KILGORE – After somewhat of a slow start to the season defensively, the Kilgore defense came alive with a gutsy second-half performance in a 42-24 win Friday over Jacksonville at R.E. St. John Memorial Stadium.
After the Indians scored touchdowns on their first three possessions of the game to build a 21-14 halftime lead, the Bulldogs (2-3, 2-1) held Jacksonville (2-4, 0-3) to only one field goal in the second half to pull away late for a key District 8-4A Division I victory.
Kilgore outscored Jacksonville 21-0 in the fourth quarter.
The Bulldogs took their first lead of the game at 28-24 on a one-yard touchdown run by Rayshaun Williams – set up by a highlight-reel, one-handed reception by Tyler Johnigan for 18 yards.
Kilgore’s defense then forced Jacksonville into its first punt of the night with 7:53 to play, and the Bulldogs’ special teams unit blew through the line to block the punt that set the offense up at the Indian 34. A few plays later, Maddox Wright scored on a 10-yard run to push Kilgore’s lead to 35-24 with 3:21 remaining.
Following an interception by Kilgore’s De’Andre Thurmond, the Bulldogs finished with an exclamation point on a 45-yard touchdown run by Williams to cap the scoring.
Williams finished with 141 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 17 carries while Wright rushed for 85 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries.
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Christian McGowan led Jacksonville with 113 rushing yards on 24 carries to go along with five receptions for 58 yards and two touchdowns. Jacksonville quarterback Trent Clater completed his first 10 passes of the night and finished 19 of 25 for 199 yards, three total touchdowns and one interception.
The Bulldogs tied the game with their initial drive of the second half when Braddox Johnson connected with Tyler Johnigan on a 39-yard score midway through the third.
Jacksonville scored on all three of its first-half possessions (not including a kneeldown to end the half) as the Kilgore defense struggled getting off the field in the early going.
The Indians’ defense, meanwhile, started the game strong when C.J. Crockett came away with an interception off a deflection on the game’s opening possession. With Jacksonville facing a fourth-and-6 three plays later, Clater escaped the pocket and scored on a 16-yard run for an early 7-0 lead.
The Bulldogs then let Williams go to work as the senior running back carried the ball seven times for 52 yards, capped off with a 17-yard touchdown run to tie the game.
Jacksonville’s offense went back to work on a methodical 10-play, 75-yard drive with Clater lofting a perfectly placed pass to McGowan out of the backfield for a 21-yard touchdown and a 14-7 advantage on the first play of the second quarter.
Kilgore responded with a six-play, 66-yard drive that saw Wright carry the ball five times for 61 yards including a 12-yard touchdown run to even things up once again, 14-14, with 8:01 left until halftime.