LADY ‘DOGS OPEN SEASON WITH WIN! | Kilgore shuts out Lufkin, 4-0, in KHS tourney (photo gallery included)

Kilgore’s Phenix Rivers (right) closes in, as a Lufkin player goes for the ball. Rivers had four goals in the Lady Bulldogs’ season-opening 4-0 win over the Lady Pack on Thursday morning, in Kilgore’s own tournament. The 14-team event continues all weekend here at R.E. St. John Memorial Stadium and at the new field at the high school. (Photo by MITCH LUCAS – ETBLITZ.COM)

EDITOR’S NOTE: See our photo gallery from this game below, underneath the schedule for Kilgore’s girls touranment.

Forget “hat trick.” Phenix Rivers got that, and added one in Kilgore’s first game of the 2024 season.

Rivers scored all four goals and Kilgore’s defense was swarming in the Lady Bulldogs’ 4-0 win over Lufkin on Thursday morning in Kilgore’s season opener, in their own tournament here at R.E. St. John Memorial Stadium.

Coach Todd BonDurant’s Lady Bulldogs have had several players out due to injuries over the course of their scrimmages, and had a couple sitting out today, like Reese Burgess. But they’re gradually getting players back, and were able to open the season with a win over a 5A program.

Kilgore doesn’t play again on Thursday (see the complete schedule of the tournament with this story, down below), and the tournament may have to deal with some soggy weather on Friday – rain is in the forecast.

But the tournament will continue, at both R.E. St. John and the new field at the high school, and Kilgore plays twice on Saturday: against Texas High at 10:25 a.m., then against Mount Pleasant at 3:45 p.m.

Sabine is also in the tournament. Coach Heidi Hagan’s Lady Cardinals are playing North Lamar at this writing; they play Hardin-Jefferson on Friday at 12:55 p.m.; and they play Nacogdoches at 11:40 a.m. Saturday, all on the high school field.

Kilgore’s Bulldogs are in a tournament at Pine Tree High School’s Pirate Stadium and Lear Park; Kilgore plays once on Thursday (a 5 p.m. start against Paris), twice Friday (a 9:05 a.m. start against Athens and then at 1 p.m. against Lindale) and then at 1 p.m. Saturday against Terrell.

The game against Paris on Thursday is the Bulldogs’ season opener, as well.

KILGORE GIRLS SOCCER TOURNAMENT