Kilgore Posts 485 Rushing Yards En Route to Dominating 56-21 Win Over Frisco Lone Star

FORNEY -- Behind a vaunted rushing attack and dominating defense, the Kilgore Bulldogs ran over, around, and through the Frisco Lone Star Rangers in convincing fashion, 56-21, in a Class 3A Division I Region II semifinal at City Bank Stadium on Friday.

Kilgore (12-0) had three players cross the century mark in rushing to the tune of 485 total yards, highlighted by Benny Colbert's 205 yards on nine carries. Kevrin Justice added 120 yards and two scores, while Davieonta 'Juju' Brown had 109 yards and three touchdowns.

Kilgore moves on to the Region II final for the third consecutive year and will face District of Doom rival Chapel Hill, which beat Decatur 55-40 in the nightcap of a doubleheader Friday in Forney.

The two will meet at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium in Tyler. Kilgore won the first meeting between the two, 42-25, on Oct. 25.

"Coming into the ballgame we just wanted to control the ball," Kilgore coach Mike Wood said. "Our (offensive line) did a great job in the first half. We did what we always do, run hard. We didn't come out of the locker room in the second half the way we wanted to. We'll have to come out better come next week."

Not to be out done by the offense, the Kilgore defense put together an impressive stat sheet. Ten sacks,

four tackles for loss, two interceptions, and two pass breakups fueled the Bulldogs defense, which held Lone Star to 79 total yards rushing. DaQuellan Scott notched a game-high three sacks, Kris Haynes had two sacks, and Chad Bornes added a sack and tackle for loss.

"We knew we had to pressure (Lone Star quarterback Jason Shelley)," Wood said. "We were able to come out and get some pressure, get some sacks, and should've got a couple more. I was really proud of how they (Kilgore's defensive line) played up front."

Kilgore senior Aaron Foy had two plays that set the tone.

His interception at the goal line on Lone Star's opening possession gave Kilgore the early boost. Then his 81-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the third quarter answered 21 consecutive points by the Rangers, and turned a two-possession game into a blowout.

Shelley, freshman, finished 19-of-27 passing for 242 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. He added 75 yards on the ground on 25 carries. Wide receiver Jordan Jones was his top target, notching 123 yards on 10 grabs, while Austin De Leon added 52 yards and two scores on seven catches.

Kilgore scored the first 35 points and rushed for 393 yards in the first half, capped by a 68-yard TD run by Colbert at the 3:10 mark in the second quarter. The renewed emphasis on Colbert's play-making was apparent.

"The coaches told me, 'If you see a crease, take it.' I did and we made something happen. We don't want to take any team for granted. Records don't mean anything in the playoffs," Colbert said.

Lone Star answered with a 16-play, 82-yard march, when Shelley hit De Leon for a 3-yard TD with 1:18 remaining before halftime to get Lone Star within 35-7 at intermission.

Lone Star opened the second half with two straight scores, thanks to a Kilgore turnover inside the red zone, and a three-and-out. Shelley scrambled out of a broken play for a 35-yard TD scamper at the 7:37 mark of the third, then hit De Leon for his second score of the night, a 13-yard grab, and the Rangers pulled within, 35-21.

Then Foy happened.

He took the aforementioned 81-yard kickoff return to the house, destroying any momentum Lone Star had accumulated and all but punching Kilgore's ticket to the 3A regional final.

Kilgore added two late scores courtesy of Brown and Colbert, and the defense added a interception to cap the night.

Scott, a senior defensive end, summed it up.

"We needed to get after (Shelley), and when we built a big lead, we knew they had to throw the ball," Scott said. "So, we pinned our ears back and got after it. On to the next round."