Kilgore Stays Perfect in District With Rout of Chapel Hill

NEW CHAPEL HILL -- It wasn't a matchup between two state-ranked teams -- that was elsewhere in District 9-4A -- but the game between Kilgore and Chapel Hill was likely a key contest in the district's playoff picture.

And Kilgore, in spite of offensive struggles for much of the game, came out on top.

The Bulldogs, the Kilgore version, got five field goals from Elivan Torres, some timely running by quarterback Buddy Jackson, a defensive touchdown and a 64-yard touchdown catch from junior Jonathan Shepherd to blow by Chapel Hill, 36-7.

Kilgore is 2-0 in district play, 3-3 overall, and will host Carthage (3-1, 0-1) next Friday. Chapel Hill dropped its fifth straight game, falling to 1-5 on the season and 0-2 in 9-4A Division I. Chapel Hill will visit Center next Friday.

Kilgore's first three offensive possessions all ended in field goals by Torres. His first was his longest of the night, a 43-yarder. The second came from just 29 yards out, as Kilgore recovered a muffed punt on Chapel Hill's 4-yard-line, but couldn't manage to get into the end zone.

A third Kilgore drive stalled at Chapel Hill's 22, and Torres was good again, this time from 39 yards out. Kilgore led, 9-0.

The defensive touchdown came on Chapel Hill's next possession. With Chapel Hill backed up against its end zone, Kilgore's defensive front gave chase to quarterback Billy Maddox, and somehow Maddox lost the ball. Kilgore's Mateo Meraz fell on the loose ball for a 16-0 Kilgore lead.

An interception in the end zone of Maddox by Kilgore defensive back Jerrick Ervin ended a scoring threat, but Kilgore fumbled the ball right back to Chapel Hill, which led to Chapel Hill's only touchdown of the game, a 2-yard run by Maddox with 9:41 remaining in the half.

Torres' fourth field goal of the game came with 34 seconds left in the half from 41 yards out. Kilgore was up 19-7 at the break.

Kilgore's Melek Hamilton appeared to have scored on a 15-yard run in the third quarter, but the score was nullified by a penalty, leading to Torres' final three of the night, again from 41 yards out.

Kilgore had one other touchdown called back as well, this one an 85-yard run by Jackson. But on the first play of the fourth quarter, Jackson found Shepherd streaking across the middle and hit him. Shepherd grabbed the ball and took it the distance, for the 64-yard score.

The last score of the game was a 25-yard run by Jackson, who finished with 170 yards rushing, and went 9-of-14 for 130 yards passing, and the touchdown pass to Shepherd.

Chapel Hill had little offense to speak of. Maddox scored the rushing touchdown, but finished with 60 passing yards and two interceptions, both by Ervin. A.J. Henson also had an interception for Kilgore's defense.

Chapel Hill tailback Andrian Miller led his team with 73 yards rushing on 15 carries.