TEXARKANA -- Pleasant Grove built an early lead and defeated crosstown rival Texarkana 27-20 before an overflow crowd at Hawk Stadium.
But Razorbacks head coach Barry Norton said Texarkana will be fine going forward.
"I felt like we did some good things defensively, but offensively we are still searching for an identity on who we can be," Norton said. "This was our first real, live action. I have a great group of kids who fought until the end. Pleasant Grove has an excellent football team."
Pleasant Grove led 13-0 at the half, and after neither team scored in the third quarter, the teams combined for 34 fourth-quarter points.
[HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCOREBOARD: Full results + recaps, photos and more]
Carson Cox's 7-yard touchdown reception from Ben Harmon early in the fourth to put the Hawks up, 20-0. But the Hogs would no go away.
Irijah Price returned the ensuing kickoff 79 yards to put Texarkana on Pleasant Grove's 8. Jordan Hall ran it in for a touchdown with 10:29 left.
Moments later, Pleasant Grove's Cox caught a 19-yard touchdown pass from Harmon to make it 27-7.
The teams traded interceptions, with Texarkana taking over at the 50.
Dejordan Mask caught a 24-yard TD pass from Drake Browning to cap a 50-yard, 2:08 drive for Texarkana, and it was 27-14.
The Hogs recovered an onside kick at the Pleasant Grove 49. Sean Foreback came in at quarterback and found Price on a 37-yard touchdown pass to make it 27-20 with 1:10 left.
Texarkana attempted another onside kick, but Pleasant Grove recovered and ran out the clock.
The Hogs (0-1) host Texas High (0-1) at 7 p.m. at Razorback Stadium Friday, while Pleasant Grove (1-0) hosts Paris at 7:30 p.m. at Hawk Stadium.
Sports on 09/02/2017