Kilgore Puts Unbeaten District Record on Line Against Carthage

DISTRICT 9-4A DIVISION I

No. 8 Carthage Bulldogs (3-1, 0-1)

vs.

Kilgore Bulldogs (3-3, 2-0)

7:30 p.m. Friday

R.E. St. John Memorial Stadium, Kilgore

Coaches

• Carthage: Scott Surratt
• Kilgore: Mike Wood

Last week

• Carthage: lost to Henderson, 36-28
• Kilgore: def. Chapel Hill, 36-7

Next week

• Carthage: vs. Center, Oct. 14
• Kilgore: at Henderson, Oct. 14

Playmakers

Carthage

• RB Keaontay Ingram, Jr., 5-11, 198 (80 catches, 598 yards, 6 TDs; 15 catches, 140 yards, 1 TD)
• WR Dee Bowens, Jr., 5-7, 140 (23 catches, 363 yards, 6 TDs)
• QB Kason Davis, Sr., 6-2, 180 (71 of 126, 998 yards, 12 TDs, 2 INTs)
• LB Mykel Gates, Jr., 6-0, 215 (47 tackles, 5 for loss, 1 forced fumble, 2 recoveries, 2 PBUs)
• DE Tre Gatlin, Sr., 6-6, 250 (27 tackles, 1 for loss, 8 QB pressures, 3 PBUs)
• CB Mekhi Colbert, Jr., 5-10, 180 (17 tackles, 2 for loss, 2 INTs, 4 PBUs, 1 forced fumble)
• CB Nic Moore, Sr., 5-11, 150 (27 tackles, 4 PBUs, 1 fumble recovery)
• LB Jase Dixon, Sr., 5-11, 190 (50 tackles, 7 for loss, 1 sack, 4 forced fumbles, 2 recoveries, 1 defensive TD)

Kilgore

• QB Buddy Jackson, Jr., 5-9, 155 (32 of 53, 398 yards, 3 TDs, 2 INTs; 67 carries, 509 yards, 4 TDs)
• RB Melek Hamilton, Sr., 5-5, 160 (92 carries, 577 yards, 5 TDs)
• WR Cole Wood, Sr., 6-2, 170 (16 catches, 151 yards)
• DL Dylan Scarlett, Sr., 6-2, 185
• LB Jamal Nobles, Sr., 5-9, 196 (55 tackles, 2 for loss, 3 QB pressures, 1 fumble recovery, 1 PBU)
• DE Demorrea Richardson, Jr. (34 tackles, 9 for loss, 3 sacks, 12 QB pressures, 1 fumble recovery, 2 blocked punts)
• DT Kevin Tinney, Sr., 5-11, 230 (25 tackles, 5 for loss, 7 QB pressures)
• LB Sebastian Mumphrey, Jr. (35 tackles, 1 for loss, 1 QB pressure)

Just the facts

• This is the 52nd all-time meeting between Kilgore and Carthage. Kilgore leads the series, 28-23.
• Carthage coach Scott Surratt is 3-2 vs. Kilgore.
• Carthage is averaging 35 points and 426 yards per game -- 173.2 rushing and 252.8 passing.
• Carthage is 40-4 in district games under Surratt.
• Carthage running back Keaontay Ingram is averaging 7.5 yards per carry.
• Kilgore is averaging 27.2 points and 298.3 yards per game -- 223.3 rushing and 75 pasing.
• Kilgore has forced nine turnovers in six games -- four fumbles and five interceptions.
• Kilgore is looking to begin 3-0 in district for the second consecutive year.

Key matchup: Carthage rushing attack vs. Kilgore defensive front. Carthage junior Keaontay Ingram is emerging as one of East Texas' best pure running backs, and he's been a key to his team's offensive success this season. In four games, Ingram has run for almost 600 yards, having eclipsed the 100-yard mark three times. In the last two outings against Gilmer and Henderson, Ingram has combined to rush for 369 yards and five touchdowns. The only time Ingram did not run for at least 100 yards was a Week 3 win over Whitehouse, in which Carthage was held to a season-low 23 points. Carthage certainly has weapons aplenty in the passing game, but it becomes much more effective with a strong running game. If Ingram can continue his strong play again this week, Carthage becomes an awfully difficult team to defend.

Kilgore has performed admirably against the run this season limiting opponents to an average of 167 rushing yards per game. The strength of Kilgore's defense this season has been its front, anchored by the likes of Kevin Tinney and Demorrea Richardson. As a team, Kilgore has made 24 tackles behind the line of scrimmage, which is an average of four per game. Tinney and Richardson have combined for 11 tackles for loss to lead the team. Kilgore is coming off a strong defensive performance in its win over Chapel Hill, allowing just 203 total yards of offense (143 rushing). The Kilgore run defense has come a long way since the first two weeks of the season when it surrendered a total of 499 rushing yards in losses to Nacogdoches and Gladewater.

Don't be surprised if: Friday's game is a low-scoring affair. The strength of both Carthage and Kilgore this season has been their defenses. Carthage, despite its loss last week to Henderson, outgained the Lions and kept them from reaching 400 yards of total offense. In the game prior, Carthage's defense held Gilmer to 200 yards below its season average. Carthage is solid at all three levels of its defense with end Tre Gatlin providing a steady pass rush, linebacker Mykel Gates making stops sideline-to-sideline, and the cornerback duo of Mekhi Colbert and Nic Moore playing lockdown defense. After a tough start to the season, Kilgore's defense has turned it up a notch in district. In wins over Palestine and Chapel Hill, Kilgore is allowing just 13.5 points and 244.5 yards per game.