December 23, 2024

2004 TEAM TO BE HONORED | Kilgore pays tribute to state title team with Sept. 20 reunion

Mitch Lucas 4 months ago
An invitation from the Kilgore High School Football Booster Club to a reunion of the 2004 team on Friday night, Sept. 20, prior to the game against Pleasant Grove.

The swinging gate against Marshall. Keith Gilliam. The safety against Hallsville. The storms against Port Neches-Groves. The Comeback against Brenham. The Wind against El Campo. Mouthy La Marque. And “The Play” against Dallas Lincoln.

Remember?

Do you remember?

It’s been 20 years since the Kilgore High School Bulldogs won the 2004 University Interscholastic League’s Class 4A Division II State Championship, going 16-0 and beating Lincoln in that final game on Dec. 18, 2004, a double-overtime win at Floyd Casey Stadium on the Baylor University campus – a game that Dave Campbell’s Texas Football a few years ago named one of its 100 best high school games of all time.

In a scene from the ages, former Kilgore High School running back Keith Gilliam (5) outruns everybody to the end zone in a game against Port Neches-Groves, a legendary playoff game at Stephen F. Austin that occurred in the middle of the night after a series of thunderstorms. Kilgore would go on to finish the season 16-0, winning the UIL Class 4A, Division II state championship. There's a special reunion planned on Sept. 20. You're invited. (Photo by KATHY BOWDEN)
In a scene from the ages, former Kilgore High School running back Keith Gilliam (5) outruns everybody to the end zone in a game against Port Neches-Groves, a legendary playoff game at Stephen F. Austin that occurred in the middle of the night after a series of thunderstorms. Kilgore would go on to finish the season 16-0, winning the UIL Class 4A, Division II state championship. There’s a special reunion planned on Sept. 20. You’re invited. (Photo by KATHY BOWDEN)

The Kilgore High School football booster club plans to honor the ’04 title team with a reunion on Friday night, September 20 at R.E. St. John Memorial Stadium, prior to the Ragin’ Red’s game against Pleasant Grove. Members of the ’04 team and coaches will be on hand and honored, and former KHS Hi-Steppers and cheerleaders and band from that season are also all invited to attend. See the invitation with this story.

ETBlitz.com editor/publisher Mitch Lucas covered that 2004 team and will have his own retrospective on it, as we chronicle the 2024 version of the Bulldogs.

But this is your invitation, too. Come be a part of a special night. Come re-live history.

Come out to R.E. St. John on Sept. 20.

4 thoughts on “2004 TEAM TO BE HONORED | Kilgore pays tribute to state title team with Sept. 20 reunion”

  1. Mitch,
    50 years ago in May of 1974 the KHS track team won the first state championship for KHS under the leadership of first year track coach, John Heffner.
    They need to be honored as well !

    Reply

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