Tiger hunting

WRAP HIM UP - Crockett running back Tyler Tabor (25) is tackled by Kilgore defenders Larry Zachery (92) and Trey Williams (30). Zachery and Williams are two of a corps of young Bulldogs looking to make plays in a new defensive scheme. The Ragin' Red (1-0) defeated Crockett 38-37 in double overtime, and hosts Mount Pleassant on Friday night at 7:30 p.m. It's the homecoming game. Homecoming activities will be held prior to game time. Kilgore High School head football coach and athletic director Mike Vallery would achieve quite a milestone Friday night here at R.E. St. John Memorial Stadium if the Bulldogs accomplish their goal of making it 2-0 on the young season.

A victory over Friday's opponent, Mount Pleasant, would give coach Vallery 200 career wins.

But Vallery, in typical fashion, isn't at all worried about win No. 200. He's worried about getting win No. 2, as in winning their second in as many games.

The Ragin' Red (1-0) hosts Mount Pleasant Friday night at 7:30 p.m. in the 2006 homecoming game for Kilgore High School. Homecoming festivities will be done before the game, with the homecoming queen, coming-home queen and the remainder of the court introduced before kickoff.

And at kickoff, when the Bulldogs look across the sidelines, they're not really certain what they're going to see.

Mount Pleasant, a former district tival of Kilgore's which has seen two coaching staff changes since the 2003 season ended, is breaking in another new coaching staff, and hasn't even played a game this season.

"As far as preparation for this team," Vallery explained, "it's about like we were against Crockett. It's Mount Pleasant's first game. As far as game tape, there's none. They've got a new coaching staff again this year. All we can base on them is the scrimmage tape we've got. The thing we notice about them that stands out is that they're big."

The Tigers, who were quite competitive in years past, bring back three offensively and five on defense from a 4-6 season in 2005. Big wide receiver Kevin Cheatham, who is 6-foot-3 and runs a 4.3 time in the 40-yard dash, is back - he had fantastic numbers last year, making 43 catches for 708 yards and nine touchdowns.

Also back is his position-mate, Carliss Robinson. Robinson, is under six feet tall, but packs a wallop. He caught 48 passes for 675 yards and five TDs last year.

Reports had Mount Pleasant with a bit of a quarterback controversy between Corey Amerson and Reese Bower.

Kilgore is also breaking in plenty of new faces on varsity this year, but managed to overcome some first-game nerves and a few mistakes to win a very close 38-37 double-overtime decision at Crockett last weekend in the season opener.

The noteable statistics: KHS returning leading rusher Jerek Sheffield had 178 yards and a pair

as well, but little experience

of scores behind an offensive line

- Greg Szymarek and Dominique

that is largely ripe with new

Jones got the bulk of

starters, and the fact that Kilgore

playing time at TE last week.

turned the ball over three or four

The offensive line is rather inexperienced

times and still managed to win the

but good. University of

game.

Texas-bound Michael Huey, all 6

"Just about like anybody else,

foot-3 and 300-plus pounds of

we felt like there were parts (of the

him, is there, along with Joey

first game) that we were pleased

White, to provide experience.

about, and naturally, some parts

Josh Slagle, Adam Wiggins, and

we weren't," Vallery graded.

Chris Smith all performed well.

"You're gonna have that in your

The kicking game belongs to

first game. But we've got to come

young freshman Ryan Bustin,

together as a team, try to get rid of

who got all five extra points he

those mistakes and grow to be a

kicked last week and hit a gametying

better football team."

20-yard field goal in overtime.

Quarterback will likely see both

He also handles punting

Taylor Strube and Eric King get

chores.

playing time. The pair combined

Defensively, there are a lot of

for a 3-of-9, 77-yard, 1 INT, 1

new faces, but plenty of good play

TD performance against Crockett.

to go around from Zero Week.

Linebacker Rick Thomas had six

Running back holds little mystery

tackles and an interception; Shepherd

with Sheffield, Torian

had six tackles at one cornerback

Rodgers and Steven Smith all seeing

spot, with Rossum making

playing time, and Nick Cline

four at the other; Danny Smith

and Rodgers in and out at fullback.

had four tackles, as did Kendrick

Ector (three for loss) and Trey

Kilgore boasts talent at wide receiver,

Williams. Strube had four tackles

with Jaron Shepherd (two

and two pass break-ups, including

catches for 65 yards and a score

one in overtime where he batted

last week), Deaundray Rossum,

down a two-point conversion pass

Cody Murphy and others catching

attempt that would have won the

balls, and tight end boasts talent

game for Crockett, had it been caught.

The Bulldogs' contest with Mount Pleasant will be called as always by Ragin' Red Broadcasting, in its 25th year. The crew is Doug Smith, Ronnie Chappell and Don Hedrick, and their broadcast can be heard on 1240AM or on the internet on the Texas Sports Radio Network web site, tsrnsports.com.

Following the Kilgore-Mount Pleasant game, the Bulldogs hit the road to Atlanta, regularly very competitive at the Class 3A level, for the season's final non-district game, and then take the week off on Friday, Sept. 22.

After that, it's all district for the rest of the year. The Bulldogs welcome Whitehouse to town on Sept. 29, host Nacogdoches on Oct. 6, go to Jacksonville on Oct. 13, to Pine Tree Oct. 20, host Hallsville Oct. 27, vist Henderson Nov. 3, and face Marshall here on Nov. 10 in the regular-season finale.

Vallery is 199-58-1 in his career in Louisiana and Texas, and he has a 105-31-1 record at Kilgore High School.