‘DOGS COME UP SHORT | Stephenville gets 10-0 win over Kilgore in 4A-DI state title game
ARLINGTON – Kilgore’s bid for its second state championship fell 11-second-half points shy here at AT&T Stadium on Friday afternoon against Stephenville just six days before Christmas 2025.
Stephenville wrapped up its seventh state championship with a touchdown in the third quarter and a field goal for insurance with 8:59 remaining in the game.
Stephenville 10, Kilgore 0.
Being on the short end of 10-0 left another sour taste in the mouths of the Bulldog players, coaches and fans of a program that was seeking its second title and its first since 2004.
Stephenville and Kilgore defenses went toe-to-toe with each other through the first half and most of the second.
The Bulldogs’ defense, led by David McGowan, Ja’Kalyn Sheffield and Isaiah Watters weathered three early turnovers.
Stephenville, which deferred kicking off to begin the contest, took full advantage of its first possession of the second half, gaining some momentum and then hanging on.
Three plays and 45 seconds into the third quarter, Trot Jordan found a crease in Kilgore’s defense and Adan Jergins made the most of the opportunity.
The ’Jackets did it against a ’Dogs’ defense that had shut the Yellow Jackets out despite three Kilgore turnovers in the first half, with a catch covering 40-yards, all the way to paydirt.
“They came out and grabbed the momentum there and that’s exactly what we didn’t want to allow them to do,” Fuller said. “They wanted to grab the momentum, make a few runs and get you creeping up and throw it over your head. That’s what they do week in and week out.”
Brighton DeVivo tacked on the extra point and Kilgore was behind for the first time since early in the first quarter against Fort Bend Crawford (3-0) in the regional finals.
That lead lasted all-of-a-minute. Kilgore wasn’t as fortunate, though, this time, against the now still unbeaten and state champion Yellow Jackets (16-0).
Protecting a 7-0 lead, the Jackets added a 41-yard field goal for insurance (10 points) with 8:58 left in the contest.
Stephenville finished with 251 yards of total offense on 56 plays, compared to Kilgore’s 150 on 42 plays. The Jackets also won the time-of-possession: 26:24 to 21:36.
Jordan, the game’s Offensive MVP from Stephenville, was 6-of-15 passing for 78 yards, and rushed for 86 yards. Zyler McClendon added 85 yards on the ground.
Stephenville linebacker Hudson Butchee was awarded the game’s defensive MVP. He made 10 tackles (four solo with six assists), a forced fumble and an interception.
Jergins was the leading receiver for the ’Jackets with three catches for 62 yards. Forty of that came on the scoring play.
Brooks, Kilgore’s QB1, was 14-of-21 passing for just 40 yards. He was 5-of-6 in the first half with an interception.
Tyler Johnigan led the way for the Bulldogs’ receiving corps with four catches for 35 yards.
Junior Rayshaun Williams led Kilgore’s rushing performance of 110 yards with 73 on 14 carries. Ja’Kalyn Sheffield (1-20) and Brooks (6-17) followed, respectively.
McGowan, one of 20 Kilgore seniors that went 39-7 and played for two state championships in the last three seasons, led the way with a dozen tackles. Sheffield, a safety who has signed with Stephen F. Austin, had 11 tackles. Watters added 10 and Bi’Syn Williams, who recovered Stephenville’s only turnover, a fumble, and returned it 39 yards to the 46 with 6:53 remaining in the second quarter. Williams finished with nine tackles.
Kilgore advanced the football to the Stephenville 15, where Williams lost a yard and then a Brooks pass, intended for Tyler Johnigan in the end zone, was intercepted by Willis Jackson.
Both Stephenville’s DeVivo and Kilgore’s Eddie Jimenez missed field goals during this defensive slugfest. DeVivo missed short from 41 yards with 1:43 left in the first period. And Jimenez missed from 46-yards wide left as an eight-play Kilgore drive stalled at the Yellow Jackets’ 29.
Following DeVivo’s 41-yard field goal with 8:58 remaining in the game, Kilgore used its no-huddle shotgun attack to move down the field. The Dogs’ did benefit from a couple of Stephenville 15-yard pass interference penalties to reach Stephenville’s 31-yard line. At that point, it was fourth-and-four and Brooks was sacked for a 12-yard loss by Jackets’ defensive end C.J. Spellmeier.
“Our defense rose to the occasion,” Fuller said. “We played great defense through the season and in the playoffs. They really took their play to another level. Again, it goes back to them, they love each other and care about each other. Their hearts are on the line for each other.”
“The first time I ever spoke to this team,” Fuller continued. “this group of seniors, they were in the 7th grade. I went to their locker room and introduced myself and told them we were going to win a state championship and we’re going to do it together. Ever since then, it has been a wonderful journey to watch them grow into the men they are today.
“Their character and discipline. Men that know how to work and take care of business. This is really why you (I) coach. These players will move on … a few of them will play college football, others will go to college and to other walks of life. I have no doubt they will be successful in whatever they do.”
