John Tyler Opens District With Dominant Victory Against Texas High

TEXARKANA—Roderick Hawkins and Cameron Grant combined to rush for 213 yards and four touchdowns, propelling John Tyler to a 51-16 thrashing of Texas High in the District 7-5A, Division I opener Friday at Tiger Stadium in Grim Park.

Grant had eight carries for 120 yards and two TDs, and Hawkins ran for 93 yards and a pair of scores on nine carries. Quarterback Devlen Woods added 142 yards passing, throwing three touchdowns on five completions (12 attempts).

The Lions (2-2, 1-0) held the Tigers (2-3, 0-1) to 10 yards rushing on 33 carries. Texas High had 194 yards through the air, Kobe Webster catching the lone touchdown for the Tigers midway through the first quarter.

Following a lost fumble, Diego Chavez booted a field goal to make it 10-0.

It was all Lions from there.

Woods connected with K’lon Warren for the second time for a touchdown, covering 61 yards in the third quarter. After a Frankie Sanchez field goal, Ke’Andre Street made a 19-yard TD reception from Woods with 3:54 left in the third for the game’s final points.

Hawkins And Grant each scored twice in the first round half, and after falling behind 10-0 the Lions closed the first half on a 34-3 rally.

Hawkins had touchdowns of 54 and 15 yards, rushing seven times for 95 yards in the first half, and Grant had scores of 13 and 16 yards, finishing the first half with four carries for 105 yards, including 60 on a run to set up John Tyler's third score.

Warren caught a 10-yard strike from Woods with 11:01 left in the first half, giving the Lions a 20-10 advantage. Hawkins' second TD (15 yards) and Grant's second (16) were sandwiched around a Texas High field goal off the foot of Chavez, who was 2 for 2 on field goals from 31 and 30 yards in the half.

After forcing a three-and-out on the game's opening possession by the Tigers, JT blocked the punt to take over at the THS 21. A holding penalty erased a would-be TD, and a fumbled snap was followed by two incompletions.

A 52-yard field goal was wide right by the Lions, and Texas High went 64 yards on 10 plays, Clack hitting Kobe Webster for a 12-yard TD in the back of the end zone.

The Lions fumbled on their first offensive snap after the kickoff, and Mason Jones recovered for the Tigers at the JT 46.

Seven plays later, Chavez kicked his 31-yard field goal. On Tyler's second snap of the ensuing drive, Hawkins raced 54 yards up the middle, and Grant scored on a 13-yard dart after Michael Hogg's 27-yard punt return to the Tiger 13 on the next possession.