A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE | Close-knit Kilgore front making it hard on opponents

What stands between La’Perrion Graves and his brother Lakeyleon, both linebackers (one inside the other out) as members of Kilgore’s defensive front seven?

Hopefully, not you – if you’re wearing the other team’s jersey.

This week, Kilgore High School (4-1 overall and 1-0 in District 9-4A, Division I) climbed to fourth in the brand-new Dave Campbell’s Texas Football Magazine’s 4A Division I rankings, and returns home for one of its biggest rivalry games of the season against another one of our ETBlitz.com teams, the Henderson Lions, also 4-1 overall and 1-0 against the district.

And Henderson alum Clay Baker has his program on the upswing.

It’s also homecoming week at KHS. Game time at R.E. St. John Memorial Stadium, as usual, is 7:30 p.m.

The actual answer to the question posed at the start of this story: this week, the difference is 12 total tackles on the cumulative defensive chart between the two. La’Perrion is first with 48. Lakeyleon is third with 36.

Sure, they’re brothers and there’s that competition, which obviously goes without saying.

There’s a bond as teammates, too, as friends and compatriots with inside linebacker Isaiah Watters, outside linebacker Jamarian Duncan, defensive end Wylie Mitchell, nose tackle Cameron Christian and defensive tackle Jackson Tucker-Phillips as starters. Defensive end Bi’Syn Williams, inside linebacker David McGowan and outside linebacker Travis Holmes are first up in the rotation and each provides a considerable amount of playing time.

“Our front seven … they’re very close,” said coach Clint Fuller. “Our defensive line has played together for the last couple of years, since I’ve been here. They’re a very tight group of buddies, friends playing together as one.”

The front three have combined for 75 tackles, the four linebackers have 127, and the rotation of McGowan, Holmes and Williams has provided 39 stops of its own.

Opponents are averaging 85.4 rushing yards per game, 102 yards passing and just 15.4 points per contest.

Whitehouse was limited to 78 yards rushing and two, yes only two yards, passing, while last week, in a battle of two top 10 teams in Dave Campbell’s Texas Football 4A Division I poll, against Pine Tree, the Pirates, whose only score came on an interception return for a touchdown, managed just 61 yards of total offense.

“We’re not a huge bring pressure group,” Fuller pointed out when asked about his defense through five games.

You wouldn’t know it by the seven sacks for minus 47 yards or the three tackles for loss for another minus five yards against state-ranked Pine Tree.

The fact his secondary is one of the best in the state with 11 picks already hasn’t hurt either.

“Our defensive staff of Chad Loper (the defensive coordinator), Josh Lyons (defensive line), and Nick Sanders and Austin Hawley in the secondary work hard and have done an excellent job,” said Fuller.

“I believe a lot of our success goes to how hard and physical we play and with our players’ determination to get to the ball carrier, whether it’s the quarterback, running back or wide receiver,” added Fuller, who was a defensive back in high school and college and eventually coached inside backers and outside linebackers before becoming a defensive coordinator for state champion Pleasant Grove. That was just before returning to Kilgore, where he grew up, to become the 22nd head football coach of the Bulldogs. He’s now in his fourth season, with a 37-9 overall record here.

“Cam brings a lot of experience. He’s strong and has a great motor. Wylie is just hard to move and is one our most consistent players as far as execution.” Fuller continued, replying when asked about his guys up front. “JT-P’s hard to block and has a nose for the football, while Bi’Syn plays extremely hard and has an explosive first step.”

Business continues this week against an improving Henderson football team, one that coach Fuller expects will provide challenges of its own after a win over Athens to open the season, a close three-point loss to Liberty-Eylau, and then consecutive 62-point performances in consecutive wins over Gainesville and Palestine the last couple of weeks.

The Lions haven’t won four games since 2021, and haven’t reached the playoffs since a 7-4 campaign since 2019, but they’re making strides to be a playoff contender this season.

Back to his linebackers, Fuller continued, thinking about this week’s challenges, “La’Perrion is our leading tackler, he’s physical and can run from sideline to sideline to do what needs to be done. Lakeyleon is really intelligent with a lot of length and speed. Isaiah is the quarterback, along with Cam, and can make a lot of plays versus the run or pass.

“Jamarian is a hybrid outside backer and/or defensive end with a lot of versatility, and he’ll certainly go get it. Travis is one of the best athletes on our team, and, David, is a dog always around the football.”

Definitely, a nice mix for the ‘Dogs when you talk about a certain level of success.

On any Friday night, though, these guys may give up some points and a few yards, but rest assured it will be at a cost and… rather begrudgingly.