GOTCHA! | It took a bit of work, but the Bulldogs overcame Jacksonville, 42-24
KILGORE – Comebacks are sweet – if you’re the team coming from behind.
It was one of “those” games Friday evening here at R.E. St. John Memorial Stadium for the Kilgore High School Bulldogs, who have found the waters of the 2026 season to be pretty rough.
But not unconquerable.
Kilgore, which trailed by a touchdown on three occasions in the first half and by a field goal in the third quarter, rallied for 28 points in the second half. The Bulldogs scored 21 of those in the fourth quarter to come away with a 42-24 victory over the Jacksonville Indians.
Everybody say it with me one time: Whew.
With the win, Kilgore improves to 2-1 against the district and 2-3 for the season, and the Ragin’ Red has its second open week of the season next week. Meanwhile, Jacksonville drops to 0-3 in district and 2-4 overall, also with an open date next week.
In other district action, Henderson upended Chapel Hill in Tyler, 34-31; Pine Tree remained unbeaten in the district with a 42-10 win at Palestine; and Lindale, ranked second in the state in the Dave Campbell’s Texas Football 4A, Division I poll, beat Bullard, 55-28.
Lindale is also unbeaten in district play.
“We played our best when it mattered the most in the second half,” said Kilgore coach Clint Fuller. “Offensively, I thought we played well the entire game.
“Defensively, we made some adjustments at halftime and our kids did a great job of executing when we needed it. We were able to get some big stops in the second half and our offense capitalized.”
Jacksonville quarterback Trent Clater ran for a touchdown and passed for two others to Christian McGowan. Clater had the hot hand early, scoring on a 16-yard keeper and completing 9-of-9 passes for 83 yards in the first half with scoring completions of 22 and 21-yards.
Turner Wade converted all three extra points in the first half and one of two field goals, a 35-yarder, in the second half.
Rayshaun Williams rushed for 141 yards and scored on runs of 17, 1, and 45 yards to lead the way offensively for Kilgore.
Maddox Wright (13 carries, 79 yards) added scoring runs of 12 and 10 yards, and quarterback Braddox Johnson had a 39-yard scoring pass to Tyler Johnigan to wrap up the scoring for the Bulldogs.
Ethan Reyes was 6-for-6 on extra points.
Kilgore rushed for 222 yards on 29 carries. Johnson completed 5-of-9 passes for 67 yards.
Tyler Johnigan led the Kilgore receiving corps with four catches for 56 yards, including an acrobatic one-handed reception for 18 yards on the Bulldogs’ go-ahead six-play, 48-yard march that took almost 11 minutes, stretching into the fourth quarter.
Kilgore outside linebacker De’Andre Thurmond came up big on a couple of occasions: he blocked a punt to set up Kilgore’s seven-play, 34-yard scoring march with 3:21 left to play to give the ’Dogs a 35-24 lead. Johnson made a key three-yard run on a fourth-and-1 call to keep the scoring drive alive.
Just a few minutes later, it was Thurmond again, this time making an interception and return of 30 yards to the 50. That set Kilgore up for its final touchdown of the evening with 1:42 remaining in the game on Williams’ 45-yard run.
Devin Tinney added a catch for the Bulldogs for 11 yards.
C.J. Crockett had an interception for Jacksonville, giving the Indians a short field at the Kilgore 20 with 10:31 left in the first quarter.
Jacksonville kicker Turner Wade made a 35-yard field goal for the Indians’ only points in the second half. He missed a 38-yard field goal attempt short, earlier in the third period.
Zarak Hall had two sacks while Blade Chitwood and Cris Smith added one each for the Bulldogs.
After a 9-for-9 start in the first half, Clater finished 19-of-25 passing for 213 yards. He suffered an interception, though. Bubba Suarez led the Jacksonville receiving corps with six catches for 69 yards. Malique Masenburge and McGowan followed with five receptions each. Mazenburge (5-52) and McGowan (5-58), while Ja’Qualyn Holman added (2-for-15) and Marcus Allen (1-19).
