HOT START | Kilgore, Gilmer show big-play capabilities in preseason scrimmages
EDITOR’S NOTE: We’ll have updates on other preseason scrimmages for teams in our coverage area; these were games Friday night were covered.
No statistics counted, nobody got a victory, officially, on Friday night, and everybody felt the heat.
But the first official weekend of preseason scrimmages in Texas high school football has everybody fired up about the 2026 season.
At Kilgore’s R.E. St. John Memorial Stadium, the Kilgore High School Bulldogs – on the verge of opening a new school, by the way – faced old rival Hallsville in the first of two scrimmages for each team.
The Bulldogs scored four touchdowns in the controlled portion of the scrimmage, outscoring Hallsville, 24-0.
Defense ruled in the live quarter, with neither team scoring. In that live portion, Kilgore’s Kei Warren intercepted a Hallsville pass at Kilgore’s 8-yard-line with 7:14 left.
In the scrimmage, Braddox Johnson threw a pair of touchdown passes to T.K. White, and Rayshaun Williams and Maddox Wright each had scoring runs.
All in all, not a bad outing whatsoever.
“A work in progress, I’d say,” Kilgore coach Clint Fuller said. “We’re young. It takes confidence to come out here and (we) played well for a first scrimmage.
“TK, Braddox and Kei all played well. I thought our offensive line looked pretty good for a first scrimmage. We know we’ve got work to do to be where we need to be, and we’ll get on that Monday.”
The Ragin’ Red scrimmages at Terrell on Thursday, the final preseason action before opening the season on the road at Pleasant Grove on Friday, Aug. 28.
Gilmer at Lindale: Coach Alan Metzel’s Buckeyes, a couple of years removed from a UIL Class 4A, Division II state title, went to Lindale to begin the preseason on Friday night, and in a twist, it’s the Lindale Eagles that are highly-ranked.
Both teams are in the top 10 in the Dave Campbell’s Texas Football state 4A-DII preseason poll, but Lindale is holding the No. 2 spot.
An interception ended an early Lindale drive,
Like Kilgore and Hallsville, the teams finished the night with a live quarter.
Gilmer’s Kaden Canady had a 38-yard pass from Zade Taylor, but the Buckeyes turned it over on the following play, a fumble.
The Eagles turned the Gilmer turnover into points, a 5-yard run by Hank Thurman. Gilmer, though, bounced right back when Jud Dorsett scored on a 26-yard pass from Taylor.
That 7-7 tie was how the live quarter, and the scrimmage, finished.
In the biggest offensive highlight of the night during the controlled scrimmage, Taylor and Kipton Neighbors connected on a 45-yard pass.
In a bit of gamesmanship by the Gilmer coaching staff, senior Ishmael Camera, a verbal commitment to the University of Texas who stars on the Buckeyes’ offensive line, not only lined up at his regular position, but also at defensive line, tight end and – get this – wide receiver.
Gilmer hosts Henderson on Thursday in what will be the final scrimmage for both the Buckeyes and the Lions.
(Mitch Lucas contributed to this story)
