SO FAR, SO GOOD | Kilgore 2-0, hosts PT Friday
Sep. 8—It's hard to imagine that things could have gone better for Kilgore High School football coach Clint Fuller, in his first head coaching job and headed into the third week of the season.
Knock on wood somewhere.
The Bulldogs have outscored Nacogdoches and Hallsville, 77-34, and even though polls really aren't important, Kilgore is getting respect. They're ranked fifth in the state in the Dave Campbell's Texas Football Class 4A poll, and they're ranked seventh in the #bEASTTexas 6A / 5A / 4A poll, which obviously includes bigger schools like Longview, the Tyler programs and Lufkin.
This week, the challenge is Pine Tree, which in the past wasn't that much of a challenge: Pine Tree was unable to beat Kilgore from 1978 until 2018, earning only a tie with KHS during that entire time period, playing almost every year.
But these aren't your big brother's Pirates. They've turned their program around, although they are 1-1 at this writing.
Pine Tree visits Kilgore (2-0) Friday night at R.E. St. John Memorial Stadium, a 7:30 p.m. kickoff. This is also homecoming for Kilgore, and homecoming festivities will be held just before the game.
Last week, it was a bit of a frustrating game for the Ragin' Red, on the road taking on old rival Hallsville.
The Bulldogs, in a humid night, got a great fight from the scrappy Bobcats. Kilgore, courtesy of a pair of touchdown runs by Davin Rider and solid defensive play, headed to the half with a 14-7 lead.
The second half was when things got wild, as it seemed both teams found Achilles heels on the other. Rider had a blocked punt that was recovered by Kilgore in the end zone for a touchdown, and he finished with his second straight Chick-Fil-A player of the week award, netting 281 total yards and five touchdowns.
Through two games, Rider has been inhuman, rushing for 440 yards and eight touchdowns on just 37 carries — an average of almost 12 yards per carry, behind an offensive line that includes Justin Flores, Taylor Hill, Alex Cervantes, Jared Rich and McCabe Wheeler.
Quarterback Da'Marion Van Zandt, just a junior, has also played well. Through two games, Van Zandt is 15-of-30 for 188 yards, no touchdowns, but the running game has been outstanding.
Defensively, Kilgore has lived up to Fuller's reputation, as he came from Pleasant Grove to the Bulldogs. Kilgore forced four turnovers by Hallsville last week (three fumbles and an interception by Chris Ervin). The Ragin' Red is also getting pressure on opposing quarterbacks: nine sacks in two games.
Pine Tree's Pirates have won one (Liberty-Eylau) and lost one (Lindale, last week), and four total points was the difference in the games. The Pirates shut out L-E, 25-0, and then got bitten by Lindale, a 31-29 loss last weekend.
The Pirates haven't lit up the skies with their passing game. They threw it just 12 times in that game against L-E. But they do commit to the running game, with over 400 total rushing yards through the two games.
Pine Tree went 9-2-1 a year ago.
Hear the broadcast live on KDOK 105.3-FM, with Ragin' Red Broadcasting on the call.
Kilgore visits Gladewater next Friday night, and then hosts Palestine on Sept. 24, the district opener for both programs.
