Kilgore Overcomes Five First-Half Fumbles in 31-8 Victory vs. Gladewater
KILGORE -- State-ranked Kilgore made some mistakes in the first half of Friday’s District 16-3A home game with Gladewater, committing uncharacteristic turnovers.
But the Bulldogs survived losing five first-half fumbles got an early second-half score and held the Bears scoreless in the final half, finishing the contest with a 31-8 win at R.E. St. John Memorial Stadium.
Kilgore, 6-0 and ranked fourth in the Associated Press Class 3A poll, is now 3-0 in District 16-3A play and visits defending 3A Division I champ Chapel Hill (2-6, 1-3) next Friday. Gladewater (3-5), which is off next week, fell to 0-4 in district play.
Kilgore managed an early 30-yard field goal by Hector Peralez after a Gladewater turnover, but neither team held onto the ball. Leading 3-0 in the first quarter, Kilgore found itself backed up against its own end zone and on a fourth-down punting situation, the ball was snapped over Peralez's head for a safety.
But the Bulldogs took advantage of a Gladewater fumble on the Bears’ next offensive series. On the next play, quarterback Cooper Coldiron managed to find Aaron Foy in the end zone for a 30-yard touchdown. Coldiron only completed two passes in the first half, but finished the game 5 of 10 for 144 yards, 129 of it (and two scores) to Foy.
McKenzie Stevens scored Gladewater’s only touchdown of the night late in the second quarter following one of Kilgore's fumbles. The two-point conversion failed, and Kilgore led 10-8 at halftime.
Foy and Coldiron connected again, this time on what turned into an 86-yard touchdown, on a pass along Kilgore’s sidelines with about seven minutes left in the third quarter. The Bulldogs got a three-yard touchdown from JuJu Brown and a six-yarder in the fourth quarter from Austin Jordan to seal the win.
Kilgore held Gladewater to 35 rushing yards on 33 carries. Gladewater quarterback Derrick Daniels did make an exciting play, but it was on defense -- he had to chase down Jordan on a long run late in the game to prevent a touchdown. Daniels had 58 passing yards in the contest, including a completion to Sam Phillips to set up a score.
Gladewater punter Taylor Dennis averaged 50 yards per punt in the game.
Kilgore linebacker Jake Brantley had an interception that he returned from midfield for a touchdown, but it was called back, as both teams were flagged for offsetting fouls.