KILGORE 52, PALESTINE 7 | A recap (as it happened) from Wildcat Stadium

**Kilgore’s Kayson Brooks. (Photo by ALEX NABOR – ETBLITZ.COM**

EDITOR’S NOTE: ETBlitz.com editor / publisher Mitch Lucas was live throughout Kilgore at Palestine, with his thoughts on the game as it happened. This is now a recap of the game; see Joe Hale’s game story as soon as we can get it finished and up, with Dennis Jacobs’ photos!

We have “arrove” at Palestine’s Wildcat Stadium, got settled in, got on WiFi and we’re ready to roll. We’re about 16 minutes from kickoff.
Palestine is actually one of our favorite places to visit during the season. The people here are so friendly.
This has nothing to do with Palestine High, but another Palestine school, Palestine Westwood, has been the center of the news this week. We reported it here on ETBlitz.com, too, but our good friends at Dave Campbell’s Texas Football have been all over it, and here’s the latest: UPDATED: Palestine Westwood won’t forfeit games; UIL suspends head coach for year (texasfootball.com).
Palestine just entered the field, with the maroon jerseys with white numbers, white pants, and white helmets. Kilgore’s Bulldogs are dressed in their road whites, with the red numbers, white pants, and of course, the bright Ragin’ Red helmet with the trademark white “K.”
National Anthem done, performed by the PHS band, and coin flip about to occur.
Palestine won the toss, and will receive.
Captains for Kilgore are Kayson Brooks, Javon Towns, Cameron Christian, and Jacory Walton.
AC / DC’s “Thunderstruck” leads us up to kickoff, and Kilgore’s Eddie Jiminez puts it in play. Palestine takes over at their own 32-yard-line, after only a 4-yard return by Billy Harrod of the Wildcats.
The Wildcats lose yards on their first play, a pass play from Rohyn Price to Jayden Oliver.
B.J. Walker bursts through, though, for a first down, a 13-yard run.
Price scrambles away from Kilgore’s Jackson Tucker Phillips and Christian, but is chased out of bounds after a gain of about 2, to the Palestine 45-yard-line.
Walker runs to the 50, will be short of the first down by about 2 yards.
On the next play — THUNDERSTRUCK in a different way. Walker, fighting for yards behind the line of scrimmage, is wrapped up by several members of Kilgore’s defensive front and loses his handle on the ball! Kilgore defensive back Dre Sanders scooped it up and raced about 45 yards for a touchdown! Jiminez adds the point after, and without having an offensive possession, Kilgore leads, 7-0, with 9:06 left in the first quarter.
Palestine’s Dreylon Spurlock returned the kick 23 yards to his own 35.
Price threw the ball over everyone’s head and out of bounds on first down; Spurlock takes the pitch on second down, and is dropped for a 2-yard loss by Towns.
Price starts to throw, but no one is open, and on third down, he’s dropped after about a yard gain. It’s fourth down at Palestine’s 35.
Oh, wow — the ball is snapped WAY over the punter’s head. Punter Colt James runs it down, but Kilgore was all over him, and he couldn’t get a handle on it. Kilgore’s David McGowan gets it around the 5-yard-line, and takes it in for a second Bulldog touchdown! Kilgore still hasn’t had the ball, and is up 14-0, with 7:05 left in the quarter.

Palestine, after a fair catch, takes over again at its own 38. And there’s a new quarterback for the Wildcats, Ashton Cook. He hands off to J’Mauri Jackson, but Jackson only gets about a yard, and before second down, the Wildcats (0-7 coming into this game) were flagged for a false start. We’re now in second and 14, at the Palestine 34.
Cook tries to get free, but Kilgore’s Isaiah Watters is all over him, and the pair go down at the Palestine 24, a 10-yard loss. We’re in third and 24.
Cook’s throw goes over almost everyone, bounces incomplete at the 45, and it’s fourth down again.
They did get the ball off, and with a 14-0 lead, the Bulldogs’ offense comes on to the field for the first time in the game, with 5:05 left in the first quarter.
They began at their own 36-yard-line, and Rayshaun Williams gets 5 yards on his first carry of the night.
Starting on the O-line for Kilgore tonight: Collin Burrows, Jaden Pastor, Jonathan Barron, Hunter Whipkey and Daniel Garcia.
Kilgore fumbles an exchange on second down and loses the ball, but fell back on it, and then Brooks’ third-down pass fell incomplete.
Cook was back for the return, as the punt took a quick bounce. He grabbed it in the middle of several Kilgore players, and gets free for a 20-yard return, the Wildcats’ best play of the night so far. They’ll start with 3:53 left in the first quarter, at their own 40, down 14-0.
Price returns at quarterback, and it’s a handoff to Walker for a couple of yards, tackled by Kilgore’s Jamarian Duncan.
Price called his own number on second down, and they’re giving him 2 yards to the 43. He was hit immediately by Kilgore’s La’Perrion Graves.
Khalil Davis snags a pass from Price at the Kilgore 47-yard-line, their first trip into Kilgore territory tonight.
Palestine’s offensive line: Ronnie Williams, Baylynn Williams, Akwasi Danso, Joe Flynn, and Caden Timmons..
The Wildcats were just called for another false start. That’ll bring them back to their own 48.
Graves grabs Price as he throws, and the ball flies incomplete, a near-sack for Graves.
Price is sacked for a 6-yard loss by Jackson Tucker Phillips (who will be known for the rest of this article as “JTP”), and Bi’Syn Williams, who came in and helped wrap it up.
And that’s the quarter. Kilgore only had the ball for two minutes and about 18 seconds, and leads still 14-0, as the second quarter begins.

Colt James boots the punt; there’s no return, and Kilgore takes over with 11:49 left in the half at its own 29-yard-line.
Williams reels off an 18-yard run for Kilgore, to midfield, to their own 47.
Brooks’ first deep pass of the night is CAUGHT by Lakeyleon Graves, all the way down to the Palestine 20 for a 33-yard gain!
Takieran White makes a catch from Brooks to the 12, for 8 quick yards on the first down, and then Brooks hands off to Watters for a 12-yard touchdown run! Jiminez gets the extra point out of the hold of Brayden Williams, and Kilgore’s now up, 21-0, with 10:19 left in the half.
Kaeson Clayton wrapped up Cook quickly on the kick return, and the Wildcats start at their own 23, after a 19-yard return. Clayton was all over that guy.
The entire defensive front collapses on Spurlock, who got nothing and was put down immediately.
This time, Spurlock manages positive yards, but is downed at the 27. They need 6 for the first down.
Palestine just took a time-out with 8:26 left in the half.
Price tries to get the ball to Oliver, but it’s deflected and it was a wonder it wasn’t intercepted.
The snap gets by Colt James again, but he gets the ball off in time. A flag is down, though, and Kilgore is flagged for roughing the kicker. Palestine will have the ball with a first down at its own 42.
Price completed a pass to Cooper Perry for 3, and Perry is submarined there by Towns, at the 45.
This pass is completed to S’Vioarean Martin to Kilgore’s 40, for 15 yards and a first down.
A handoff between Price and Walker is bobbled, dropped and picked up by Walker, who gets 4 yards on the run.
Price’s quick pass in the flat to Don Brooks is dropped, and the Wildcats are in third and 6 at the Kilgore 36.
Walker, running hard, gets all the way down to the 21-yard-line before Kilgore defenders finally bring him down.
Sanders wraps up the Palestine receiver just as he catches it, a loss of 1, and the next pass was incomplete, as well, leaving the Wildcats in third and 11 at Kilgore’s 22.
Price, trying to find a receiver, forces a throw over the middle — right into the hands of Lakeyleon Graves, who takes the ball back all the way down the Palestine sideline for a 93-yard Kilgore touchdown, their second defensive touchdown of the night! Jiminez hits the point after and the Bulldogs now lead, 28-0.

Another false start puts the Wildcats in first and 15 on their own 20, and on second and long, Cook, back at quarterback, loses the handle on the snap. He runs it down at his own 4, and the Wildcats are now in third and 30 at their own 5.
Palestine will have to be very careful here; their backs are up against their own end zone.
Cook drops back and is almost brought down in his own end zone; he gets the ball off and it’s almost intercepted by Kilgore’s Donovan Rider.
Palestine’s Colt James is punting with his heels on the Wildcat lettering in the end zone. He gets the ball off and it’s fielded by Walton, who got a 7-yard return. Kilgore takes over at the Palestine 28, with 1:24 left in the half.
A quick pass to Towns gets Kilgore to the 22.
Williams takes the pitch, gets the ball to the 16 for 6 yards and a KHS first down.
Brooks takes off, and out of bounds, but there’s a holding flag thrown on the Bulldogs. They’ll be in first-and-20 at the 26. There’s only 29 seconds left in the half.
LaKeyelon Graves makes a catch, and fights off defenders and INTO THE END ZONE for a 26-YARD TOUCHDOWN on the next play! Graves is clearly in the end zone, and now the extra point has been kicked — not a single, solitary official signaled “touchdown” on the field. Horrible. Officials this season have been lax on their jobs, I’m sorry. How does not one member of the crew signal a touchdown has been scored? Really?!
It’s Graves’ second touchdown of the night; remember, he had the 93-yard interception return for the score, as well.
Palestine takes over at its own 22, and simply runs one play, a handoff by Walker for a couple of yards, and it’s halftime. Kilgore leads 35-0 at the halftime break.

Some scores from around the ETBlitz.com coverage area: Arp leads Winona, 30-14, with 8:49 left in the half. West Rusk is up on Troup, 14-0, with 1:44 left in the first half. Pine Tree leads Chapel Hill, 13-7, in Chapel Hill at halftime. Pleasant Grove is up on Gilmer, 14-3, with 11:10 left in the third quarter. Liberty-Eylau leads White Oak, 64-14, at the halftime break. Atlanta is up on Tatum, 35-7, at halftime. Overton is up on Alto, 38-27, at halftime. Jefferson leads Sabine, 40-12, at the half, and Saint Jo has defeated Leverett’s Chapel, 89-37, in a mercy-rule-shortened UIL six-man game.
Gladewater and Henderson both have open dates tonight.
The Kilgore High School Hi-Steppers and band just had a pair of amazing performances, as usual, and now Palestine’s band is up. 3:40 and ticking left on the halftime clock.
Second-half kickoff is to Kilgore, and the Bulldogs will begin their drive — just their fourth of the game — at their own 31.
Watters gets 2 on first down, and then the second-down pass to Walton is incomplete. Kilgore in third and 8 at its own 33.
Ethan Thomas gets a sack on Kilgore’s Kayson Brooks, and the Bulldogs will have to punt. That was kind of a traffic sack; Brooks couldn’t get away.
After a very quick Kilgore possession, Palestine will start its first drive of the second half at its own 29, with 10:16 in the third quarter.
Walker grabs 3 yards on first down, and then gains nothing on second down. PHS is flagged for a false start, and now they’re in third and 11 at the 28. Price is rushed, gets the ball off, and Ja’Kalen Sheffield almost had him a one-handed interception. The pass falls incomplete.
Palestine will punt again, as Colt James is rushed by Kilgore’s Wylie Mitchell. James gets the punt away, and Sanders gets 10 on the return. Kilgore will start at the Palestine 48-yard-line. There’s 7:49 left in the third quarter.
Williams gets the toss on second down, but can’t turn the corner; he’s out of bounds, with a third-and-3 at the 41. He needs the 37 for the first.
And he gets it, making a catch out of the backfield from a good ball by Brooks. Williams gets Kilgore all the way down to the 4. I was just told by Joe Hale that Kayson Brooks is 6-of-8 for 116 yards and Williams has two catches for 33 yards.
A false start moves it back to the 9, so Kilgore will have first and goal at the 9.
Watters loses a couple of yards, and now Kilgore is back at the 11.
An incomplete pass to Brayden Williams — he caught it in the end zone but was ruled out of bounds — leaves Kilgore with a third and goal, and then Brooks scrambles to the 1. It’s fourth-and-goal at the 1.
Kilgore sends Williams in to hold, and Jiminez to kick. There was a substitution flag thrown on Kilgore, and now he’s kicking a 23-yard field goal. IT’S GOOD, and Kilgore now leads 38-0, with 4:35 left in the third quarter.

Palestine starts its next drive at its own 25, after a touchback, and Walker is thrown for a 1-yard loss.
Walker is whistled down back at the 22, a 2-yard loss. The Wildcats are in third and 13.
The third-down pass is incomplete from Price (Palestine has swapped in Price and Cook all night at QB), and it’s fourth down.
Dre Sanders is back for the punt return, and gets it back to Palestine’s 44, a 12-yard return.
“OHHHHHHH – Lord, it’s hard to be humble, when you’re perfect in every way… I can’t wait to look in the mirror; I get better lookin’ each day… To know me is to love me; I must be a hell of a man… Oh, Lord, it’s hard to be humble, but I’m doin’ the best that I can.”
The Mac Davis classic. Heard that yesterday and it’s stuck in my head.
Kilgore’s in third and 7 at the 40, and Brooks launches it — he’s got a cannon — and Brayden Williams gets the touchdown that he tried to get moments ago, a 40-yard pass from Brooks to Williams! Now, he goes back in to hold for Jiminez’s extra point, and it’s good. The new score is 44-0, Kilgore, with 1:28 left in the third quarter.
Palestine is flagged for a block in the back, and begins the drive at its own 8, with 1:20 left in the third.
Bi’Syn Williams with a sack to force Palestine into another punt. Colt James gets it off from his own end zone, and Walton is stopped at the Kilgore 46, where they Bulldogs will start, with 10:56 left in the game. Kilgore leads, 45-0.
Williams gets 5 on a first-down carry, but a fumble on second down leads to a Palestine recovery, by Excel Obrigbo. Palestine’s ball at the Kilgore 43, with 10:07 left.

Walker gets a 6-yard run on first down. They’re at Kilgore’s 37.
Two downs later, and Palestine is in fourth down and 7. It’s a time-out Wildcats, with 8:31 left in the game.
Price completes a pass to Martin, but Martin is short of the first down. Kilgore takes over on downs at its own 33.
Williams runs up to the 42, and leaves Kilgore in second and 1.
The second down is a big one, all the way down to the Palestine 36, a 22-yard run for Williams.
On third and 10, at the Palestine 36, it’s White, a 6-yard catch. But Kilgore is in fourth and 4 at the 30.
Shaun Moyers is now in at quarterback for Kilgore.
The Bulldogs took a time-out before the down, and there’s 5:01 left.
The pass is short, and it’s a turnover on downs. Palestine will take over at its own 31, with 4:51 left in the game.
Where do y’all stand on the Coca-Cola-flavored Oreos?
S’Vioarean Martin goes long, makes a catch from Price, and goes the distance, a 65-yard pass and score for Palestine to allow them to avoid the shutout. Colt James hits the extra point, and Palestine is on the board. The score is 45-7 Kilgore, with exactly four minutes left in the contest.
The Bulldogs winding this clock down, guys… 2:35 left and ticking, with Kilgore at its own 39.
Kilgore punts, and Palestine gets it back with 2:06 left, trailing by — well, trailing by Arizona.
Wait — Palestine just tried to throw, and it’s picked off. A Kilgore player (I cannot tell who; that side of the field is dark; they’re telling me it was Donovan Rider) returned it all the way for a touchdown, 30 yards! Jiminez hits the point after, and Kilgore’s up now 52-7, with 1:57 left in the game.
There’s a minute left, and Palestine now is just content to run the ball with Walker, who runs twice for little gain. On third down, though, a big run, for the first down to the 37. Twelve seconds left, now. Nine yards.
Palestine gets 4 yards on the final play of the game, and Kilgore wins, 52-7!
Kilgore moves to 7-2 overall, 4-1 in District 9-4A, Division I play, and will have an open date next week. The Bulldogs are in the UIL Class 4A, Division I playoffs, and will finish the regular season at home against Mabank on Thursday, Nov. 7! Palestine drops to 0-8 this season, and 0-4 in district play. They’ll play at Mabank next Friday, Nov. 1, then close out the season at home against Pine Tree on Nov. 8.
Kilgore had two fumble recoveries for touchdowns (one on a punt return, and also two interceptions returned for scores).
“Biggest thing for us, is didn’t want to let our level of play drop. …Coming in to Palestine, they can be tough. Just have to play our game. …We wanted to use the second half to work on some things and improve, and stay engaged. Our kids handled it very well.” — Coach Clint Fuller
Thanks for hanging out with me. We’ll have our game story by Joe Hale as soon as he’s finished, and photos by Dennis Jacobs from this game. We’ll also have coverage of the West Rusk-Troup game when it’s final; Overton’s win over Alto; and tons more here on ETBlitz. Y’all have a great night!

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