Similar Texas High And Hallsville Teams Meet Friday For Promising District Game

Hallsville Bobcats (3-1, 1-0)

Vs.

Texas High Tigers (2-2, 1-0)

7:30 p.m. Friday

Tiger Stadium at Grimm Park, Texarkana

Coaches

• Hallsville: David Plunk
• Texas High: Barry Norton

Last week

• Hallsville: defeated Marshall, 21-19
• Texas High: defeated Sulphur Springs, 42-29

Next week

• Hallsville: vs. Mt. Pleasant, Oct. 10
• Texas High: at Pine Tree, Oct. 10

Playmakers

Hallsville

• RB Kha'lil Sneed, Sr., 5-6, 175 (68 carries, 497 yards, 4 TDs )
• QB Wyatt Wolverton, Sr., 6-0, 180 (358 passing yards, 4 TDs, 0 INTs)
• WR Jamil Young, Sr., 6-2, 180 (15 catches, 209 yards, 2 TDs)
• DL Dwayne Johnson, Sr., 6-2, 205
• WR/DB Dionte Johnson, Sr., 5-10, 180
• OL Trey Gillespie, Sr., 6-4, 270
• DB Jaylon Kerby, Sr., 5-10, 170
• LB Ben Dewoody, Sr., 6-2, 200
• WR Ky-Untae Hicks, Sr.

Just the facts

• Texas High and Hallsville don't have an extremely deep history. The two teams first met in 1988 and played five times before being districted together in 2002. The Tigers and Bobcats have met seven times since.
• Texas High leads the overall series 8-5 and has a district record against Hallsville of 5-1.
• Hallsville is hoping to start district play 2-0 for the third consecutive season.
• Texas High has not lost a district game since Nov. 9, 2012. The defeat came against Hallsville.
• The Tigers beat Hallsville last season, 21-9.
• Texas High has not lost a district game at home since Oct. 26, 2012.
• Hallsville is 3-1 for the first time since 2008.
• Both teams have experienced at least one close game this season. The Bobcats last on a late field goal against Nacogdoches. Texas High lost by three points to open the season, lost in overtime to Texarkana (Ark.) Arkansas High by six points and edged Kilgore by a touchdown margin in its first three games.

Key matchup: Texas High's offense versus Hallsville's offense. The Tigers and Bobcats' defenses have held down the fort all season. As season worsts, Texas High gave up 38 points of Whitehouse's always prolific offense while a Nacogdoches program that appears to be heading into uncharted success put up 37 points on Hallsville.

The Tigers average 25 points against per game. The Bobcats' opponents have averaged 24.25 points. Those are pretty good numbers in today's world.

It will be up to the offensive groups to outwork significant push back.

Texas High has a good one-two punch with quarterback Cade Pearson airing the ball out to Jarion Anderson and Dale Williamson in addition to Tulsa commitment Javon Thomas' strong running ability.

Hallsville is built in a similar fashion. Kha'lil Sneed will probably eclipse 500 yards rushing on the season with his first carry Friday. He is three yards shy. Senior quarterback Wyatt Wolverton has been a very pleasant surprise and has a reliable target in Jamil Young.

The Bobcats have averaged 37.5 points per games to Texas High's 27.5 points per night, but Hallsville should be taking on its toughest defense yet.

Whichever offense clicks the quickest should be an indicator of what team will come out on top.

Don't be surprised if: Friday's game goes down to the wire. The teams are very evenly matched. No win will be an easy one in District 15-5A and both teams will want to claim the game between Marshall's resurgence to a competitive level, a Sulphur Springs team with too much talent to go quietly into the night and a Longview program that appears to have found its stride causing trouble elsewhere in the district.

Expect a war at Tiger Stadium.