Tyler High defeated Tyler Legacy 62-42 in the 71st Rose City Rivalry game at Rose Stadium on Friday night. The Lions' victory was largely powered by a combined effort from senior running back Cadarius McMiller and senior quarterback Raykell Ford, who amassed over 500 rushing yards and accounted for seven touchdowns. McMiller carried the ball 46 times for 326 yards and four touchdowns, while Ford contributed 177 yards on 13 carries with two rushing touchdowns, in addition to throwing for 97 yards and a touchdown.
Tyler Legacy’s offense also saw significant contributions, particularly from junior quarterback Cason Gray and sophomore running back Jaylin Miles. Gray completed 9 of 21 passes for 214 yards, throwing for one touchdown and one interception, and added 122 rushing yards on five carries with a touchdown. Miles recorded 89 yards on 12 carries with two rushing touchdowns, and also returned a kickoff for a touchdown just before halftime.
The game was a high-scoring affair from the start, with both teams trading scores throughout the first half. Tyler High opened scoring with a 2-yard rushing touchdown by junior running back Markethian Potts, capping a seven-play, 60-yard drive. Tyler Legacy responded with an eight-play, 75-yard drive, finished by Miles' 8-yard rushing touchdown to tie the game at 7. The Lions quickly regained the lead with a 25-yard passing touchdown from Ford to junior receiver Kayden Walker. Legacy then needed just one play to tie it again, with Gray breaking free for a 72-yard rushing touchdown. McMiller put Tyler High back ahead with a 5-yard rushing touchdown following a seven-play drive.
The Lions extended their lead when Ford scored on a 28-yard rushing touchdown, making it 28-14. Tyler Legacy pulled back within a score with a 43-yard touchdown pass from Gray to junior wide receiver D’Marian Malone. Miles then scored his second rushing touchdown from 23 yards out, tying the game at 28. McMiller again put Tyler High in the lead with a 3-yard rushing touchdown as the half neared its end. With only 10 seconds left in the half, Miles returned a fumbled kickoff over 90 yards for a touchdown, evening the score at 35-35 at halftime.
In the second half, Tyler High began to establish control through sustained drives. Junior running back Markethian Potts added five carries for 24 yards and a touchdown during the game. Junior receiver Kayden Walker had two catches for 27 yards and a touchdown. Defensively, junior linebacker Romello Bendy contributed a pick-six, further solidifying the Lions' lead. Tyler Legacy's junior running back Akyrii White had five carries for 36 yards and a touchdown, while junior wide receiver D’Marian Malone finished with three catches for 77 yards and a touchdown.
Tyler High head coach Rashaun Woods praised his offensive line after the game. Woods noted that the team had an opportunity to run the football and that the offensive line and Coach Freeman had done "a really good job all summer long of just being strong." He expressed satisfaction with the team's execution and their improved ability to protect the football, which he described as a "big time improvement." Kyle Owens, commenting on Red Zone Overtime, highlighted Tyler High's second-half strategy. Owens observed that the Lions executed long, sustaining drives in the second half—including sequences of nine plays for 86 yards, seven plays for 84 yards, and eight plays for 67 yards—which ultimately "wore down Legacy." He concluded that Tyler High's capacity to run the football and sustain drives to manage the clock is a "recipe for success" for the team.
Tyler High, now with a 2-0 record, will travel for its first road game of the season next week to face Highland Park. Tyler Legacy, with a record of 0-2, will host Mesquite at Rose Stadium.
