IT’S TIME | Kilgore, Chapel Hill get it on tonight at R.E. St. John Memorial Stadium
Chapel Hill and Kilgore. Kilgore verses Chapel Hill. Bulldogs vs. Bulldogs.
No matter what you call it, these two District 9-4A Division I teams have a rivalry that has not just decided the district championship the last half-decade and more, but the winner has gone on to play for a state title twice.
And the 2025 battle is tonight.
Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. at R.E. St. John Memorial Stadium.
Ragin’ Red Broadcasting will have the call of the game, as they have had every time Kilgore plays for 44 years. Hear that live on KDOK 105.3-FM, online at www.kdokradio.com, and if nothing else, go to www.etblitz.com and click on the Kilgore helmet – that’ll take you right to the broadcast.
The game is scheduled to air streaming live, as well, courtesy of KHS’s Bulldog Media Network’s YouTube channel right here: Kilgore vs Chapel Hill.
Now, Chapel Hill has held its own against Kilgore over the last few years, but the series is lopsided in Kilgore’s favor, 38-12. Coach Clint Fuller and his Ragin’ Red Bulldogs have won the last two games. Before that, though, Chapel Hill eliminated Kilgore three straight years in the playoffs: two at CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium in Tyler and the other at Lobo Stadium in Longview.
Kilgore broke that hex last year by knocking Chapel Hill from the playoffs, and it should be noted that KHS has won the last couple of regular season meetings.
Tonight’s game is just the third week of district.
Chapel Hill is 1-1, splitting games against Lindale and Palestine in district play (4-2 overall), while Kilgore is 2-0 against Pine Tree and Henderson and 5-1 for the season, having won five in a row since a season-opening loss to Carthage.
“Chapel Hill has talented players all over the field on both sides of the football. They have no weaknesses that you can attack,” Kilgore coach Clint Fuller said when asked about this week’s opponent.
“Our preparation has been focused on ourselves and the things we have to do to be successful,” he continued. “What makes our rivalry with them different is the amount of times we have played over the last four years. Typically, when we face off against them it’s for a trophy, which adds to the importance of the game.”
Both teams have standout players on both sides of the football. Chapel Hill is averaging 45.3 points per game and allowing 33.0, while Kilgore’s numbers are 34.1 and 11.0, respectively.
Chapel Hill quarterback Malik Gee, a senior who started seven games a year ago, is 84-of-142 passing for 1,343 yards and 19 touchdowns. That’s an average of 223.8 passing yards per game.
His leading receivers are Damarcion Blaylock and Maliek Brown. Blaylock has 39 receptions for 688 yards and 10 touchdowns, while Brown has 20 catches for 376 yards and five touchdowns.
The leading rushers for CHHS have been junior Lemuel Stinson (55-394, 2 TDs), senior Sey’Dadrian Darden (32-287, 2) and Gee (31-169, 3).
Against Henderson last week, Lakeyleon Graves led with 16 tackles, followed by Bi’Syn Williams with 14. Isaiah Watters, David McGowan and Kaeson Clayton each had 13. Graves also had an interception, his second of the season.
For the season, Graves and Watters, a pair of linebackers, share the lead for tackles with 60 apiece, followed by defensive lineman Bi’Syn Williams (46) and McGowan (44). Watters leads in tackles for loss with 8 for minus 34 yards, and sacks with 3 for minus 11. Kilgore has six interceptions. Dre’ Sanders joins Graves with two. Ja’Kalen Sheffield, Travis Holmes and Cris Smith lead in force fumbles with one each.
Offensively, for Kilgore through six games, quarterback Kayson Brooks is 87-of-132 passing for 1,176 yards and 12 touchdowns. His leading receivers have been Graves with 25 receptions for 342 yards and five touchdowns, followed by Sanders (17-192, 1) and Tyler Johnigan (12-173, 2).
Coming off the biggest night of his career rushing last week (27-220, 1) against Henderson, Rayshaun Williams leads the Ragin’ Red with 714 yards rushing and 5 touchdowns on 93 carries. Watters (39-169, 3) and McGowan (14-155, 1) follow.
Defensively, Chapel Hill’s leading tacklers are strong safety Joshua Castaneda (61 tackles and 3 tackles for loss), middle linebacker Jeremiah White (60 tackles, 3 TFL) followed by defensive end Kaeden Franklin (57, 9), and defensive lineman Isaiah Collins (55, 3) and Dallas Gipson (40, 2).
Other leaders for the yellow-and-blue Bulldogs have been Collins with 3 sacks and 3 hurries, and Franklin with 4 hurries and 2 sacks, while corner Ke’rion Green has 4 of the Dogs’ nine interceptions.
In other district games this week, Henderson (4-2, 1-1) visits Mabank (2-3, 0-1) and Lindale (5-0, 1-0) travels to Palestine (0-6, 0-2). Pine Tree (3-3, 1-1) has the open date.
