Tyler High School will host Dallas W.T. White for its Homecoming celebration this Friday night at CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Earl Campbell Field, marking the first time the Lions and the Longhorns have met on the football field. The evening will include the crowning of the Homecoming queen and king, alongside the induction of former John Tyler High School football and soccer standout Nico Hernandez into the Tyler ISD Athletics Hall of Fame.
The Tyler Lions enter the contest with a 2-2 overall record and an 0-1 standing in District 7-5A Division I, following a 15-7 loss to West Mesquite last week. The visiting Dallas W.T. White Longhorns are 0-4 overall and also hold an 0-1 district record, having lost 50-7 to Crandall in their most recent game.
On offense for Tyler, sophomore Jacob Harper is set to start at quarterback again, as Coach Rashaun Woods confirmed Raykell Ford remains out with an injury. Woods noted the importance of repetition for the young signal-caller, stating that "The more reps Jacob gets the more comfortable he will be." In last week's game against West Mesquite, Harper completed 6 of 23 passes for 104 yards, including one touchdown and two interceptions. The Lions' four-star running back, CaDarius McMiller, was held to 8 yards on eight carries in that contest, as the Wranglers focused on containing him. Four-star wide receiver Trey Haralson, continuing his recovery from an injury sustained last season, caught his first touchdown of the current season against West Mesquite.
Coach Woods expressed satisfaction with the Lions’ defensive performance against West Mesquite, which limited the Wranglers to 15 points. Dallas W.T. White's offense is led by running back Demarius Jackson Jr., who has accumulated 156 yards on 33 carries across three games. Quarterback Jordan Sims has completed 39 of 69 passes for 403 yards, throwing two touchdowns and three interceptions. Senior wide receiver Lovell Neal, who stands 6-foot-4 and weighs 180 pounds, is a significant threat for the Longhorns, leading the team with 16 receptions for 275 yards. Neal has garnered 16 Division I offers and is committed to Colorado State, having caught eight touchdown passes last season.
Beyond the upcoming game, several Tyler players have recently received significant recognition. Junior safety Keiundrae Ekwuruke, who has four interceptions and a fumble recovery this season, received his first Division I offer this week from Jeff Traylor and the UTSA Roadrunners. Running back CaDarius McMiller has committed to the Oregon Ducks, and wide receiver Trey Haralson has committed to the SMU Mustangs. The name W.T. White honors Warren Travis White, who served as superintendent of the Dallas Independent School District from 1946 to 1968. He was a World War I veteran and a graduate of the University of Texas.
In other local sports news, the Tyler Lady Lions volleyball team is scheduled to play at noon on Saturday in Mount Pleasant. The team has two home games next week, facing Marshall on Sept. 29 and Nacogdoches on Oct. 2. Additionally, former Tyler High standout Deuce Martin contributed to Howard Payne's 37-17 victory over Wayland Baptist in Plainview on Saturday, recording nine catches for 142 yards and a touchdown. For the season, Martin has 13 catches for 242 yards and two touchdowns, helping the Yellowjackets to a 3-0 record. Howard Payne is set to play Simpson at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco.
