WHAT’S CAUSING ALL THIS? / By MITCH LUCAS | Kilgore beats Chapel Hill in the loser-leaves-town, and more

EDITOR’S NOTE: The ETBlitz.com staff is still going through video and photos from Friday night’s Kilgore win over Chapel Hill in Forney, and Joe Hale is still working on his story. Here’s a bit of a rundown of the game, and of other East Texas playoff games this weekend, and we’ll have other content up later this morning. — Mitch

ARLINGTON – The dust of the regional finals battle between Kilgore and Chapel Hill is settling, as we bring you this Saturday morning UIL high school football playoff update.

Our own Joe Hale has probably gotten home by now and is working on a more traditional game story. While we’re all waiting on that, click here (KILGORE BEATS CHAPEL HILL, 30-6! | This was our live, real-time update from Forney; more coverage to come) for my report during the game, if you’re willing to wade through a really long story.

Here’s a real quick synopsis: Chapel Hill had beaten Kilgore three times, but the Bulldogs – the Ragin’ Red version, from the City of Stars – finally broke through, taking down one of last year’s state finalists, 30-6, at Forney’s City Bank Stadium, Kilgore’s home away from home over the years.

The game was technically the University Interscholastic League’s Region 3 final of the Class 4A-Division I playoffs – you know it better as the fourth round.

Kilgore’s Kayson Brooks completed 16-of-25 for roughly 194 yards and three touchdowns and also had 75 rushing yards.

Javon Towns had four catches for 89 yards and a touchdown; Lakeyleon Graves had four for 79 yards and a score; Watters rushed for 128 yards and caught six balls for 20 yards and a touchdown.

Kilgore (12-2) heads to the 4A-DI state semifinals now for the first time since the 2013 season. The Bulldogs will take on La Vernia (11-3), a San Antonio-area school, next Friday, Dec. 13 (yes, Friday the 13^th) at Randall Reed Stadium in New Caney, a 7:30 p.m. kickoff.

In other words, beat La Vernia and it’s off to Jerryworld to play for a state title.

The Kilgore-La Vernia winner will meet either Celina (14-0) or West Plains (11-3) for the 4A-DI state championship on Friday, December 20, at 3 p.m. at AT&T Stadium – about a mile from where I’m at right now, as I write this, preparing for the Big 12 Championship Game later today.

Celina beat Alvarado, 55-21, on Friday, and West Plains came back to beat an old Kilgore playoff rival, Stephenville, 42-35.

This trip into the semifinals is the farthest Kilgore has gone into the playoffs since that 2013 season, where the Bulldogs lost to Carthage, also at AT&T. It’s also only the third time in Kilgore football history that the Ragin’ Red has gotten this far: the 2004 season, where Kilgore went 16-0 and won a state championship, was the first time, and the ’13 season, the loss to Carthage, were the first two.

By the way, back in 2013, Kilgore beat Chapel Hill, 59-19, in the fourth-round game, then whipped Stephenville in the semifinals to make that game with Carthage happen.

Against Chapel Hill on Friday in Forney, Kilgore – which had lost in 2021, 2022 and 2023 to CHHS – finally said, ‘enough.’

Chapel Hill’s defense put Kilgore in the hole early, and forced a punt. But on the second snap from scrimmage in the game for Chapel Hill, the ball came out and scooted across the City Bank Stadium turf.

Kilgore defensive lineman Cameron Christian fell on it at Chapel Hill’s 16, but Kilgore fumbled it right back at the Chapel Hill 1-yard-line a few plays later. Tyrell Gause recovered that one for coach Jeff Riordan’s blue-and-yellow Bulldogs, who were trying to make it back to the state title game; they played in it last year and were routed, 26-0, by Anna. And to those of us watching that game, it felt more like 56-0.

This time, it was Kilgore’s turn to force a punt, from the end zone. Or at least, that’s what everyone NOT on Chapel Hill’s sideline was going to happen. Instead, punter Trevor Brooks, a jack-of-all-trades, Swiss Army-knife-type player for CHHS, bolted free and ran for the first down.

Chapel Hill couldn’t pick up the first down, though, after earning the new set of downs, and did punt.

But this time, Chapel Hill’s defense couldn’t answer. Instead, it was Kilgore’s Brooks, directing his team down the field for the game’s first score, a 2-yarder by Watters. The point after was blocked, but Kilgore led, 6-0, with still 2:20 remaining in the first quarter.

They would double that lead pretty quickly. KHS defensive back Ja’Kalen Sheffield picked off CHHS quarterback Malik Gee – Sheffield’s third interception in two games. Riordan swapped Gee and regular starter Demetrius Brisbon out at quarterback like they were playing a game of hot potato. Seriously, for a while in the game, they were in and out every other play.

This time, Kilgore immediately went for the home run, and got it: a 49-yard pass from Brooks to Graves. Moments later, Brooks and Graves connected again, this time for a 15-yard touchdown on the first play of the second quarter. Eddie Jiminez hit the extra point for a 13-0 lead.

Defenses stepped up and the halftime score was the same: Kilgore in front, 13-0.

Chapel Hill got the ball first in the second half, but Kilgore’s defense again stood tall, forced a punt, and it would lead to KHS points: a 23-yard field goal by Jiminez to put Kilgore up, 16-0.

Just when people were writing Chapel Hill off, they’d change the script. Gee found another Maliek – Maliek Brown. What could Brown do for you? Well, nothing, if you were a Kilgore fan. But for Chapel Hill fans, he made a grab for a 35-yard touchdown. Riordan elected to go for two, since Kilgore was up 16-6, but it didn’t work out: the pass was incomplete, and the KHS lead remained 10 with 4:48 left in the half.

There would be no momentum change, though.

Kilgore punched Chapel Hill right back – in the face. And quickly.

Brooks hooked up with Towns on a 28-yard score. And with 3 ½ minutes left, Watters scored a second time, this one a run from 4 yards out, and that would make it a wrap.

Kilgore celebrated, but not overly so, acting like they’d been there before.

And now, they have an opportunity to do something really special.

In other playoff games involving East Texas teams the last two nights, Carthage routed Van, 53-14, in the 4A-DII regional final at Pine Tree ISD Pirate Stadium. Malakoff – the No. 1 team for most of the season in 3A-Division I – beat Liberty-Eylau, 35-0. Woodville topped Daingerfield, 40-7, in the 3A-Division II final. And in the 2A-Division I regional final on Thursday, Joaquin beat Honey Grove, 46-22.

There’s one more game this weekend involving an East Texas team, and it’s in Waco today.

Longview will take on two-time defending state champion DeSoto in a UIL Class 6A, Division II Region 2 final today at 3 p.m., at McLane Stadium in Waco, home of Baylor University football.

Tickets are $12 each and are available in advance here: HS FB Desoto vs. Longview | Baylor University Official Athletic Site.

The Longview Lobos are 11-2, and have won seven straight games, including a first-round 23-13 win over Naaman Forest; a come-from-behind win over Lancaster, 38-35 in overtime; and a 42-28 win over Klein Collins last week. DeSoto (11-2) beat Willis, 55-35, last week and has scored at least 51 points in all three of its playoff games. Oh, and DeSoto’s Eagles: they’re the reigning, defending 6A-DII state champions. Longview-DeSoto is also available on NFHSNetwork.com, here: 2024 UIL Football Playoffs Longview High School vs. DeSoto High School – 12/07/2024 | Live & On Demand.

Hear the Longview radio call of the game on JACK (106.5-FM) or here: 106.5 Jack FM – East Texas.

Again, congratulations to the Kilgore Bulldogs for breaking through and eliminating Chapel Hill. And we’ll have Joe’s traditional game story, plus all kinds of video and photos, up pretty shortly.

I’m going to bed. LOL.

Mitch Lucas is the editor / publisher of this very institution – and he probably needs to be put in one after not having much sleep the last two nights.