THE ETBLITZ.COM TEAM OF THE WEEK IS… | The Kilgore Bulldogs!
They were told Pine Tree was the sixth-ranked team in the state.
They were told Pine Tree was a spot in front of them.
The message they heard all week from the voters by being ranked a spot behind Pine Tree was, ‘Those guys in Longview are better than you. You’re not even the best team in your own DISTRICT.’
On Friday night, at Pine Tree’s Pirate Stadium, Kilgore had a message, too. And they delivered it – loud and clear.
And that’s why, for the week of Sept. 23 to Sept. 28, the Kilgore High School Bulldogs football team is the ETBlitz.com Team of the Week.
The score was 17-6, in the Ragin’ Red’s favor. And it could have, maybe should have, been an even bigger margin. Try this on for size: Kilgore’s defense held Pine Tree to 61 total yards – not 61 first quarter yards, or 61 first-half yards. SIXTY-ONE TOTAL YARDS, as in, for the entire game.
Avast that, ye matey.
Kilgore “welcomed” Pine Tree back to the district the way some of the old Bulldogs’ teams under coach Mike Vallery greeted them: with the intensity of a stirred-up fire ant bed.
The defensive effort, in particular, was awesome. Pine Tree quarterback Matt Cates can give teams problems. Not Friday.
Kilgore’s defense sacked Cates seven times, and it might as well been 177. Kilgore defenders spent more time in the backfield than some of the Pirates’ running backs.
The Bulldogs had seven sacks – Lakeyleon Graves, Jamarian Duncan Morgan, La’Perrion Graves, Wylie Mitchell, Cam Christian, and Bi’Syn Williams each had one, and Jackson Tucker Phillips (JTP) and David McGowan shared a sack. They had three tackles for loss (Morgan, Christian and JTP each had one). Dre Sanders had an interception in the end zone for a touchback to keep the Pirates from getting any closer.
And that’s not all. Jayden Sanders blocked an extra point, JTP and Christian each had a QB hurry, and Jayden, Key Graves, Ja’Kalen Sheffield, and Dre Sanders each had a pass break-up.
In short, Kilgore’s ‘D’ was all over them boys.
And Javon Towns was a flat-out beast that Pine Tree simply could not stop. Seriously, they had no answer for Towns. None. He finished with five catches for 118 yards and two scores, including one where he reached the ball across the goal line, stretched it out, as PT defenders tried to tackle him. A great effort by the Pirates – but it didn’t work. Touchdown.
Quarterback Kayson Brooks was 17-of-23 for 196 yards, the two touchdowns and a pick, and Rayshaun Williams had 81 hard-fought yards on 20 carries and caught seven passes for 35 yards. He was a busy man.
Kilgore’s coaching staff – this cannot be understated – had the Pirates’ number, period. Were the players great? YES. But coach Clint Fuller and his staff deserve to be singled out for having them ready, prepared and on point to prove who should be the highest-ranked team in District 9-4A, Division I.
Did the Bulldogs play a perfect game? No. Have they played their best game of the season? Heck, no – we believe that’s still out there. We’ve only had five games in their body of work: at Carthage, home vs. Whitehouse, at Gilmer, at home vs. Pleasant Grove, and the trip to Pine Tree.
This Friday, it’ll be homecoming against Henderson, and the Bulldogs get to “renew acquaintances” with the Lions, just like they did with the Pirates, who were old district rivals, coming in from Class 5A after a UIL realignment in February.
Pine Tree will get an opportunity to get revenge, if you will, on Kilgore in other sports, but that’s an argument for another day. The football Bulldogs won’t worry about that. They’ll turn their focus now to the talented Jesstin Starling, Henderson’s explosive running back, and a Lions team off to their best start in many years.
For today, though, enjoy the honor, Kilgore. You’re the ETBlitz.com Team of the Week!
