KILGORE-LA VERNIA! | Bulldogs are headed back to state after beating La Vernia, 49-0! (Here’s our live account of how it unfolded earlier – Photos, story coming)

EDITOR’S NOTE: Kilgore faced La Vernia tonight at McLane Stadium in Waco, on the campus of Baylor University. Kilgore BLEW OUT the Bears, 49-0, in the University Interscholastic League (UIL) Class 4A, Division I semifinals! The Ragin’ Red advanced to face Stephenville, who defeated Celina, 24-21, on a field goal with two seconds left in the other semifinal. Celina was the defending state champion. Kilgore will meet Stephenville in the 4A-DI state championship game next Friday, Dec. 19 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington! Here’s how Kilgore’s game against La Vernia unfolded, as written by ETBlitz.com editor / publisher Mitch Lucas!

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Had a few technical difficulties, but Kilgore got the ball first, is driving, and there’s just under nine minutes left in the first quarter. Kilgore is in a fourth down situation, fourth and short — fourth and 3 at the La Vernia 35.

Brooks hands off to Isaiah Watters and that NEVER fails. Watters gets it, no problem. It’s a new set of downs at the Bears’ 30-yard-line.

Brooks passes out to Dre’ Sanders in the flat, it’s a 7-yard pick-up to Sanders to the 23-yard-line. Kilgore is moving the ball right down the field.

Rayshaun Williams picks up 3 yards and it’s another first down, this one at the La Vernia 20.

TOUCHDOWN KILGORE, a 20-yard TD pass from Kayson Brooks to Ja’Kalen Sheffield! It’s 7:06 left in the first quarter and the Bulldogs are up, 7-0, after Eddie Jiminez’ kick.

The Bears have been looking forward to this game since Kilgore eliminated them from the playoffs in the semifinals a year ago.

The Bears get a 4-yard gain on first down, and they’re at their own 29 with a second-and-6. A quarterback draw for 2 more leaves LV in third-and-2.

La Vernia’s runner is stood up at the point, losing 2 yards and they’re in fourth and 4, my goodness.

La Vernia punter Wayne Green gets the punt off, and Graves is out of bounds at his own 31, with 4:58 left in the first quarter.

Kilgore takes over at its own 31, and Williams gets the handoff. He goes down his own sideline for about a 60-yard carry, but a penalty is going to bring it back. There’s a flag down.

Oh, this is ridiculous. They’re in a first and 1 at the 40 after a holding penalty.

He gets the first easily, and then on second down, moves forward for a couple of yards. Kilgore is in second and 8 at its own 45, with 3:35 left in the first quarter.

They just misidentified Jay Dean as Clint Fuller on the NFHS Network — on the KILGORE BROADCAST.

Just sayin.’ Guys, we call everybody out on here.

Gonna be the Kilgore broadcast, know who our coach is.

La Vernia’s pass on first down, around its own 30, is dropped.

At the La Vernia 28, a bootleg is blown up by Isaiah Watters, Kilgore’s linebacker who throws the quarterback for a loss. Um, not outrunning Watters.

A third-down deep pass is dropped. Is this serious?

A punt results in no return. Kilgore has the ball back, and there’s 1:24 left in the first quarter. Kilgore is at its own 25.

T.K. White makes a catch for 7 on first down at the 32, and then Brooks finds a wide-open LaKeyleon Graves along the sideline. Brooks had no pass rush. It’s a 12-yard gain.

Williams runs for 15 more into La Vernia territory to the Bear territory across midfield to the LV 42.

Rayshaun for 39 down to the 1!

The first-and-goal play fails to score, and it’s the end of the first quarter. Kilgore is up, 7-0.

Kayson Brooks goes straight in after the snap — 1-YARD TOUCHDOWN, KILGORE — 14-0! 11:56 left in the second quarter.

With 10:54 left in the half, by an inch, and on a horrible spot, the Bears just got their first first down of the game. On a measurement.

La Vernia is in a third and 7, sent their receivers long, and one of them fell on the ground and got up and looked for a flag.

Is this a joke?

They do punt. It’s downed at the Kilgore 19-yard-line. The Bulldogs will take over there with 9:54 left in the half, a 48-yard punt.

Brooks hands off to Rayshaun Williams and he’s only got a yard to the 20. But on second down, a first-down run for 9.

Brooks hits Dre’ Sanders for a 79-yard TOUCHDOWN, KILGORE, 8:30 left in the half, and a 21-0 Kilgore lead. Bulldogs fans, don’t celebrate yet, but it’s looking good right now.

After Kilgore’s defense stopped LV, a 66-yard punt return for a TOUCHDOWN, KILGORE by Graves!!!

THIS IS OVER.

28-0 KILGORE.

O-V-E-R!

Brooks was picked off, a rare mistake but on a tipped ball, inside La Vernia’s 5-yard-line, and Kilgore got the ball back with just over two minutes left in the half. On third and 15 from the Bulldogs’ own 31, an incomplete pass.

La Vernia got the ball back at midfield with under a minute left, but with like no urgency, and on the Baylor logo on the McLane turf. The quarterback throws so far that he completely overshoots the receiver and, well, the entirety of the turf.

On the next play, a completed pass to Kilgore’s 30, and a time-out with 23 seconds left. The Bears trail Kilgore, 28-0.

A second pass is completed to the 19-yard-line, and then an incomplete pass that leaves LV with 6.9 seconds left and a second-and-10.

The final two passes are incomplete, and Kilgore gets to the half with a 28-0, a four-touchdown lead over La Vernia.

At the half, Celina leads Stephenville, 14-7, at the half. If that holds, it would be a rematch of last year’s title game.

Mount Enterprise trails Shiner, 20-8, in the 2A-DII state semifinal at New Caney.

Carthage, the defending 4A-DII state champion, leads Brock, 28-7 at Mesquite Memorial at halftime.

To give you some idea where halftime is, Kilgore’s band is currently performing, so we have 7-8 more minutes before the second half will begin.

Second-half kickoff to La Vernia and immediately, there’s a flag. It’s on La Vernia, and that figures. The Bears will start in a hole, at its own 10. There’s a handoff to Ty Carter, and he gets a respectable 6 yards.

These guys are just handing the ball off, just a couple of yards here and there. I don’t understand, but whatever. It’s fourth and 3, at their own 27, with 8 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter.

Now there’s a delay of game. That’s a 5-yard penalty, and they’ll move them back 5 yards. They do punt, It’s blocked! Kilgore’s Bi’Syn Williams, by gosh, Bi’Syn Freakin’ Williams blocks another one. Havon Russell, you called it. Are you reading this?!!

Havon called it this week! He called Bi’Syn blocking a punt this week, and it looked like David McCowan recovered it.

Kilgore is inside the Bears’ 10-yard-line and the Bulldogs have second-and-2 at the 7. Williams on a first-down carry, and then Watters on second down, down to the 2, maybe the 1-yard-line. Kilgore has a first-and-goal at the 1.

TOUCHDOWN, KILGORE, ISAIAH WATTERS on a 1-YARD RUN. It’s 35-0 Kilgore.

After a meaningless possession for La Vernia, Brooks and Sanders connect for another touchdown, a 32-yard touchdown pass, and the Bulldogs lead the Bears, 42-0, with 2:28 left in the third.

No further scoring in the third, and it’s the fourth quarter. It’s 42-0 Kilgore. There’s no coming back here.

TOUCHDOWN KILGORE, a 44-YARD TD run by MADDOX WRIGHT! It’s 49-0, KILGORE, guys. There’s nine minutes left in this completely, totally one-sided game.

It’s over. IT’S OVER! Congratulations to coach Clint Fuller and the Kilgore Bulldogs! They’re going back to the 4A, Division I state title game! And we’ll have photos by Dennis Jacobs and a story by Joe Hale!