Kilgore Aims for 3-0 Start Against Pine Tree

Pine Tree Pirates (0-2)
vs.
No. 10 Kilgore Bulldogs (2-0)

7:30 p.m. Friday
R.E. St. John Memorial Stadium, Kilgore

Coaches
Pine Tree: Derek Fitzhenry
Kilgore: Mike Wood

Last week
Pine Tree: lost to Center, 42-16
Kilgore: def. Sweeny, 24-7

Next week
Pine Tree: idle
Kilgore: at Mount Pleasant

Playmakers
Pine Tree

QB Jake Oden, Sr., 6-1, 185 (21 of 36, 302 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT; 14 carries, 180 yards, 1 TD)
RB Victor Hawkins, Sr., 6-1, 190 (9 carries, 170 yards, 1 TD; 8 catches, 85 yards, 2 TDs)
DB Tre Devine, Jr., 5-11, 170 (20 tackles, 2 INTs)
DE Keytotrick Brown, Sr., 6-1, 190 (11 tackles, 1 sack)
LB Christopher Chadwick, Sr., 5-7, 185 (8 tackles, 1 INT, 1 fumble recovery)
LB Jarvis Wall, Jr. (17 tackles)
DB Evan Estes, Sr., 5-9, 175 (20 tackles)
FB/DT Eddie Calico, Sr., 6-0, 240 (17 carries, 66 yards; 4 tackles, 1 sack)
WR Mason Hayes, Soph., 6-0, 175 (4 catches, 110 yards, 1 TD)

Kilgore

MLB A.J. Davis, Sr., 6-0, 220 (21 tackles, 2 for loss, 1 sack)
RB JuJu Brown, Jr. (22 catches, 83 yards, 2 TDs)
QB Cooper Coldiron, Sr., 5-11, 170 (6 of 8, 180 yards, 1 TD; 12 carries, 49 yards, 1 TD)
DT LaDarrin Anthony, Sr., 5-11, 225 (12 tackles, 2 for loss, 1 sack, 1 kick block)
DE D.Q. Scott, Jr., 5-11, 220 (8 tackles, 1 sack)
S/K Hector Peralez, Sr., 6-0, 175 (12 tackles)
OLB Jake Brantley, Jr., 5-10, 185 (12 tackles, 1 INT)
FB/DE Cornelius Bell, Sr., 6-1, 225 (9 carries, 37 yards, 1 TD)
WR/DB Q Brewster, Jr. (2 catches, 60 yards; 7 tackles, 1 kick block)
OL Clay Wiley, Sr., 6-1, 280

Just the facts

Kilgore has outscored its first two opponents 66-7
Pine Tree has thrown for more than twice as many yards (301) in its first two games as the Pirates threw for during the entire 2011 season (140)
Kilgore did not allow a point in the first six-plus quarters of the season
Pine Tree has allowed 41.5 points per game during its first two contests
Kilgore has allowed 3.5 points per game during its first two contests
Pine Tree averages 409.0 yards per game: 258.0 rushing, 151.0 passing
Kilgore averages 274.5 yards per game: 184.5 rushing, 90.0 passing

Key matchup: Pine Tree's defensive front vs. Kilgore's running game. Kilgore may not posting huge offensive numbers, but the Bulldogs' offense has been plenty effective. Effective enough for Kilgore to average 33.0 points per game in a 2-0 start. Kilgore has spread the ball around in its ground attack, using as many as seven ball carriers in a game. The result has been a balanced rushing performance, one that will dictate the tempo of a game and keep Kilgore's staunch defense fresh. In fact, that running game is like an extension of the Bulldog defense, which has stuffed its first two opponents. Pine Tree has struggled to keep its first two opponents from running wild. Van sophomore Matt Savis ran for more than 200 yards in the Vandals' 41-28 win, while Center senior K.J. Garrett ran for 169 yards in the Roughriders' four-score victory against PT. The Pirates boast a solid running game of their own, and they average more rushing yards than Kilgore. But reaching that 258.0 average won't be easy against the Bulldogs.

Don't be surprised if: Kilgore maintains its python-like game plan of smothering defense and chip-away-at-you offense that kills the opponent's will. Kilgore has done that better than just about any team in East Texas during the first two weeks, and that won't change if the Bulldogs limit their mistakes and keep on the same path they've started. Kilgore will be physically larger than Pine Tree up front, and that will compound PT's problems with trying to stop the Bulldogs' running game. If Pine Tree hopes to hang around for all four quarters, the Pirates must stop turning the ball over, something they did with regularity in 2011 and did again last week against Center. Otherwise, it's a 3-0 start for the Bulldogs.