TEXARKANA — This one would have been one to remember even if it hadn't been Barry Norton's 100th victory as Texas High's head coach.

It was certainly in doubt until Josh Moore's 22-yard field goal with 3.4 seconds remaining turned a potential loss into a 12-10 Tiger win over a game Hallsville team that had seized the lead with a field goal of the same length with 2:11 remaining.

But Texas High's offense, which had sputtered and slipped on a slick field put together a classic 65-yard drive in nine plays with no timeouts, reaching the Hallsville 5-yard line where Sorenson stopped the clock at 7.7 seconds by grounding the football.

On trotted Moore, who split the uprights with his eighth field goal of the season in as many tries, effectively sealing the victory that clinched Texas High's ninth straight postseason appearance.

The Tigers improved to 5-3 on the season and 3-2 in District 13-4A play. Hallsville (3-6, 2-3) can still make the playoffs by beating Sulphur Springs, which lost to Marshall Friday, next week.

"We played hard, but came up short," Hallsville head coach David Plunk said. "We played a great game against a good football team.

"We don't have time to feel sorry for ourselves," he said. "We've got to turn around next week and beat Sulphur Springs."

Until the decisive drive by Texas High, it appeared two fourth-down gambles — one by each team — would decide the game. Texas High failed on 4th and 2 at the Hallsville 45, and the Bobcats succeeded on 4th and 1 on the ensuing possession, Quantrail Johnson ripping off a 22-yard gain to the Tiger 25. Texas High's defense dug in, stopping Hallsville at the 5 and Austin Lightle booted his 22-yard field goal to make it 10-9, Hallsville.

"I probably should have punted the ball deep, but I huddled with my coaches and they were all right with it," Norton said of the fourth-down failure. "My team really bailed me out. If I had it to do over again, I would probably do the same thing."

The Tigers left nothing to chance after receiving the kickoff with a fair catch at their own 30. Sorenson nailed JoJo Thurman (6 catches, 72 yards, TD) for 17 yards on first down, and after a procedure penalty, he hit Thurman again at midfield. A perfect sideline route by Brandon Welch resulted in an 11-yard gain to the Hallsville 39, and Thurman took another pass for 12 yards as the clock continued to tick.

Sorenson gained 5 on a draw to the 22, then rolled to his left and threw back right to tight end Logan Preston, who got a crushing block from Levi Saxby and reached the 6-yard line before being knocked out of bounds. The Tigers ran one more play, sending Kory Sutton into the line for a yard gain, then let the time run down before killing the clock and sending Moore in for the game winner.

"The kids just did a tremendous job with that last drive," Norton said. "That sense of urgency at the end of the game is what we need to have at the beginning. I don't know how to push that button to get there. The kids made plays when they had to, and Nate was able to extend some plays with his feet and find open receivers. He was really a quarterback on that last drive. So many times in a game, he'll pull the ball down and run, but there he couldn't do it. He had to keep the ball alive and keep finding the right guys."

As it turned out, the difference in the game was a safety with 9:24 remaining, and the field had a hand in it.

Backed up to his own 6-yard line, Hallsville quarterback Brandon Denton pulled down a high snap, but slipped and fell in the end zone, giving the Tigers two points and their first lead of the game.

"The defense did a great job tonight stopping Hallsville, and giving our offense a chance," Norton said. "That's why I went for the fourth down after their free kick. I turned to (defensive coordinator) Matt (McClure) and he was OK with it, and I thought our defense would hold them if we didn't make it."

Special teams put Texas High's defense in a couple of holes to start the game, and Hallsville cashed in on the second to take an early 7-0 lead.

Eric Mitchell took the opening kickoff back 42 yards to the Tiger 43, and after the defense held, Hallsville's Danan Henderson came up with a muffed punt at the 14-yard line. The Bobcats kept the ball on the ground, but on 3rd and goal at the 2, quarterback Brandon Denton threw into the end zone where Texas High was flagged for pass interference.

Backup quarterback Jared Simpson bulled his way over from the 1 with 6:48 left in the first quarter.

The Tigers answered quickly, driving 73 yards in nine plays behind the running and throwing of Sorenson, who converted a 3rd and 5 with a 17-yard run before nailing JoJo Thurman over the middle for the last 18 yards.

Neither team threatened the rest of the half, the deteriorating field conditions contributing to several slips. Sorenson finished 3 of 6 for 33 yards in the half. His three incompletions were dropped.