KILGORE BY AS MANY AS THEY WANT | Bulldogs rout Navasota; will meet Chapel Hill Friday in Forney
EDITOR’S NOTE: More on Kilgore-Navasota, and Kilgore-Chapel Hill, on Saturday, including photo and video!
CORSICANA – Navasota won the coin toss prior to the start of Friday afternoon’s Class 4A Region III semifinal contest against sixth-ranked Kilgore. And opted to defer. That proved to be a bad decision.
In other words, the beginning of the end.
Kilgore scored on all five of its first-half possessions and never looked back en route to a 62-7 pasting of Navasota here at Tiger Field inside Community National Bank & Trust Stadium on a sun-drenched, but cold afternoon.
The Bulldogs proved to be red-hot, measuring 19 first-half first downs (28 for the game) and a 35-0 halftime lead against the Rattlers, who finished with five first downs to go along with one touchdown to end their season with a 7-6 record.
Meanwhile, Kilgore improves to 11-2 and punched its ticket to a UIL Class 4A, Division I Region 3 final showdown next week against district rival Chapel Hill, a 28-3 winner against Stafford. The Kilgore-Chapel Hill showdown will be in Forney on Friday at 7:30 p.m.
“It was a great effort by our kids,” said Kilgore coach Clint Fuller, when the game against Navasota was all said-and-done. “We really played well on offense, defense and special teams.”
The Bulldogs outgained the Rattlers by 364 yards (500 to 136) and came away with four Navasota turnovers, turning those into 20 second-half points.
Two interceptions by Ja’Kalen Sheffield, one of those returned for a touchdown, and fumble recoveries by Takieran White and Travis Holmes highlighted a defense of Jackson Tucker-Phillips, Cameron Christian, Laperrion Graves and Jamarian Duncan-Morgan that continually harassed Rattler quarterback Jace Jablonski from all directions and angles.
Kilgore signal-caller Kayson Brooks (17-of-21) threw for 231 yards and four touchdowns, two of those for 8- and 27-yards went to Michigan commit Jayden Sanders. Rayshaun Williams and Isaiah Watters also recorded scoring receptions.
Williams led Kilgore’s 247-yard ground game (on 35 carries) with 118 yards on 17 carries.
(Photo by ASHTYN LUCAS – ETBLITZ.COM
The Bulldogs, who have now won seven in a row since a 27-24 loss to Henderson on Oct. 4, opened the scoring and set the tone of the contest with an eight-play, 70-yard opening march. The touchdown came on a fourth-and-six Brooks to Williams completion.
His other scoring completion covered 19 yards to Watters to cap a nine-play, 78-yard drive with 8:02 remaining in the second period, giving the Ragin’ Red a 21-point cushion.
Watters completed a 71-yard march, extending the lead to 28-to-zip with a one-yard run on Kilgore’s next possession. Brooks teamed with Jacory Walton on a 16-yard completion, but the highlight of the drive was a 54-yard strike to Sanders from the Kilgore 45 to the Navasota one.
On their very next possession, the Dogs navigated 66 yards with Brooks tossing a 27-yard scoring strike to Sanders. Eddie Jiminez converted the PAT, giving Kilgore a 35-0 halftime lead.
Through the first quarter, Kilgore had run 22 plays from scrimmage and led 14-0, while Navasota ran seven for only eight yards of offense. And it didn’t get any easier or better for the Rattlers; only worse. At halftime, Navasota had run 25 plays compared to Kilgore’s 41. The Bulldogs ran 25 of their 41 plays on the Rattlers’ end of the field.
Navasota took the second half kickoff and maneuvered 18 yards before Sheffield intercepted a Jablonski pass at the Kilgore 28-yard line. Runs of 12-, 4- and 29-yards by Williams, and 23-yards by Watters gave the Bulldogs a first-and-goal at the Navasota four-yard line. Watters then scored his second rushing touchdown of the game and ninth of the season on a 4-yard run.
The Rattlers took the ensuing kickoff, and Jablonski suffered his second interception in as many passes to Sheffield, the Kilgore safety, who returned this one 60 yards down the Kilgore sideline for the touchdown with 3:52 left in the third quarter, extending the Bulldogs’ advantage to 48 (48-0).
Williams, who came into the game with 865 yards rushing for the season, scored his second touchdown of the game and 10th of the season on a 19-yard run with just 1:50 remaining in the third quarter, pushing Kilgore’s lead to 55.
Finally, Navasota, who had won five in a row, including Houston Yates and Lindale in this year’s postseason, scored on a 33-yard Jablonski completion to Xavier Blackshear to cap a 75-yard march with 10:58 left in the game.
Too little too late.
Kilgore would answer with a 72-yard drive with QB2 Shaun Moyers scoring on a 2-yard keeper. He completed a 22-yard pass to Cade Cox to go with runs of six and six by K’Winn Reese and 47 on seven carries by David McGowan.
Jayden Sanders led the Kilgore receiving corps with five receptions for 118 yards. Javon Towns (3-20), Lakeyleon Graves (1-10), Williams (3-25), Watters (3-35), Jacory Walton (2-23) and Cox (1-22) also contributed.