Celina holds off Kilgore | Bulldogs fall short, but not until the state title game

EDITOR’S NOTE: This was a live, real-time update version of Kilgore’s 4A, Division I state championship game against Celina on Friday at AT&T Stadium. Kilgore came up short, 55-21. ETBlitz.com will have more coverage coming. Congratulations to Kilgore, still, even in defeat, on a fantastic season.

Celina’s school song is sang to the tune of “Anchors Away.” Not kidding.
Surreal,and really cool, to see Kilgore’s players, band, cheerleaders and the Hi-Steppers back at AT&T Stadium.
Captains are Kayson Brooks, Lakeyleon Graves, Jayden Sanders and Cam Christian.
They flipped the coin twice! The first time, it hit a cameraman’s foot. The official apologized, and then flipped it again. Kilgore won the toss and opted to get the ball to start the second half.
Camera crews and graphics just incorrectly identified Jay Dean as “Kilgore head coach Clint Fuller,” LOL.
Someone left their camera on the field, and an official just carried it off! LOL
Good comedy so far, at least.
The game officially kicks off at 3:08, and Celina will start at their own 40.
Ethan Rucker caught the touchdown pass, a 34-yarder, to give Celina a 7-0 lead with just 1:08 off the clock, then promptly “dusted himself off,” and signaled a ring on the finger motion. Yuck.
Brooks has in front of him Collin Burrows, Jaden Pastor, Hunter Whipkey, Daniel Garcia, and Jonathan Barron.

Brooks threw the ball down being pursued on second down, and it was ruled a fumble. They reviewed it – really weird that they review plays here – and they get it correct. Kilgore is in third and 4. Kilgore caught a break. It would’ve been third and 22.
Someone in the press box just noted that “bulldogs” are second behind “eagles” for the most popular mascot name among Texas high schools. I knew that already.
Brooks swings the pass out to Rayshaun Williams for a first down at the 36. He got 5.
Williams reeled off a 9-yard carry to Kilgore’s 45. Kilgore is in second and 1.
Jacory Walton makes a catch from Brooks, into Celina territory to the 46 and for a first down, Kilgore.
Brooks’ next pass is incomplete to Lakeyleon Graves. It’s second and 10.
They don’t miss this time. Brooks hits Graves on a second and 10, and Graves has the first down to the Celina 35.
Brooks picks up two first downs with his legs, and then hands to Isaiah Watters. Watters is loose! He’s free for a TOUCHDOWN, KILGORE, a 12-yard run. Eddie Jiminez hits the point after, and Kilgore has tied it at 7-7, with 6:35 left in the first quarter!
Kilgore has Celina in third and 8 at Celina’s 39. Wow, Rucker gets behind the defense, and it’s a 61-yard touchdown for Celina. Wow. The Bobcats have scored again with 5:10 left in the first quarter.
But the point after is blocked! David McGowan ends up with it for Kilgore, and returns it. He’s tackled, but instead of being up 14-7, Celina is only up six; it’s 13-7 Bobcats.
Javon Towns gives Kilgore the ball at its own 19, with 5:03 left in the first quarter, on a kick return.
Williams, carrying for Kilgore, gets 6, to the 25.
Brooks hits Graves for a quick 5 yards and a first down.
Brooks is really getting good at escaping. He breaks free from the Celina pass rush, which came up the middle, and he scrambled for 9 yards to the 39.
They go long, a deep pass downfield, to Jacory Walton, who is honestly quite blatantly interfered with by Celina’s Maddox McCoy, but there’s no call. McCoy celebrates, of course.
On third and 1, Watters gets 2 yards and a first down.
Brooks scrambles, but Kilgore is flagged for holding, a 10-yard penalty from about the 43. It’s second and 15, at the Kilgore 35.
There’s Jayden Sanders’ first catch of the day, tackled at the 48 for 13. It’s second and short.
Watters is stopped for a loss, though, and now Kilgore is in third and 5 – it was a loss of 4 yards.
This is a big third down coming up.
Walton makes the catch, goes out of bounds, and is shoved by Celina’s Case Chelf. Unfortunately for Chelf, officials SAW the late hit, and there’s a flag down. Personal foul on Celina, their first of the day.
Kilgore has second and 6 now at the Celina 25.
Watters takes the handoff and looks to be down at the 21. It’s going to be third and short, about 1. Maybe 2.
That’s the end of the first quarter. Celina leads, 13-7.

We’re back. They’ve swapped ends, and now the Bulldogs are headed toward the end zone with the Dr. Pepper and Ford logos.
Brooks fakes the handoff. It’s a TRICK! He throws out to Towns in the flat and it’s a 21-yard TOUCHDOWN, KILGORE! The extra point by Jiminez is good! And Kilgore now LEADS, 14-13, with 11:52 left in the half!
Bi’Syn Williams tosses the Celina returner out of bounds, and Celina takes over at its own 41.
The running back, Logan Gutierrez, tries to run and runs into a brick wall. The wall’s name is Jackson Tucker Phillips, LOL.
That was good for maybe a yard.
Gutierrez tries it again, and gets a few yards before Kilgore’s defense can pull him down. It’s third and 4.
A short pass to Colton Rodriguez, but Rodriguez gets free down the Kilgore sideline and has a first down at Kilgore’s 29.
Bowe Bentley, the Celina quarterback, runs for 3, and then out of bounds at the 26.
Gutierrez gets to the 19, and is stopped by K’Winn Reese. It’s third and short, but Bentley gets free and is down inside Kilgore’s 10 for a first and goal.
It’s a running play, and Ty Hughes of the Celina offensive line is flagged for holding. “He grabbed everything above the shoulders,” the referee said. He literally just announced that to the crowd!
It’s first and goal, but from the Kilgore 19.
It’s a pass complete to Rucker, well short of the first down, but there are flags down at the point of the tackle. Nothing looked wrong with that.
Oh wait, it’s our friend Ty Hughes again! He’s flagged for a block in the back, and now it’ll be first and goal at the 29! LOLOLOLOL!
Bentley runs for a good gain, to the 20. It’ll be second and GOAL from there.
La’Perrion Graves tackled Bentley. Graves is a tackling machine.
Bentley tries to get the ball to Rucker, but Jayden Sanders breaks it up. No celebration by Rucker after THAT play.
It’s third and goal at the 19.
Bentley has NO ONE to throw it to. He tries to escape but can’t. Cam Christian gets him after a yard.
Celina’s Braden Johnson gives the Bobcats back the lead, 16-14, with 7:53 left in the half.

OK, like Eminem, we’re back… back again. Mitchie’s back. Tell a friend. Guess who’s back, guess who’s back… nevermind.
Jayden Sanders puts Kilgore in business at its own 32-yard-line. There’s 7:48 left in the half.
Rayshaun Williams reels off a 6-yard run to his left. It’s second and 4 at the 38.
Brooks tries a pass over the middle to Towns, but it falls incomplete.
Brooks swings a pass out to Williams on third and 4, but he gets only a yard. That didn’t look like it would develop well. Here’s the first punt of the game.
Fair catch, no return. Celina takes over at its own 24, with 6:18 left in the half.
Back. And this time it’s Harrison Williams, and it’s HIS turn to run into La’Perrion Graves. No gain.
A quick pass from Bentley to Rodriguez and it’s third and short, maybe 1.
Bentley scrambles to his left for quite a few, for a first down and out of bounds at the Kilgore 45. Holding large as life on that play on the receiver, not called.
Like I’ve seen less holding in a wrestling match.
Harrison Williams runs near the first down, at Kilgore’s 35. It’s third and short.
No, they’ve ruled a first down there.
Bentley runs up the middle for a couple of yards. And NOW it’s first down. Someone needs to make up their mind.
Rodriguez makes a catch for a few, call it 7, to the Kilgore 28.
The Bulldogs really need to hold them to no more than a field goal here. It’s Harrison Williams for a 3-yard run to the 24, maybe the 25.
It’s third and 2 there.
Bentley stutter-steps and gets free to about the 19. It’s a new set of downs. Dang it.
That was the 10th play of this drive.
Bentley throws it away. There’s a flag down in the secondary. This is probably not good for Kilgore.
It’s not. It’s holding on the defense, a 10-yard penalty, and there’s 2:41 left in the half. Celina is at Kilgore’s 10.
Bentley scampers, down after 2 yards, out of bounds and wow, a spectator just got the heck knocked out of ’em.
Kilgore just called a time out, with 2:25 left. It’s third and 5 coming up, at Kilgore’s 5.
Bentley tries to force the ball to Rodriguez near the pylon, and he can’t get it. It’s fourth and 5. Now will they kick it?
Yes. Johnson attempts a 22-yard field goal and gets it. Celina leads 19-14, with 2:15 left in the half.
That was a 13-play drive.

Jayden ran a LONG way on the kickoff, but they get him at Kilgore’s17, and that’s where Kilgore will start its next drive, with 2:07 left and two time outs.
Again, over the middle on a slant-like pass to Towns, but it’s incomplete. Second down at 10, at the 17.
It’s a hand-off to Watters, and he gets maybe 2? Yes, 2 to the 19.
Hey, Joe Hale, at home. How you doin’?
Brooks tries to get the ball to Walton, but it’s incomplete, and again Kilgore will have to punt.
The punt gets away, and its out of bounds right at the 50-yard-line. Celina will begin there, with 1:05 left and all three time outs.
Bentley’s first-down pass is to… well, someone with a camera on the sideline.
Second down? Second verse, same as the first. He threw that away. Third down and 10.
Well, dang.
It’s a 50-yard touchdown to Rodriguez. Towns had a shot at him, but he spun out of the tackle inside the Kilgore 5-yard-line, and the Bobcats have added to their lead. There’s 41 seconds left in the half.
After a time out, Celina decided to go for two. It’s good, a pass to Wyatt Villarreal. It’s now 27-14 Celina.
Kilgore’s first two drives: 157 yards and two touchdowns. The last two: 10 yards and two punts.
First down at the 28, a draw, Watters gets the ball. Looks like Kilgore will run off the clock. They’re at their own 35.
Yep, that’s it. It’s halftime. It’s 27-14 Celina. 🤢

**Kilgore’s band performing at halftime, and forming the iconic “K.” (Photo by JENNA LUCAS – ETBLITZ.COM)**

Both drill teams have performed; both bands have performed. We’re getting close to the third quarter. There’s 5:45 and counting.
Kilgore had 169 total yards at the half: 80 passing, 89 rushing. They were 5-of-7 on third downs. Celina had 279 total yards, 181 through the air, and was 7-of-9 on third-down attempts.
The big difference: Celina averaged 25.9 yards per pass completion, something you just don’t normally see against a Kilgore team.
Second half just kicked off. Watters fielded it at his own 25, which is where the Bulldogs will start.
Williams gets the ball on first down, for about 3 to the 28.
The cameramen have figured out that Jay Dean is NOT Clint Fuller.
Brooks scrambles for the first down, to about the 37.
It’s a low snap and Brooks can’t recover. He loses 2 on first down. It’s second and 12.
A draw, and Williams gets nada. Nothing. It’s third and 12.
Brooks’ pass hits Towns, but he can’t hang on. It’s fourth and 12.
Celina takes over at its own 24, and now a second down at the 28.
Bentley for about 3. It’s third and 2.
Guttierez gets the first down.
And on that first down, Rodriguez is loose. And he catches it. And he’s gone. Wow. Touchdown, Celina, a 63-yard touchdown pass from Bentley. The extra point is good, and Celina is up, 34-14, with 7:36 left in the third.
Kilgore was flagged for a block in the back on the return, and they’ll get the ball at their own 5.
FINALLY a flag comes down on the player trying to cover Jayden Sanders. Erick Salinas is flagged for pass interference and a new first down. Brooks hits Towns on a pass to the 25 and ANOTHER first down.
Well… wow. Celina’s Luke Bingini picks off a pass by Brooks and returns it about 30 yards for a score, a touchdown, Celina. The extra point is good, and Celina leads 41-14, with 6:02 left in the third.

Kilgore starts again, this time at its 12-yard-line, with 5:53 left in the third quarter.
Brooks is rushed, and picked off again. It’s Rucker, this time on defense, with the interception and no return. He gets it at Kilgore’s 33, and that’s where Celina takes over.
Bentley scrambles, and he’s out of bounds at Kilgore’s 13.
Bobcats have a first and goal at Kilgore’s 8.
And now Harrison Williams scores for Celina, with 3:34 left in the third.
The extra point, good again, and it’s 48-14 Celina.
This is not an easy watch. And I hate to pull out the line, but there are several hundred teams in UIL Class 4A, Division I football, and only two are here. Kilgore is losing, yes, but lots of teams would love to have had this opportunity.
Celina scores again, and Bentley now has five touchdown passes. It’s 55-14 in the third quarter.
Trying to multi-task up here. Y’all bear with me.
Kilgore has the ball at its own 44, as the fourth quarter starts.
Lakeyleon Graves makes a good grab after a long throw downfield by Brooks, but is out of bounds.
It’s third and 1, after a good run by Watters.
He gets the handoff again, and picks up the first down. Kilgore is right at midfield, with its backs at the Cowboys’ star, and the ball at the Celina 45.
Brooks, who is first-class, is knocked out of bounds and hits a student trainer on Kilgore’s sideline. Instead of running back onto the field immediately, Brooks offers a hand and helps him up. Class. That’s your quarterback, Kilgore.
Kilgore running clock, and Watters and the offensive line now working hard. They’re at Celina’s 21.
And the next play is a 21-yard touchdown pass to Lakeyleon Graves, with 8:20 left in the game. It’s a TOUCHDOWN, KILGORE.
Eddie Jiminez hits the extra point. Celina leads 55-21. That score hurts, but there’s no quit in Kilgore.
Kilgore kicks off, regular kick. Celina gets it at its own 25-yard-line.
Celina punting back to KHS with 7:01 left.
The Bulldogs will begin the drive at their own 31.
They just announced attendance for the game was 16,237.
Time has us now less than six minutes in the game.
It’s time to recognize a special class of seniors that helped the Bulldogs get to this championship game. In order of their number, according to the roster, this year’s Kilgore football seniors are Javon Towns, Jayden Sanders, Jacory Walton, K’Winn Reese, Jamarian Morgan Duncan, La’Perrion Graves, Travis Dixon, Cade Cox, Wylie Mitchell, Donavan Rider, Tkyren Dixon, and Jackson Tucker Phillips.
Thanks to these guys. A loss is a tough way to go out. But your work, and the work of your teammates, allowed Kilgore to return to the championship of all of 4A, DI in the entire state.
There’s just under four minutes left, and Celina has the ball at its own 40.
We’re about to be escorted down to the interview room to hear coach Clint Fuller and possibly some players talk. A heads up about our coverage tonight: we’re going to go on home and finish up there. I’ll have a game story and a “What’s Causing All This?” for y’all, and there will be all sorts of photos and coverage coming. It didn’t work out like we hoped, or planned, but a BIG congratulations to the players and coaching staff of Kilgore High School football for getting to this game. As hard as it is sometimes to say, a congratulations to Celina for finishing its season with an undefeated 16-0 record.
The Bobcats are going to kneel out the clock, so the final score will indeed be 55-21, Celina.
Everyone at this game be safe going home, and again, congratulations to Kilgore on a fantastic, 13-win year.

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