Kilgore Gets In The Win Column With Victory Against Pine Tree

LONGVIEW -- Can the Kilgore Bulldogs turn back the clock and recapture the regular-season magic they had a year ago?

They're off to a good start.

Kilgore picked up its first win of its season Friday in Longview, blasting Pine Tree, 46-13.

The Bulldogs got a 57-yard touchdown run by quarterback Patrick Jackson, three field goals from Elivan Torres, an interception return for a score by A.J. Henson, another good rushing performance and a touchdown from Melek Hamilton, and a solid performance by quarterback Jay Copeland in relief of Jackson in the second half.

Jamal Nobles also scored for Kilgore (1-2), which will visit Texas High next Friday. Pine Tree (0-3) visits Henderson.

A roughing-the-punter penalty kept Kilgore's offense on the field early in the game and allowed the Bulldogs to get onto the scoreboard first, a 23-yard run by Hamilton, who finished the contest with 150 yards and the score.

Henson's interception for a touchdown from 27 yards out came off a pass by Pine Tree quarterback Keshon Williams, which was tipped.

Torres added both extra points to put Kilgore in front, 14-0, still with more than eight minutes left in the first quarter.

A 40-yard pass play from Williams to Maliq Owens set up Pine Tree's only first-half score, a 37-yard pass from Williams to Kenny Jackson that cut the Bulldogs' lead in half.

But Kilgore stretched it back out quickly. A lengthy drive ended in points on a 5-yard run by Nobles, his second of the year, before the first quarter ended, and then a mishandled punt attempt gave Kilgore two free points on a safety in the second quarter.

Before halftime, Kilgore tacked on more points, a 36-yard field goal by Torres.

The Pirates' only other score of the game came just after the second half began on a 74-yard screen pass from Keshon Williams to Tra Williams. The extra point was missed and Kilgore remained up, 26-13.

Patrick Jackson got free for his 57-yard touchdown on the Bulldogs' second play from scrimmage. Unfortunately, he was injured the next possession.

Copeland came on, threw a fourth-down pass to Cole Wood to keep a Kilgore drive going and then Torres was good again from 24 yards to make it a 36-13 Kilgore advantage.

Kilgore added a 12-yard touchdown pass from Copeland to Deiontrae Wheat and Torres hit another field goal, a 27-yard kick, with just more than two minutes left to close scoring.