offense, which has scored 48 or more points three times in its last six contests.

Macailyn Wilder triggers Hallsville's offense. He's the epitome of a run-happy quarterback as he averages 17.4 rushing attempts per game and 6.6 yards per carry. He accounts for 301.4 total yards per game and has tallied 34 touchdowns -- 17 rushing, 17 passing.

Junior Kha'lil Sneed complements him in the backfield. Sneed has delivered lately, rushing for 470 yards in the Bobcats' four district games. Wilder and Sneed combined for 340 rushing yards and five touchdowns on the ground in last week's 21-point win against Mount Pleasant.

Texas High needs another big game from its defensive front and linebacking corps to slow Hallsville's dynamic rushing duo.

Don't be surprised if: Turnovers play a factor in the outcome.

If both teams protect the ball, the results from the four games among common opponents suggest Texas High should win and claim an undefeated district championship. Certainly, if Hallsville turns over the ball, the Bobcats are in dire trouble against an opportunistic defense that sets up a run-first offense fueled by senior Tre Walker's district-leading 126.8 rushing yards per game.

But if the Bobcats, who have forced only 16 turnovers in nine games, can find a way to get Texas High's ground game off the field, they could have a shot at pulling off the upset.

Nevertheless, Texas High is the clear favorite in this contest. The Tigers have a lot to play for, not only the undefeated district title. They haven't won nine games in a season since 2008 and hope to notch only their second playoff win since 2006.

Texas High appears to be on a 14-4A mission. Hallsville is the only thing remaining that stands between the Tigers and a seven-game winning streak entering the playoffs.