KC-Tyler always has that big-game feel

JIMMY RIEVES Having had an extra week off since his team lost its season opener, Kilgore College head football coach Jimmy Rieves has been watching an awful lot of football.

Mostly Tyler Junior College. "They're great," Rieves said Wednesday. "They're very, very good. I've seen most of the teams in our conference play in person or on tape this season, and they're the best I've seen so far. They're a well-rounded team. They're good everywhere."

Rieves will be the latest to face the Apaches, as the Rangers host TJC on Saturday night at 7 p.m. The game is not a conference game between the two Southwest Junior College Football Conference powers - this is the annual non-conference game. The game that will count in the conference standings will be played at Tyler's Rose Stadium this year on Oct. 7.

It might not count in the conference standings, but it certainly does everywhere else. Many of Kilgore College's players are from East Texas, and know what a rivalry exists between the two schools. Some of KC's squad - defensive tackle Adrian Johnson and cornerback Errik Ejike come to mind - are from Tyler, having played high school ball at John Tyler and Tyler Lee, and realize how intense the two games each year are.

IT'S RAINING PASSES - Kilgore College defensive back Avery Norris (right) tries to make a play as Butler wideout Wallace Franklin goes for a pass. Norris made the interception. He and his KC teammates hope for plenty of big plays against the fifthranked Tyler Junior College Apaches, who visit R.E. St. John Memorial Stadium Saturday evening. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. It extends not just to the players and coaches, but even to the Rangerettes and Apache Belles. The Rangerettes will make their 2006 half time debut this weekend, and the Apache Belles will perform, as well, a halftime spectacular for both schools.

The game matches two of the winningest schools in Texas junior college football history. KC is the winningest - the Rangers' 428243-14 mark, a 62 percent winning percentage, is the best in the state, ever.

Rieves, now in his seventh season as head coach, will be seeking his 43rd win. He's fourth on KC's all-time wins list.

On the field, though, TJC has performed very well, beating Huntington (Kan.) handily, 41-7, on Aug. 26, then beating conference favorite Trinity Valley last weekend, 26-23.

TJC is No. 5 in the latest NJCAA poll, up nine spots from debuting at No. 14 in the preseason poll. The Apaches are coached by Jamie Critchlow, whom Rieves calls a good friend.

Quarterback John Weed has thrown for over 600 yards this season and six touchdowns, much of it to Johnny Knox. Knox had 188 yards receiving against Trinity Valley. The Cardinals were plagued by turnovers in the game - TJC had just one.

KC has had only the one game against Butler almost two weeks ago; everything else has been practice. Against Butler, now ranked No. 2 nationally, KC held its ground, but had difficulty maintaining any sort of consistency on offense. Quarterback Trey Jones was rattled by the Butler pass rush, and worse, normally run-heavy KC felt forced to throw the ball to try and get back into the game. Uncharacteristically, the Rangers threw the ball 42 times, with Jones going 16 of 41 for 159 yards and an interception.

The Rangers' leading rusher in the game was Keith Demby, who had 46 yards on 10 carries, but shared the load with not only Billy Martin and Keith Smith, but the passing plays.

Tee Canady caught seven balls for 66 yards and is the Rangers' leading receiver. Kendrick Holloway caught three, and Lewis Milbry and Dee Watson each made two grabs.

Defensively, Johnson had 10 tackles Ejike had seven and Willie Green, just converted to the Dline, also had seven. Marcus Smith had five, as did Giorgio Majors - Majors blocked a Butler extra point.

The game can be heard locally on KZQX 105.3 FM, called by Manny Almanza and Mark Fried, and also on the Texas Sports Radio Network web site, tsrnsports. com. The game will also be shown live on the internet - for a fee - at summitticket.com. See the web site for more information.

Next weekend, the Rangers go on the road to Corsicana to open their conference slate at Navarro.