LINDALE — Kilgore moved one step closer to a District 9-4A Division I championship with a 49-29 victory over Lindale in a battle of state-ranked teams Friday night at Eagle Stadium.
“Our kids were incredibly focused, and they are all year, which is why we’ve been successful up to this point,” Kilgore head football coach Clint Fuller said. “We have a formula that we follow. Our kids understand it. They understand how to prepare and what it takes to be at their best every Friday night. We’re going to enjoy this one tonight, but we’ll be back at it on Monday.”
“This was a very important game for us,” Kilgore senior Lakeyleon Graves said. “We take it one game at a time, but this was a very big win for us.”
Graves came out of halftime with two touchdowns in the first 4:10 to help turn a 12-point lead into a 26-point advantage for the Bulldogs.
With Lindale getting the ball first after the break and Kilgore leading 21-9, Graves intercepted a pass and returned it 45 yards to the end zone with 11:02 on the clock. After Kilgore forced a Lindale punt, the Bulldogs scored again with Grave catching a 19-yard touchdown pass from Kayson Brooks to put the score at 35-9 with 7:50 remaining in the third quarter.
“I think it was very big,” Graves said. “We went into halftime, made some adjustments. Everybody stuck to the game plan. Everybody executed their job. The O-line was blocking downfield. The quarterback was giving good balls. Other receivers were running their routes so I can make a play on offense. On defense, everyone is in coverage, and I’m just a free man.”
“Big-time players make big-time plays in big-time games, and that’s exactly what he did,” Fuller said. “He was a little frustrated in the first half. I told him to get his head up and there was another half to play. And he comes out and makes big plays in the third quarter, which really turned the game.”
Graves, a Texas State commit, finished with four catches for 79 yards and touchdown, including two grabs for 63 yards in the second half.
Kilgore got the scoring started with a 31-yard touchdown pass from Brooks to Dre’ Sanders with 5:43 left in the first quarter to take a 7-0 lead.
The Bulldogs added to their lead with 10:36 left in the second quarter with a 3-yard touchdown run by Rayshaun Williams to push the score to 14-0.
Lindale responded with a 51-yard strike from David Lindig to Brodee Copeland. The extra point was blocked, making the score 14-6 with 8:03 on the clock.
Kilgore got into the red zone and had a pass picked off by Jacob Pettway in the end zone. A roughing the passer was called, and Kilgore capitalized with a 2-yard touchdown run by Brooks on a tush push with 5:03 left in the half, going up 21-6.
The Eagles tacked on a 37-yard field goal from Camden Lane with 37 seconds left in the half to send the game into halftime at 21-9.
Lindale didn’t score again until 5:26 left in the third quarter with a 13-yard pass from Lindig to Kaden Fowler. A 23-yard touchdown pass from Brooks to Ka’Kalen Sheffield pushed the score to 42-16 with 2:23 remaining in the third quarter.
Lindale got two touchdowns from Hank Thurman in the fourth quarter — runs of 26 and 15 yards.
Thurman finished with 101 yard on 19 carries as Kilgore allowed a season-high 29 points against the Eagles. Lindig was 13 of 23 for 246 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Copeland had five receptions for 115 yards, and Fowler made three grabs for 77 yards as the Eagles finished with 424 yards.
“They can cause you a lot of problems and a lot of headaches,” Fuller said. “They are really good on the offensive line and really good up front on the defensive line. We knew this game was going to come down to the line of scrimmage and who could control it. We were able to do that on both sides of the ball, and that was really a difference in the game.”
Kilgore’s lone score in the fourth quarter was a 17-yard pass from Brooks to Tyler Johnigan. The Bulldogs finished with 516 yards. Brooks was 19 of 29 for 324 yards and four touchdowns, and he rushed for 30 yards and a score on four carries. Williams had 21 carries for 162 yards and a touchdown. Sheffield made six catches for 130 yards and a touchdown.
Kilgore (7-1, 4-0), ranked No. 3 in Class 4A Division I, will host Palestine on Oct. 24. Lindale (6-1, 2-1), ranked No. 9 in the state, will travel to Mabank.