Tigers tussle with Cougars in area round
NACOGDOCHES, Texas — Texas High, ranked No. 5 by the Dave Campbell’s Texas Football, clashes with Crosby in a Class 5A, Division II area game tonight.
The Tigers (11-0) are unbeaten, and the Cougars (8-3) had a 6-game win streak snapped in their season finale. Kickoff between THS and Crosby is set for 7 p.m. at Homer Bryce Stadium on the campus of Stephen F. Austin State University.
“Crosby averages about what we do on offense, with a little over 40 points and around 450 yards of offense per game,” Texas High head coach Gerry Stanford said. “Defensively, they give up less than 20 points per game.“
The Cougars average 40.6 points and allow 19 points per game. Crosby averages 203.3 rushing yards and 227.0 passing per game.
Senior quarterback Reggie Branch is the catalyst for the Cougar offense. He has completed 114-of-183 passes for 1,471 yards, 15 TDs and two interceptions.
Branch also leads the team in rushing with 133 carries for 1,092 yards and 11 touchdowns. Deniquez Dunn has 112 rushes for 689 yards and 15 scores, and Jaylen Herman is the top receiver with 49 catches for 1,012 yards and eight TDs.
The Tigers score an average of 40.5 points and give up just 13 points per outing. Texas High averages 215.9 yards rushing and 235.9 passing per game.
Braylon Stewart has rushed 146 times for 1,126 yards and 12 scores despite seeing limited snaps the previous three games. Sophomore Daquarreon Witcher has 80 carries for 477 yards and six TDs.
Junior QB Brayson McHenry has connected on 149-of-236 passes for 2,507 yards, 32 touchdowns and just four interceptions. Senior Rian Cellers has 43 receptions for 982 yards and 14 touchdowns to lead the Tigers receiving corps.
Tight end Caden Miller has 30 grabs for 484 yards and five TDs, receiver Blake Rogers adds 26 catches for 392 yards and five TDs, Tre Roberts has 21 receptions for 301 yards and three scores, and Clayton Smith has 144 yards on 10 catches — half going for TDs.
“On paper, it’s a similar matchup,” Stanford said. “Turnovers and penalties could play a high volume in the success for either team. The intensity and execution will be crucial, as in any playoff game.”
Crosby blanked Fort Bend Willowridge, 66-0, in the bi-district round for its third shutout of the season, and the Tigers bested Montgomery Lake Creek, 37-7. THS has a pair of shutouts and has limited two other opponents to one score.
The winner advances to the Region III-5A, Division II semifinals next week against either No. 4 Huntsville or Barbers Hill.
The game will be broadcast on KTFS 107.9 FM with pregame at 6 p.m., and liveblogged at texarkanagazette. The radio broadcast can also be heard on the Texarkana Radio Center app.