LIKE CATS & DOGS | Kilgore wins in Henderson, 27-12

HENDERSON — When Kilgore and Henderson get together, it’s not exactly the Hatfields and McCoys. But it’s not a heartwarming family reunion either.
It’s more like “Family Feud” meets UFC, with a football.
Kayson Brooks and Lakeyleon Graves are proving to be quite the dynamic duo, as No. 3-ranked Kilgore spilled Henderson 27-12 on Friday night at Lions Stadium as the Ragin’ Red improved to 2-0 in district play and 5-1 for the season with its fifth win in a row.
The Lions are 1-1 against the district and 4-2 for the season.
Brooks and Graves hooked up for couple of touchdowns passing-and-receiving for the second week in a row, and Rayshaun Williams enjoyed a career-night of his own, running the football.
The Kilgore defense, should also take a bow as well, limiting Henderson to 214 yards and no points … offensively. The Lions through five games were averaging 445.4 yards and a bunch of points per game.
Henderson scored on a 90-yard Lemarion Coleman return of an extra point snap that sailed awry, a 38-yard Ivan Navarro field goal, and a 20-yard Cory Harper interception return early in the fourth quarter with Kilgore leading 27-5 at the time.
“Our defense stepped up big time against a very good offense,” said Kilgore coach Clint Fuller. “Our number one goal was to stop their run.”

Jesstin Starling, who is on the precipice of several Henderson High School career-rushing records this season, rushed for 75 yards on 20 carries. He came into the game with 825 rushing yards, averaging 10.6 per carry with 15 touchdowns, and four 100-plus yard games.
“Key had another big night on both sides of the football. Cameron (Christian), Bi’Syn (Williams), Travis Holmes, Isaiah (Watters), Bubba (McGowen), JT Johnigan, Kaeson Clayton and Dre’ (Sanders) all played very good,” Fuller said.
“We wanted to control the pace of the game with our run game. I thought our offensive line and Rayshaun did just that,” he continued.
Jaden Pastor, Hunter Whipkey, Edwin Contreras, Fabian Abeldano and Daniel Garcia were instrumental in those yards (35-for-252 Kilgore’s rushing total for the night) by providing clearing blocks.
Williams got his night going by opening the scoring with a 69-yard run with 8:44 remaining in the first quarter. He finished with 221 yards rushing on 25 carries. His score came on Kilgore’s third offensive play of its initial possession, which covered 88 yards.
Coleman scooped up the loose football on the failed extra-point attempt that Eddie Jimenez didn’t have a chance to kick and raced 90 yards down the Kilgore sideline to give Henderson two points as the Bulldogs settled for a momentary four-point, 6-2 lead.
Jimenez got back at the Lions pinning them deep in their end of the field, especially in the first half with punts of 54-, 36- and 35-yards.
Kilgore started its second scoring drive at the Lions’ 45-yard line. It took only four plays, an 8-yard completion to T.K. White, a 17-yard Williams run, an incompletion and then an 18-yard scoring strike from Brooks to Graves. All in 58 seconds, coming with 9:23 left in the second quarter.
The Dogs would add on, following a Graves interception with a 7-play, 62-yard march in 3:11, with Brooks scoring on a two-yard sneak. Jimenez converted his second of three PATs giving Kilgore a 20-2 lead with 1:56 remaining in the first half.

Henderson put together its best offensive drive of the first half, taking the football at its 18-yard line and moving to the Kilgore 21 before the drive stalled. Navarro came on and converted a 38-yard field goal as time expired in the first half.
The Dogs final touchdown came on an 8-yard Brooks to Graves completion in which Graves outjumped the defender and came away with his second scoring reception of the night and fourth of the season to complete an 87-yard drive in 2:49. It took nine plays and extended Kilgore’s advantage to 27-5.
Henderson’s Harper picked a Brooks pass off and returned it 20 yards for the Lions’ only touchdown of the evening, coming with 11:38 left in the contest. Navarro converted the PAT for the final score of 27-12.
Brooks was 15-of-20 passing for 136 yards and two touchdowns. His leading receiver was Dre’ Sanders with six catches for 21 yards. Graves had 4-for-35, Johnigan (2-54), White (2-13) and Ja’Kalen Sheffield (1-13).
Vince Howard was 13-of-16 for 121 passing yards and Blake Meeks was 3-of-4 for 31 passing yards. Lemarion Coleman and Macen P. Jones each had seven receptions. Coleman’s covered 91 yards and Jones’ 39. Amauri Murphy (1-9) and Starling (1-13) also had catches for the Lions.
In other district action, Pine Tree beat Mabank, 64-8, and Chapel Hill topped Palestine, 72-28.
Kilgore returns home to host Chapel Hill and Henderson visits Mabank next Friday, Oct. 10.

Meaty Starling did not have a rushing TD last night but the 15 TDs stat for the season before and after the game last night is incorrect. He has 19 rushing TDs for the season …
5 vs Athens
4 vs L-E
3 vs Jville
3 vs Gainesville
4 vs Palestine
0 vs Kilgo
My mistake, Scott. Certainly not intentional. Sorry, about that. Was looking at the wrong stat sheet. Yes, “Meaty” has 19 rushing touchdowns and he’s probably going to have many more. And, I wish he and the Lions nothing but the best.