DOGS VS. DOGS | Kilgore hosts Chapel Hill tonight, and don’t kid yourself: It’s still big
Let’s get down to the nitty-gritty.
Business is about to pick up.
That’s the bottom line, ‘cause Stone Cold said so.
Whatever cliche you want to use, it boils down to this: The next to the last week of the high school football regular season is all about getting to the upcoming playoffs.
Yes, that provides some anxiety for coaches, players and fans.
Chapel Hill and Kilgore, a couple of 8-4A Division I teams that have played for more district championships in recent memory than any of the other six teams in this district combined, meet tonight at Kilgore’s R.E. St. John Memorial Stadium, and the loser of that game – especially if it’s Chapel Hill – might be on the outside looking in for the postseason.
No disrespect, just a reality.
Only four teams from each district reach the playoffs.
Lindale, coming off its win against Kilgore last week, is the only unbeaten at 5-0 and 8-0. Pine Tree and Henderson are 4-1 (and also play tonight, at Pine Tree’s Pirate Stadium), a game ahead of Kilgore at 3-2, and two games better than Chapel Hill’s 2-3 record.
There are five teams in the running for just four playoff berths.
Besides Chapel Hill and Kilgore, Henderson visits Pine Tree, Lindale is at Palestine, and Bullard travels to Jacksonville. Bullard and Jacksonville, of course, are out of the mix.
“Our focus is on ourselves, to be at our best, not anything else. Every Friday, all the time,” said Kilgore coach Clint Fuller at Wednesday’s workout. “We have to learn from it and turn the page. The time is now.”
Chapel Hill and Kilgore’s common opponents are Gilmer, Lindale and Pine Tree, which they both lost against, and Jacksonville and Bullard, who they beat.
Chapel Hill is averaging 27.1 points per game for the season and 31.6 against five district opponents and allowing 39.7 for the season and 37.4 points per game against district foes.
Similarly, Kilgore is scoring an average of 33.5 points per game for its eight-game schedule and an average of 42.2 facing district foes, while allowing an average of 30.3 for the season and 28.8 ppg. against district opponents.
Chapel Hill’s offensive leaders have been quarterback Jakaivian Snow, a junior, running back Lemuel Stinson and receivers Maliek Brown, Jeremiah Hinojosa and Marklon Brooks.
Snow is 99-of-172 passing for 1,566 yards with 11 touchdowns and 9 interceptions. He’s rushed for 231 yards on 37 carries and scored one rushing touchdown.
Meanwhile, Stinson is the leading rusher with 1,096 yards on 128 carries with 10 touchdowns. That’s an average of 137.0 yards per game.
Brown has 36 receptions for 727 yards and six touchdowns in seven games. Hinojosa has 28 catches for 422 yards and three scores, while Brooks has 23 receptions for 305 yards and two touchdowns.
Chapel Hill’s primary tacklers are MLB Michael Jackson who has 130 tackles, including three tackles for loss, free safety Jacorian Wade (88 tackles, three TFL, 1 sack), DE Kaeden Franklin (82 tackles, 8.5 TFL, four sacks) and OLB Kayden Carey (67 tackles, six TFL, four sacks).
Free safety Kelean Banks, CB Ke’rion Green, OLB Matthias Snelson, DB Dorein Robinson and DL Noah Reyes each have interceptions and Robinson has a fumble recovery.
Kilgore’s leading rushers continue to be running backs Maddox Wright (86-836, 11 TDs) and Rayshaun Williams (98-698, 9 TDs). Wright and Williams combined for 309 yards and three touchdowns last week against Lindale.
Quarterback Braddox Johnson has completed 90-of-138 passes for 1,157 yards and 17 touchdowns with 5 interceptions. His leading receivers are Tyler Johnigan (26-489, 8 TDs), De’Andre Thurmond (15-249, 6), Wright (12-102), Williams (11-83) and T.K. White (8-73, 1).
Defensive leaders for Kilgore are ILB Blade Chitwood, S Brenton Mumphrey, DT Cris Smith, DE Zarak Hall, OLBs De’Andre Thurmond and Rayshaun Williams. Through six games, Chitwood has 77 tackles, including a tackle for loss, a sack, and an interception.
Hall follows with 48 stops, with three hurries and a pick. Smith and Mumphrey have 47 tackles, while Thurmond has 46 along with an interception. Williams is next in tackles with 40.
CB Tyler Johnigan has 21 total tackles and four interceptions, returning one of those for a touchdown. CB Keion Sanders also has an interception, while DE Zechariahs Jackson, CB Kamron Ector and Landon Ector have recovered fumbles.
This is one of the longest-running rivalries in the district. Kilgore leads this series 39-12, but there have been interesting games between Kilgore and Chapel Hill. They’ve met twice, once in the regular season and later in the postseason more than a handful of times.
Kilgore has won three of the last four meetings those in 2025, in both games in 2024 and the 2023 regular-season contest. but lost a quarterfinal matchup at Lobo Stadium in Longview, 21-19. The Ragin’ Red are currently 5-4 in playoff games against Chapel Hill.