Playoff-Bound Texas High Takes Control Early In 41-14 Rout Of Marshall

[By Josh Richert, Special to ETSN.fm]

MARSHALL -- Texas High did all the damage it needed in the second quarter and wrapped up a playoff berth from District 15-5A with a 41-14 win over Marshall Friday at Maverick Stadium.

The Tigers piled up 425 yards of total offense, forced two turnovers on defense, and built a 27-0 lead before the Mavericks hit a big play for their first score.

J'Kardi Witcher scored twice for Texas High on short runs in the first half, sophomore quarterback Cade Pearson was 13 of 17 passing for 213 yards, and threw for a score and ran for another, and Jarion Anderson caught six balls for 124 yards and a TD.

Quan Hampton tossed the 24-yard strike to Anderson on a reverse-option-pass, and Jacoby Block hauled in a 35-yard TD from Pearson, who sneaked in from the 1 to start the first-half scoring.

Cornelius Zachery had the final TD run for the Tigers.

John Love, who had seven catches for 117 yards, hauled in a 60-yard strike from Justin Hart with 9:36 left in the third quarter for Marshall.

The Mavericks didn't score again until 2:34 remained in the game on Dinzel Mitchell's 2-yard TD run.

The Tigers scored 20 points in the second quarter, Witcher running for two TDs and Pearson one, and Marshall went nearly 18 minutes and three straight possessions without picking up a first down.

Pearson had a 1-yard sneak on Texas High's second possession of the game, the score coming on the first play of the second quarter. Marshall attempted a fake punt on fourth-and-2 at its own 31 but came up inches short after a measurement.

Pearson hit Anderson for 31 yards on the first play to set up WItcher scoring from the 2 with 8:54 left in the half.

Following another three-and-out by the Mavericks, Texas High took over at its 20 with 7:41 remaining in the second quarter. The Tigers ate up nearly all of the clock with its 14-play scoring drive.

Witcher ran in from the 5 with just 21 seconds left to make it 20-0 at intermission.

Texas High 41, Marshall 14

At Maverick Stadium, Marshall

Texas High         0    20    14     7    —    41
Marshall             0       0      7     7    —   14

Second Quarter
TH-Cade Pearson 1 run (Ethan Montez kick), 11:56.
TH-J'Kardi Witcher 2 run (Montez kick), 8:54.
TH-Witcher 5 run (run failed), 0:21.
Third Quarter
TH-Jarion Anderson 24 pass from Quan Hampton (Montez kick), 10:38.
MAR-John Love 60 pass from Justin Love (Alan Martinez kick), 9:36.
TH-Jacoby Block 35 pass from Pearson (Montez kick), 6:20.
Fourth Quarter
TH-Cornelius Zachery 8 run (Montez kick), 11:49.
MAR-Dinzel Mitchell 2 run (Martinez kick), 2:34.

                                              TH              MAR
First Downs                             20                  13
Total Yards                            424                245
Rushes-Yards                  39-187           23-103
Passing-Yards                        237               142
Comp.-Att.-Int.               14-19-0          14-24-1
Fumbles-Lost                         2-0                 1-1
Penalties-Yards                     8-67              3-30
Punts-Avg.                         3-33.3           3-40.3

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING—Texas High, Witcher 14-55, Javon Thomas 7-60, Zachery 8-28, Anderson 2-20, Pearson 2-9, Jacorien Walker 1-12, Alex Kugler 1-4, Demondre Cooper 3-(minus 1). Marshall, Cam Haller 9-43, Chavis Mills 4-36, Love 5-10, Mitchell 3-11, Deondre Osborne 2-3.
PASSING—Texas High, Pearson 13-17-0-213, Hampton 1-1-0-24, Kugler 0-1-0-0. Marshall, Hart 14-24-1-142.
RECEIVING—Texas High, Anderson 6-124, Block 3-67, Thomas 1-17, Jaylen Rhone 1-9, Hampton 1-6, Witcher 2-14. Marshall, Love 7-117, Mills 2-4, Trel Patton 1-9, Cordell Archield 1-5, Jaquavian Dabbs 1-5, Deonte Jordan 1-2, Haller 1-0.