WHAT’S ON TAP TONIGHT? | Kilgore, PT, Hendo all open district slates; lots of road games; WO, Arp, Troup all home / Presented by WHATABURGER
KILGORE – So, what’s on tap for tonight?
A lot, actually, including some programs in the ETBlitz.com coverage area that are beginning district play.
Yes, the District 8-4A Division I schedule is upon us. It starts this tonight, and for Kilgore, the defending district champion, it begins with Bullard, one of the two newcomers to the district this Friday night at R.E. St. John Memorial Stadium.
It marks not only the 2026 home opener for the Bulldogs (0-2); it’s homecoming, as well.
In other district openers tonight, all in 8-4A, Division I, Henderson (1-2) is at Palestine (2-1), Jacksonville (2-1) entertains Pine Tree (1-2), and Chapel Hill (0-3) visits second-ranked Lindale (3-0).
Henderson and Pine Tree are also ETBlitz-area programs.
Speaking of that, other games involving schools in our coverage area have Carthage hosting Spring Legacy; Gilmer headed to Sulphur Springs; Gladewater at Spring Hill; Sabine at Redwater; Crockett at Tatum; Scurry Rosser at White Oak; West Rusk at Garrison; Shelbyville at Arp, and Troup – the No. 1 team in 3A-DI, according to Dave Campbell’s Texas Football’s state rankings – hosts Rusk.
Overton held off Hawkins Thursday night in a high-scoring 61-44 contest, and Beckville lost at New Diana in a scorefest, 70-62.
Back to Kilgore-Bullard.
Bullard won its season opener 63-21 against Mabank, but has since dropped games to Caddo Mills (36-21) and Quinlan Ford (20-19).
“Everybody starts 0-0 and has the same opportunity moving forward,” said Kilgore athletic director and head football coach Clint Fuller, now in his sixth district campaign coaching the Bulldogs.
Colt Bradford, Fuller’s opposite at Bullard, is in his fourth season as head coach of the Panthers. He was a defensive coordinator and left Bullard for Palestine, but came back.
“There’s a lot of very good teams in this district and Kilgore is very good. We know the challenge,” Bradford said before a workout this week. “We’re a little banged up, but that kind of goes with the territory. They have a lot of tradition and they have kids that will get after it. We’ll need to be at our best.”
Kilgore is 28-2 against district teams since Fuller became the head coach prior to the 2021 football season.
“We’re improving,” Fuller continued when asked about playing only two games thus far, “still working on some things. If we continue to make the improvements we’ve made from game one to game two until now, we will be a really good football team.”
Kilgore scored a touchdown in the fourth quarter against Pleasant Grove, but rang up 50 against Gilmer a week ago. Making only his second varsity start, QB1 Braddox Johnson (6-2, 185, Jr.) was 11-of-18 for 167 yards and three touchdowns, and the Ragin’ Red with Maddox Wright (14-180, 2 TDs) and Rayshaun Williams (12-116, 2) sharing most of the ball carrying duties finished with 302 yards rushing.
“Braddox played well and he delivered the football where it needed to be. We saw improvement there and in our running game. We have a couple of really talented running backs, but, it all starts with our offensive line.”
Across the front for the Bulldogs are tackles Jeffrey Easley and Fabian Abeldano, guards Chance Landon and Jakobi Rider and center Aldo Laredo. Abeldano and Laredo are returning starters.
Johnson threw to seven different receivers. Leading the way were Tyler Johnigan and De’Andre Thurmond. Johnigan had five catches for 80 yards and two touchdowns and Thurmond had a reception for 50 yards. Brenton Mumphrey had the other touchdown on an 11-yard reception. Joining Johnigan, Thurmond and Mumphrey with catches were Kei Warren, Williams, Wright and Sekemian Moore.
Leading tacklers for the Panthers through three games have been linebackers Daniel Garcia (5-10, 180, a senior) and Isaac Roach (5-6, 160, also a senior).
Garcia has 38 tackles, including tackles for loss and sacks, while Roach follows with 37 stops. Sophomore linebacker Mason Smith (5-11, 170) has the Panthers only interception thus far, and four different players each have recovered fumbles. They are Hunter Turman (6-2, 180, a junior), Peyton Stanley (6-2, 175, a senior), Cory Helms (5-11, 175, a senior) and Ben Nowell (6-5, 230, a sophomore).
The Panthers’ pro-spread offense is anchored by senior quarterback Micah Skaggs (6-2, 190), who’s initial start came when he was a sophomore against state-ranked Carthage. “He’s come a long way in our system,” Bradford said.
Through three games, Skaggs, who at times plays running back in the offense, is 21-of-27 passing for 348 yards with four touchdowns. He’s also the leading rusher with 241 yards and five scores on 28 carries. Other rushers have been Tucker Stainback (6-0, 180, a junior, athlete designation) 29-141 yards, 2 TDs, and Drew Lane (6-0, 170, senior running back) 11-106, 1 TD.
Skaggs’ primary receivers have been Stainback 12-154, 2 TDs, Trace Reagan (5-10, 145, a junior), 5-132, 1 TD, Lane 2-53, 1 TD, and tight end Gage Alderman (6-1, 190, a junior), 2-29.
Leading tacklers for the Bulldogs are Blade Chitwood (5-10, 170, a senior inside linebacker) with 16 tackles; Tyler Johnigan (6-0, 180, cornerback, senior), De’Andre Thurmond (6-3, 185, outside linebacker, a senior) and Rayshaun Williams (5-9, 170, outside linebacker, a senior) each with 14 tackles. Chitwood leads in tackles for loss with one, while Johnigan leads in picks also with one.
