KILGORE FOOTBALL ! | Ragin’ Red swarms over Crawford, 30-3; Kilgore will face La Vernia at McLane Stadium in Waco next week, in semis

EDITOR’S NOTE: This was Mitch Lucas’ live account of the Kilgore-Ford Bend Crawford game as it happened Friday night at Huntsville ISD stadium, and Kilgore won the contest, 30-3. The Bulldogs move on to the state semifinals with the win, and will face La Vernia, one of their playoff opponents last season, this coming week, although complete details have not been released. We do know that coach Clint Fuller’s Kilgore team will play at McLane Stadium, the home of Baylor University’s Bears, at some point next weekend.

Of course, read here for the game as it unfolded, and Joe Hale’s game story, with photos by Dennis Jacobs, is coming. We’ll also have stories on Carthage’s win over Athens, and Arp’s loss to Newton.

The anthem is through. In case you’re wondering, Kilgore is the visiting team, and chances are, the fans are not happy about it. Kilgore brings thousands strong every week to these games, and there’s enough room down there for like — I don’t know, a small family reunion, or something.

Kilgore wins the toss and decides to defer. The Bulldogs’ defense will go on the field first.

By the way, Crawford is the “Chargers.”

The kickoff by Ethan Reyes goes into the end zone, and it’s a touchback, so the Chargers will get the ball at their own 25-yard-line.

It’s a 4-yard completion to the 29 on first down, and on second down, a four-receiver set.

They’re moving quickly. Two yards on second down, and third and long (about 4), Crawford changes the play and it’s an incomplete pass. It’s fourth and 4, fourth and 5 at about the Crawford 34.

Kilgore gets called for roughing or running into the punter, dang it, my gosh. That’s a first down for Crawford.

A 4-yard run to their own 40 is where Crawford was, and now, a third-and-long. There’s a miscommunication and an incomplete pass on third down.

Kilgore gets the ball after a punt at its own 13. Rayshaun Williams is right at the line of scrimmage after first down, so second-and-long.

On that down, Brooks completes a pass, and it’s third and long still, about 6.

Brooks’ pass is incomplete, so fourth-and-6 coming up. Tyler Johnigan and Brooks couldn’t connect.

Kilgore punts. The ball is on the ground! Kilgore is after it, but Crawford seems to have recovered the ball.

The Chargers open the drive at Kilgore’s 32-yard-line, and get 2 yards on first down, and then go incomplete on second down. It’s third-and-8 at Kilgore’s 30.

Quarterback Braylon Fisher has been inaccurate so far, and a 47-yard field goal attempt is coming up. And Miguel Arellano hits it. It’s 3-0 Crawford, 7:54 left in the first quarter.

Well, that didn’t last long. Williams has just scored, 75 yards on one play. One freaking play. 7:43 in the quarter, an 11-second drive, TOUCHDOWN, KILGORE! Rayshaun Williams, and Eddie Jiminez’s extra point makes it 7-3 Kilgore! My gosh, that kid is fast.

Reyes kicks off, and the return man brings it back near midfield. Yuck. I didn’t like that at ALL.

The Chargers start at their own 40-yard-line.

Fisher tries a quarterback keeper, and gets hit immediately for a 1-yard gain. Graves smacks Fisher hard after a 1-yard run.

Fisher finally completes a pass, this one for 7 yards. They’re in a third-and-2.

The Chargers pick up a first down. Fisher on first down keeps it himself, and they’re to Kilgore’s 39-yard-line

Fisher completes a pass for another first down, inside the Kilgore 30.

The drive continues, and they are on the move. They’ve got second-and-4 near the Kilgore 10. It’s now a first-and-goal at the 5.

Second-and-goal, down at the Kilgore 3.

Looks like that was no gain, so Crawford is stuck at the Kilgore 3, and it’s third and goal at the 3.

Fisher misses, an incomplete pass, and not a good throw.

It’s fourth and goal, at the 3, and they’re bringing on the kicker?

It’s BLOCKED! IT’S BLOCKED! IT’S BLOCKED!

These knucklehead officials are actually discussing this. THIS IS KILGORE BALL. That was fourth down!

Good grief.

It’s Kilgore ball, and at the 20-yard-line, a touchback.

Oh, my word.

The score is 7-3 Kilgore, by the way, late in the first quarter.

Brooks connects with Ja’Kalen Sheffield, and Sheffield, sprung on a block by T.K. White, gets free for a huge gain, a 22-yard pass.

Graves gets 3 on a another pass from Brooks, and then another pass to Graves picks up a first down for the Bulldogs, just about the Crawford 43-yard-line.

Passes to Sheffield and White put Kilgore inside the Crawford 20, and the first quarter runs out with the Ragin’ Red leading 7-3.

Scratch that: On the very first play of the second quarter, TOUCHDOWN, KILGORE, an 18-yard run by Rayshaun Williams, and the lights in Huntsville ISD Stadium go CRAZY. Jiminez hits the point after and it’s 14-3 Kilgore!

A quick playoff update:

Carthage 12, Athens 7, at the start of the second quarter at CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium in Tyler, in the 4A, Division II playoffs

Newton 16, Arp 8, still in the first half, but my writer neglected to tell me when. Mmmmm, that’s not good, is it. (Insert mad emoji here).

Back to the Kilgore-Crawford game.

On Crawford’s next drive, Kilgore is called for defensive holding, and after Tyler Johnigan darn near picked off one of Fisher’s passes, Crawford, at its own 35-yard-line, the Chargers are in second-and-15.

Crawford gets 3 yards on a pass, and needs 12 yards for a first down. They don’t get it. It’s fourth and long again, and here comes a punt.

Graves and Williams are back as returners, but the ball went over the punter’s head, and out of the end zone.

These officials are clueless. Seriously.

There’s a flag down. I’m seriously waiting on them to somehow flag Kilgore for this, and penalize Crawford and give Kilgore a touchdown.

This is so stupid.

He just announced “ILLEGAL KICK.”

He did get the penalty right, and announced correctly that Kilgore gets two points on a safety, with 8:42 left until halftime.

It’s Kilgore 16, Crawford 3. And the Bulldogs will get the ball back right here.

Officials just called an unsportsmanlike penalty on Crawford, and the Bulldogs are starting their drive at the Chargers’ 33-YARD-LINE. Man, oh, man.

Brooks completes a pass to Graves for 8 yards to the 25. They’ve got third and 2; they need the 23 for the first down.

Williams couldn’t get free for the 2 yards, and it’s fourth and 1, at the 24.

Well, this doesn’t happen much, but Kilgore went for the fourth-down conversion and didn’t get it. It’s a turnover on downs, and Crawford gets the ball back with 6:24 left in the half.

Crawford gets it at their own 30 with 6:24 left in the half.

Graves almost picked off a pass on second down, but couldn’t quite get it. They’re in third down already!

Two plays later, after massive confusion and ANOTHER unsportsmanlike call on Crawford, Graves intercepted a pass, and sets Kilgore up again with just over five minutes left in the half.

The ball is at the 37-yard-line after a big run by Isaiah Watters, and another set of downs. There’s 4:25 and counting, as the clock is running.

After an incomplete pass, Watters gets 6 yards on second, and it’s third-and-4.

It’s third and 4. Brooks gets the first down — wait. No. Kilgore is called for holding.

It’s third and 9, in Crawford’s territory. The third-down pass is incomplete to Dre’ Sanders.

They’re going for at Crawford’s 36.

The Chargers jump offsides. It’s fourth and 4 and the 31.

Brooks tries to draw them off, and then the ball is snapped. Kilgore doesn’t get the first down; it’s an incomplete pass, and another turnover on downs with 2:51 left in the half.

Crawford gets the ball, down 16-3, at its own 31-yard-line.

Crawford loses 2 yards on first down, and then is incomplete on second down. It’s third and 12 on third down, and his pass is complete — but the receiver was out of bounds.

There’s 2:07 left in the half, and they’ll be punting to Rayshaun Williams and Graves. Man, I would NOT want to do that.

It’s the two-minute time-out, as Kilgore gets the ball back.

It’s second and 4 at midfield, just over a minute and a half for Kilgore, who has two time outs.

Williams gained three on the second-down play, and a flag flew. There’s some serious frustration going on out here. They’re calling offsetting penalties on a Crawford and a Kilgore player.

Brooks connects with Graves, who makes an acrobatic catch, a 22-yard gain on the play. and then Kilgore takes a time out.

There’s 1:09 left in the game, and Kilgore’s got second-and-7. Williams gets a yard, and now, it’s third and 6.

Brooks has an incomplete pass.

Jiminez comes on for a 47-yard field goal attempt, with 44 seconds left in the half. Jiminez hits the kick, but Crawford called time out just before his kick.

I’m really starting to not like this group very much. Is it showing?

Now there’s 38 seconds left and his re-kick hits the upright and is no good.

Crawford dodges a bullet and leads 16-3, with 33 seconds left in the half.

Crawford gets 6 yards on first down, and Fisher is in the shotgun. There’s 26 seconds left, and an incomplete pass stopped the clock.

The Chargers take their final time out of the half with 12 seconds left.

It’s fourth and 4, with eight seconds left, and Fisher gets a handful of yards as the halftime buzzer sounds. It’s 16-3 at the break.

Elsewhere, Arp is in trouble in the 3A, Division II playoffs. At the half, Newton is all over the Tigers, leading Arp, 46-14.

And also at the half, Carthage is also up big, 42-14, on Athens.

We’ll be back shortly.

Second-half kickoff is a touchback, and the Kilgore Bulldogs are about to hit the field.

Kilgore’s in third and 2, and gets 3, Watters doing some tough running.

The Bulldogs will have to punt, though. Jiminez does so. The Crawford returner can’t get free, and the Chargers will have the ball inside their own 25, a good punt (39 yards) and the Chargers will start at their own 23.

Kilgore’s defense forces a quick possession and the Bulldogs get the ball back. A run by Williams and a throw to Graves gets the ‘Dogs into Crawford’s side of the field, to the 44-yard-line.

Watters, on second-and-6, picks up the first down, an 8-yard gain, and now Kilgore is going back and forth between Watters and Williams.

Watters gets 13 yards, and then Brooks on a keeper, runs for 5.

It’s third and 5 and Watters gets it. It’s a first down at the Crawford 13-yard-line.

At the 7-yard-line on a third-and-4, Brooks gets just 2. The third quarter runs out, the fourth quarter starts, and Brooks on the run.

On fourth and short, Brooks is ruled to have gotten the first down on the attempt.

Watters takes the handoff, bounces the run outside, and scores, a 3-yard TOUCHDOWN, KILGORE, capping a 14-play drive, with 11:29 left in the game. Jiminez’s extra point is his third of the night. It’s 23-3 Kilgore!

Graves, on defense, batted a ball down to give Kilgore the ball on a turnover on downs to end Crawford’s next drive with 10:08 left in the game.

Watters scores again, and this one should ice the game, a 29-yard TOUCHDOWN, KILGORE! It’s 30-3 Kilgore over Crawford, 4:54 left!

Graves just intercepted another pass, his second of the night, inside the Bulldogs’ 5.

And it’s a final. Kilgore was able to run the clock out, and the Bulldogs have WON, 30-3!