KILGORE-PG! | Fuller returns to a place where he had success, as the Ragin’ Red face Pleasant Grove in Texarkana
Kilgore is home now for the Fuller family.
But not so long ago, coach Clint Fuller, his wife Emily, and their two children called Pleasant Grove home.
And Fuller, as the Hawks’ defensive coordinator, teamed with longtime friend Josh Gibson to reach a couple of state championship games, winning one of them, in 2019.
Fuller, the head coach of the Kilgore High School Bulldogs, will check his emotions at the gate as he takes those ‘Dogs to his old stomping grounds Friday night, and the result: No. 3 Kilgore (in the Dave Campbell’s Texas Football 4A-Division I state poll) faces No. 2 Pleasant Grove (in 4A-DII) in what could be the best game of a strong group of games statewide this week, week four of the season.
This alert: the kickoff in Texarkana at PG’s Hawk Stadium, located at 5406 McKnight Road, is at 7 p.m., not 7:30, as usual.
If you can’t go, hear the game live on KDOK 105.3-FM, or on www.kdokradio.com, and for an easy path to the broadcast, go to ETBlitz.com and click on the Kilgore helmet.
Pleasant Grove and Kilgore have only played once previously and that was last season in Kilgore. This Friday the site switches to Pleasant Grove, home of the unbeaten Hawks.
Pleasant Grove is 3-0, outscoring Atlanta (34-2), Paris (24-7) and Daingerfield (49-7), 107 to 16. Kilgore is 2-1, dropping its season-opener to top-ranked Carthage 21-10 before beating Whitehouse (49-14) and Gilmer (66-6).
“The match-up is between two physical, tough and disciplined football teams,” said Fuller, “and the game will be won by the team that can make plays when it matters the most in the fourth quarter.”
PG is the third of five preseason ranked opponents on the Bulldogs’ regular-season schedule. The other two are district opponents Chapel Hill and Lindale.
The Hawks won 7-4A DII a year ago and reached the regional semifinals before losing to eventual 4A-DII state champion Carthage. Meanwhile, Kilgore won 9-4A DI and advanced all the way to the state championship game before falling to Celina.
“I have known Coach Fuller since he was nine years old, when his father joined my dad’s staff in college coaching,” said Gibson. “My dad worked with his father for over 20 years. Clint, my brother and I grew up in the field house together. His father was a defensive genius and Clint has turned into the same coach. He has an elite work ethic, turns over every stone and will get the best out of his players.”
In just his fifth season as Kilgore’s head coach, Fuller’s teams have won three outright district championships and finished as the runner-up to Chapel Hill in 2022. Fuller, as mentioned, was the defensive coordinator for Gibson at Pleasant Grove in two (2018-19) of the three (2017-18-19) years the Hawks reached the championship game in Arlington, winning it all in 2017, beating West Orange-Stark, but losing to Cuero in 2018 before winning its second title in three years against Wimberley in 2019.
“My family and I are very grateful for our time at Pleasant Grove,” the Kilgore coach continued, “and we still have many close friends there. It’s always fun to match up against those guys.”
The Hawks are the reigning 7-4A DII champs, having also won district in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2023. In his 12th season as the head coach, Gibson is 117-36.
If you’re looking for talent, there’ll be plenty on display on both sides of the field.
Pleasant Grove offensively has junior quarterback Colt Yancey (6-2, 220) an all-district move-in from Whitewright a year ago to go along with running back Nick Bells, a three-year returning starter, after rushing for 907 yards and 15 touchdowns last season.
Other returnees of note offensively are wide receiver Kamdyn Harris (6-3, 195), who had 24 receptions for 458 yards and six touchdowns a year ago, as well as Jayden Withered (6-4, 305), Jonah Womack (only a sophomore), K.J. Greer (6-3, 320) and Julian Tobey (5-11, 255) across the offensive line.
“Last week, I felt our kids played well at every level of the defense,” Fuller added.
The Ragin’ Red defense is anchored by linebacker Isaiah Watters (5-11, 185) with 34 tackles, five for loss and two sacks; Lakeyleon Graves, a recent verbal commit to Texas State University, with 28 tackles, and a sack; and defensive end Bi’Syn Williams, with 23 tackles and two for loss to go with a blocked punt in the end zone a week ago against Gilmer.
Also, the Hawks will have to be aware of Ragin’ Red safetyJa’Kalen Sheffield (23 tackles and a forced fumble) and linebacker David McGowan (20 tackles and a sack).
Leading the Hawk defense are defensive back Jaidun Scales (6-1, 195), who had 73 tackles and 5.5 tackles for loss last season, as well as defensive lineman Jaylen Foster (6-0, 200) with 89 tackles, 21 for loss and seven sacks, along with Kedrid Smith (6-3, 225) with 48 tackles, 17.5 for loss, and 4.5 sacks a year ago.
Fuller complimented the play of his offensive line: tackles Hunter Whipkey and Fabian Abeldano, guards Jaden Pastor and Daniel Garcia along with center Aldo Loredo. “Our O-line has gelled the last couple of weeks. It’s the foundation of our run and pass game.”
It’s an offense averaging 41.6 points per game entering week four. Quarterback Kayson Brooks is 30-of-68 passing for 661 yards, seven touchdowns and just one interception. Rayshaun Williams, the current defending Whataburger / ETBlitz.com Player of the Week, has 383 yards and four touchdowns, is the leading rusher.
Graves and Tyler Johnigan are the leading receivers with seven receptions each, followed by Dre’ Sanders (six), T.K. White (six), R. Williams (five) and Sheffield five5). Brooks has thrown to 10 different receivers thus far this season.
Last year’s game was the only time the schools have played each other in a regular-season contest and Kilgore found itself trailing 17-10 in the third quarter, before rallying for two touchdowns in the fourth to force overtime. The Bulldogs and Hawks were tied 31-all after one overtime, and Kilgore scored again to win 37-31 in the second. Brooks threw for three touchdowns, two of those going to Graves.
While this is Kilgore’s final non-district game of the season before opening district next week at home against Pine Tree, Pleasant Grove visits Sunnyvale before opening its district at home against North Lamar on Oct. 10.
For his part, Gibson is excited for the game on a number of levels.
“We are fired up to play Kilgore again,” he said. “They are one of the best programs in the state and we try to schedule these games for non-district every year. This allows us to see where we are in regard to being the best. It also reveals things we need to work on for the rest of the regular season. We feel this will be a war, really a great environment for fans.”
