LIONS DOWN! | Kilgore comes back, knocks out Henderson!

Oct. 23—EDITOR'S NOTE — Due to internet difficulties and deadline constraints, the original story had two statistical errors, but they have been corrected here. This story has been updated Saturday morning with complete statistics, courtesy of KHS football film.

HENDERSON — With 10 1 /2 minutes left to play in the biggest rivalry game for either school, the Henderson Lions led archrival Kilgore by 13 points.

And then, with 2:40 left, not only did that lead evaporate, so did the Lions.

In one of the most spectacular finishes in the history of the Highway 259 Shootout — and maybe of the entire 2021 season of Texas high school football in any classification, Kilgore came from behind, got in front of Henderson, 35-34, and watched as Henderson self-destructed, snapping the ball too early on what would have been a fourth-down last-gasp play, anyway, as Kilgore took over on downs — and ran out the clock.

The win keeps coach Clint Fuller's Bulldogs unbeaten in District 9-4A, Division I, at 4-0, and moves the 'Dogs to 7-1 on the season. They'll host Athens next Friday night, and then visit Lindale in what looks to be the de facto district championship game.

The game had plenty of heroes for Kilgore: quarterback Da'Marion Van Zandt, who threw four touchdown passes and ran for another (three to Corey Rider and one to Jermaine Roney); to a multitude of defensive players; and to running back Davin Rider for a gutty performance.

Rider caught a 38-yard touchdown pass to get Kilgore within six points, 34-28, with 9:08 left in the game, and then, on what would be Kilgore's final drive, Van Zandt hit Roney for a 43-yard gain down to Henderson's 15-yard-line. Van Zandt let the ball get past him on the next play, and lost 10 yards, but Isaiah Ross got masterful blocking by Kilgore's offensive line and got the 10 yards back.

On the next play, at Henderson's 15, Van Zandt let it fly — into the waiting arms of Corey Rider, who had to make a diving catch, but did so, hauling it in for the score. The official on site checked to see if Rider got up with the ball, and he did: TOUCHDOWN KILGORE with 2:40 left, and kicker Chris Baldazo put them in front with the all-important extra point. The new score: 35-34 Kilgore.

Henderson got the ball and quarterback Jacobe Robinson, the son of Henderson's new coach Darnell Robinson, guided his team downfield, but the drive stalled at the Kilgore 33. Kilgore's defense was even flagged for a pass interference, but overcame that.

The Lions had fourth down and 10, with 17 seconds left, and Robinson stepped away from the line, looked to be changing the play. Suddenly, inexplicably, the ball was snapped and he wasn't there. The ball went past Henderson's backfield, and a Henderson player picked it up, but he was quickly tackled by Kilgore's defense.

And the game was over.

Kilgore's fans, team, coaches and players rejoiced in big fashion as they knelt out the final seconds on the clock. And it was Kilgore's 50{sup}th{/sup} win in the series.

The first half was a back-and-forth affair that was perfect for a rivalry like Kilgore-Henderson.

The Bulldogs made a play early, recovering a fumble on the second play from scrimmage of the game, and then scoring two plays later on a 13-yard pass from Van Zandt to Roney.

Henderson's second possession went a lot more in their favor, a 57-yard touchdown pass on the second play of the drive to Deuce Davis. The extra point tied things at 7-all, with 8:25 left in the first quarter.

The Lions took their first lead of the game two possessions later, another pass, this one a 74-yarder to Ya'Corius Porter. The extra point was missed, though, leaving Kilgore down by just six, 13-7.

They didn't trail long. Van Zandt guided the Bulldogs back down the field, dealing the ball to Davin Rider into Henderson territory, and then Van Zandt found Corey Rider for a 39-yard touchdown pass. Baldazo put the Bulldogs back in front with his extra point, 14-13 Kilgore, with 8:11 left in the half.

A Kilgore fumble, recovered by D.K. Kelley of Henderson, would contribute to another lead change, and on the very next play: Robinson found Porter for a 15-yard touchdown, putting the Lions in front again in the see-saw contest. They kicked the extra point, and went up 20-14.

Kilgore had another turnover, too, late in the half, with four seconds left, an interception by Tyler Branham, but the Lions elected to run out the first-half clock.

The Ragin' Red struck quickly in the third quarter. Davin Rider reeled off 34 yards on the first two runs, getting Kilgore to Henderson's 12-yard-line, and then to the Lions' 1. Van Zandt went behind center Alex Cervantes for the final yard, and a 21-20 Kilgore lead with 9:06 remaining in the third.

But Henderson would score twice more: a 19-yard pass to Davis from Robinson with 3:28 left in the third, and then early in the fourth quarter on a pass from Robinson to Devin Phillips. That gave the Lions a 34-21 lead, with 10:35 left to play.

Kilgore stormed back.

Van Zandt hit Roney for a big gain, and then found Corey Rider on a second-down-and short for a 38-yard score. The point after got Kilgore within six, 34-28, with 9:08 left in the game. Then came the heroics, the mistake, and the 35-34 final.

Rider appeared to be injured later in the game, but finished with 116 very important rushing yards, on 16 carries.

Van Zandt had another big night: 10-of-19 for 228 yards, the four touchdowns and one interception, just before halftime.

Corey Rider had the best night of his varsity career to date: four catches, 104 yards, three touchdowns. Roney had a huge night, too: three catches for 89 yards and the first score of the game, and the other two catches set up two more scores.

P.J. Wiley also had two catches for 25 yards, both big in the game, and Davin Rider had a catch for 10 yards.

Baldazo was 5-for-5 on extra point attempts and punter Jose Jaime only had to punt three times; he averaged 39 yards.

Defensively, Kilgore allowed Henderson just 114 yards rushing — the Lions spent most of their energy trying to throw the ball. Jacobe Robinson went 19-of-24 for 256 yards and four touchdowns, and ran for a touchdown as well. The Lions finished with 370 total yards. Kilgore forced three three-and-outs, and of course, the turnover on downs at the end of the game.

Defensive end Alex Chavez went down in the first quarter to injury, so the Bulldogs' leader in quarterback hurries was lost for the majority of the game, a huge factor.

Chris Ervin and the rest of the Bulldogs' D did their jobs, though. Ervin led the effort with 14 tackles. Zaylon Stoker had six, and one for loss. Peyton Christian also had six tackles, two tackles for loss and a forced fumble. Jackson Harris had five tackles and a quarterback hurry. Corey Rider, Omarion Smith, Kendall Dunn, D'Zedrick Talley and Chris McGhee each had four tackles — Rider had a pass break-up.

Zaelen Matthews had three tackles. Matthew Tyeskie, Davin Rider, and Marcaelin Caraway each had two, and P.J. Wiley, Daverion Franklin, Isaiah Ross, and Victor Fernandez each had one; Wiley had a fumble recovery.