PINE TREE HOLDS OFF KILGORE | Read our recap as it happened; more high school football coverage coming
EDITOR’S NOTE: Mitch Lucas was doing live, real-time updates from Pirate Stadium, where Pine Tree went up by three touchdowns, then had to hold off Kilgore late, finally winning, 34-28. Here’s how it happened. We’ll have more coverage later, all kinds of stories and scores from across the state.
Howdy — how’re y’all?
We’re great. It’s Friday night, it’s East Texas, we’re at one of my favorite places to cover football here at Pirate Stadium in Longview, and we’re going to be LIVE, real-time as it happens between Kilgore and Pine Tree.
Joe Hale will have our game story later, and we’ve also got crews at many of our other games involving teams in the ETBlitz.com coverage area.
I’ll be back around 7:30, and we’ll do this live!
How ’bout a big welcome to our newest advertising partners, East Texas Lumber and East Texas Hardware! Click on these photos for the direct links to their website,
Forget Waldo; where’s Bubba T?: I was just told that, for those Kilgore fans who have missed having the great Chris Terry — better known as “Bubba T” — at games this year, Bubba T is going to watch a nephew play at Mount Enterprise football games. I would imagine Bubba T will return to Kilgore’s sidelines at some point in the near future. Love you, Bubba T.
The series: If you took a look at Joe Hale’s Kilgore-Pine Tree preview, you know this already, but Kilgore has dominated this series, a record of 39-11-1. The Bulldogs have won the last four — the Pirates’ last win in the series was a non-district game in 2021. That’s also the only loss to Pine Tree for coach Clint Fuller, who’s in his sixth year as head coach, and his first as both coach and athletic director.
Let’s GO!: The National Anthem is over, we’ve had the coin toss and we’re ready.
The kickoff from PT to Kilgore is out of bounds, so a 5-yard penalty on the Pirates to open the game and Kilgore will start at its own 30-yard-line. Officially, started at 7:31.
Maddox Wright takes the handoff and on the first play from scrimmage, it’s a 2-yard gain. Wright busts his second run, on second down, for 5 more to the 37-yard-line. It’s a third-and-3 situation for Kilgore in their own territory.
Wright, a third straight carry, is short, and it’s fourth-and-2. Kilgore is lining up to punt. It’s a fair catch, and he’s got the Pirates also starting their first drive at their own 30. There’s 9:51 left in the first quarter.
Colton Croft, Pine Tree’s quarterback, dropped back on first down to throw, but was hit hard from behind by Zarak Hall, an incomplete pass. Pine Tree, on back-to-back runs, picked up the first down, and then a pass allowed them to pick up another at Kilgore’s 48.
Croft, having to rush his throws due to Kilgore’s pass rush, was incomplete on second down, and on third-and-7 at Kilgore’s 45, Croft found his target for 11 yards to the 34 and another first down.
Kilgore’s Landon Ector tackled PT tailback JaKaden Johnson but not before he had most of the yards needed for a first down. He did get the first down on the next play, the Pirates set up at Kilgore’s 21. Pine Tree’s running game has been a handful for Kilgore so far.
Fast-moving first quarter: Already just five minutes left in the first quarter.
Points: Johnson scored on the next play, a 5-yard run. The extra point was good, and PT takes a 7-0 lead with 5:02 left in the quarter.
Full moon is out: What will it mean? Nothing? Too early to tell. It’s clouded-over, clear from time-to-time.
Kilgore driving: After a good return, Kilgore is driving, but it stalls at the PT 36. On fourth and 2, Kilgore’s line stands tall and Rayshaun Williams bulls his way for 9 yards, all the way to the 27, and a new set of downs.
A pass into the end zone fell incomplete on first down, but Pine Tree is flagged for defensive holding, an automatic first down at the Pirates’ 17.
Williams picks up 5 on a first-down run, as the first quarter is rapidly running out (2:27 and counting).
Williams takes another handoff, right up the heart of the Pine Tree defense, and he’s stopped at the 1-yard-line.
Kilgore’s first-down attempt is just short of the goal line — like, it’s this close…
Williams scores on the next play. The extra point is good, and we’re tied at 7-all, with 48 seconds left in the first quarter.
The kickoff to Pine Tree goes into the end zone, and on first down, Croft’s first receiver is covered. He shifts, but his pass is incomplete to his second look. He swings a pass to Johnson out of the backfield, but he’s down after a 4-yard gain, from Pine Tree’s 25 to their 29.
That’s how the quarter ends, tied at 7, at 7:56.
Pine Tree’s Rashaad Wofford makes a grab from Croft and gets all the way to the Kilgore 9. Johnson scored on the next play, and just like that, the Pirates are back in front. With 8:09 left in the half, after the extra point was straight through by Danny Barron, it’s PT 14-7 over Kilgore.
A pass by Braddox Johnson to De’Andre Thurmond deep downfield was incomplete by Kilgore, but then Maddox Wright picked up the first down to his own 39-yard-line on the next play.
Referees letting them play, at least when it comes to passing the ball.
Kilgore goes for a fourth-and-short attempt at its own 46, but PT’s defense stops Williams and gives the Pirates the ball back with less than five minutes left in the half. Quick-moving game, guys.
Croft lofts the ball, heaves it, way downfield inside the 10-yard-line, Bosston Johnson made the catch — but out of bounds.
Johnson picks up the first down with his legs, at Kilgore’s 33, with 4:13 left in the half. Then, he gets 10 more, to Kilgore’s 23 and another first down.
Ja’Karius Timmons gets a turn, but gets only 2. Kilgore has PT in a third-and-8, Croft’s throw is caught by Darron Pair, and he’s inside the Bulldogs’ 10-yard-line, to the 8.
After a penalty on Pine Tree that pushed them back (a hold), they’re back at Kilgore’s 5 with a second-and-goal. They take the two-minute warning / time-out, and the Bulldogs stop Johnson at the 2. Officials rule Kilgore was a little TOO aggressive on throwing Johnson back, and it’s going to be a new set of downs for PT. They’re inside Kilgore’s 1.
Croft takes the snap and moves forward, for the touchdown, Pine Tree, with 1:41 left. Barron’s extra point is good, and the Pirates have a two-touchdown lead, 21-7.
Kilgore’s got the ball back: The Bulldogs are at their own 26, with 1:36 to work with and two time outs.
Johnson’s pass is complete, but he’s hit, and the ball is out. It popped up in the air, and Pine Tree recovered, at the Kilgore 40. Ja’Bari Rogers snagged the ball out of the air for the interception.
Johnson gets free for a 12-yard run to the 28, then to the 24. Pine Tree calls a time out with 1:12 left in the half.
Croft was chased on second down, and threw the ball away. Was he out of the pocket? Hmmmm, not sure on that.
The Pirates pick up just 2 on a handoff to Timmons, leaving them in a fourth and 6 at Kilgore’s 22, with 51 seconds left until halftime.
Coach Jason Bachman elects to go for the conversion and not kick the field goal. The pass is incomplete downfield, no flags.
The Ragin’ Red takes over at its own 22, but it’s an incomplete pass on first down. Forty-one seconds left, clock stopped.
Williams gets a first down on a run to the 33, but the clock is rolling. Johnson swung the ball to Williams along the sideline and he caught it, and got out of bounds at the 39 with 19 seconds left.
The second-down pass by Johnson was incomplete, and with 15 seconds left and the clock stopped, Kilgore has a third down and 4 upcoming at its own 39.
Thurmond makes a catch and gets the first down, at Kilgore’s 49. Coach Clint Fuller used one of his two remaining time outs, and there’s eight seconds left. Thurmond and Johnson connect again, and get the Bulldogs to Pine Tree’s 34. Thurmond got 17 yards, then got down in enough time for Fuller to call Kilgore’s final time out. There’s one second left until halftime, with the clock stopped.
Kilgore sends Ethan Reyes out for a 51-YARD FIELD GOAL ATTEMPT — yeah, I just wrote that — but it’s blocked. Wofford came off the edge and got just enough to knock the ball to the turf, and it’s halftime at Pirate Stadium. Pine Tree leads Kilgore, 21-7.
Oh, hey, it’s halftime and thanks to the Pine Tree culinary class for a great meal!
Some score updates:
In this game, of course, Pine Tree leads Kilgore, 21-7 at halftime here in Longview at Pirate Stadium.
West Rusk, playing at White Oak, leads the Roughnecks, 30-0 with 9:44 left in the third quarter.
Athens leads Gladewater in Gladewater, 31-3, in the third quarter.
New Diana leads Sabine, 42-0, at the half.
Beckville leads Ore City by that same score, 42-0, at the half.
Gilmer leads Sunnyvale, 28-21, still at the half.
Arp is up on Timpson, 20-3, also at the halftime break.
Henderson leads Lindale (you know, second-ranked Lindale), 21-16 at the start of the third quarter.
Now, some non-ETBlitz-area scores:
Mount Pleasant leads Greenville, 28-0, at the half.
Daingerfield leads Hughes Springs, 21-0, also at the half.
Dallas White leads Tyler, 49-14, at the half.
Sulphur Springs is up on Kaufman, 35-14, at the start of the second half.
Jefferson leads Pittsburg, but only by a touchdown, 21-14, at the half.
Big Sandy leads Hemphill, 42-7, at halftime.
Terrell is up on Hallsville, 28-3, at the half.
Whitehouse is also up 28-3, but over Nacogdoches, at the half.
Chapel Hill leads Jacksonville, 7-3, at the half.
Palestine leads Bullard, 21-0, at halftime.
Overton, by the way, plays at Alto on Saturday at 1 p.m.
Second-half kickoff: Kilgore kicks off to Pine Tree, and off it goes. It’s into the end zone and is a touchback.
Croft comes to the line and it’s an empty backfield. Croft has a streaking Rylan Johnson down the PT sideline. Johnson makes the catch and is GONE. It’s a 75-yard touchdown pass, the first play of the third quarter. Barron’s point after is good and 10 seconds after the half started, it’s 28-7 Pine Tree.
Tyler Johnigan brings the kickoff back for Kilgore to the Bulldogs’ own 35, a 33-yard return.
Johnigan and Johnson connected for a long pass, to Pine Tree’s 17-yard-line and a first down. Williams breaks through the middle of the defense for a 6-yard run, then again, this time to the 5-yard-line. It’s a first-and-goal from there, as the clock hits 9 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter.
Wright gets the call, though, on first down, and he’s into the end zone. It’s a touchdown Kilgore, with 9:03 left. The extra point is good, a line drive, but good, and Kilgore trails 28-14.
Kilgore’s defense just forced Pine Tree into a three-and-out, the Pirates’ first punt of the game.
Williams snagged the punt, and he returns it to the Kilgore 45, a 28-yard return.
Maddox Wright scores on a 55-yard run, but it’s nullified by a flag, a blocking foul. It brings Kilgore back to its own 40, with 5:21 left in the third quarter, and takes the touchdown off the board.
Instead of a touchdown from tying the game, Kilgore is in third and 9 at its own 46.
Sekemian Moore makes a catch from Johnson that he took to Pine Tree’s 9, and a first-and-goal. Clock running (2:56), and on a second-and-goal after a 5-yard gain on first down, Williams lost 3 yards, back to the 7.
Bosston Johnson, though, who has a knack for being a part of big plays, stepped in front of Braddox Johnson’s pass and he’s freakin’ gone. He’s gone. Ninety-six yards on an interception return for a score. Combined with the touchdown by Wright taken OFF the board, that’s a 14-point swing, guys. Instead of trailing 28-21, Kilgore trails 34-14.
Barron’s extra point is blocked, but not returned for points, and that’s our score, with 1:36 left in the third quarter.
Back in play. Kilgore has a second down at the 50, and Williams takes it into Pine Tree territory. It’s a third down at the 43, Kilgore down 34-14 with the final seconds of the third quarter running out.
Williams burst free for an 8-yard gain on the quarter’s final play.
Fourth quarter ahead, Pine Tree leading 34-14.
Kilgore, after a pass from Johnson to Williams to the PT 1, failed to get in on a first-down run (clock running, 9 1/2 minutes left in the game). Johnson bootlegged out to his left, and found Johnigan in the back of the end zone. Johnigan was covered, but made the catch anyway, a 3-yard touchdown, and Kilgore is within 13 — 34-21 — with 9:22 left.
The next Pirates drive has been just run, run, run, and the Pirates have a first down at the Kilgore 25, with 5:21 left and ticking.
Two plays later: it’s a third down and 12 at the Kilgore 27. The Pirates let the clock run down as far as they could before Bachman took a time out. There’s 4:06 left in the game, PT leading 34-20.
Pine Tree’s 38-yard field goal attempt hit the cross bar and bounced off, leaving us still with our score, 34-20, with 3:06 left. Kilgore has the ball at its own 21, with all three time-outs remaining.
Johnson hits Miles Applegate for a first down, then Johnigan to the Pine Tree 46. It’s the two-minute time-out, with the same score (34-20).
Thurmond gets free for a 5-yard run, and with the clock moving, Kilgore stops it again. The Bulldogs have two left. There’s 1:26 left in the game, Pine Tree up 34-20.
Keion Sanders made a catch for 8 yards and out of bounds, and then Johnson hit Moore for a short gain and then out of bounds. Kilgore trying to pull off a football miracle here.
With Johnson under pressure, he hits Wright for a 10-yard gain to Pine Tree’s 17-yard-line. A false start stops play, with 57 seconds left, and Kilgore will have it at the Pirates’ 22. It’s a first-and-15 from there.
Johnson completed two quick passes, getting the Bulldogs to the goal line. Officials ruled that Devin Tinney trapped the ball in the end zone. On the third-down play that followed, Johnson connected with Johnigan in the back of the end zone. The extra point was good, and Kilgore is within a touchdown, 34-28, with 14 seconds left.
Kilgore lines up for an onside kick.
The Bulldogs had a shot at it, but Pine Tree’s D’Juan Ingram came up with the ball. That’ll give the Pirates a 34-28 win.
Guys, we’ve got a long night in ETBlitz.com land. We’ll have final scores from across the state in a bit, and more.
Y’all have a great night.