KILGOROUND

OK, NO MORE COUNTDOWN. No more waiting. Football is here, and boy, was the first local game exciting.

If you missed it, the Kilgore College Rangers opened their season on Saturday night in hot El Dorado, Kan., against Butler College. The Rangers lost, 29-28, but gave the nation's No. 4 team all it could handle in front of about 8,000 fans. Read more on page 8 in sports today.

This weekend, Kilgore College goes to Rose Stadium in Tyler to face the Tyler Junior College Apaches, a 7 p.m. Saturday kickoff. The Rangers and Apaches meet twice a year: a non-conference game (this one) and a conference game. Needless to say, there will be no problem with a lack of intensity for this game on either side.

Here's a rundown of the high school games this weekend in the Kilgore News Herald's coverage area.

On Friday:

• Kilgore High School opens its season here against Crockett at R.E. St. John Memorial Stadium. The Bulldogs of the KHS variety host the "other" Bulldogs in a rematch of a double-overtime game won by Kilgore last season. This will Kilgore's 13th season under coach Mike Vallery.

• Overton High School's Mustangs open the season at home at Coach Chester Roy Stadium against Union Hill.

• West Rusk's Raiders open the 2007 campaign - the first at WRHS under new head coach John Frazier - at home against Cushing.

• The six-man team at Leverett's Chapel will make its first of many trips to the Metroplex area this season to face Dallas Academy.

Saturday:

• Coach David Feaster will coach the first game of his Sabine High School - and Texas high school - coaching career on Saturday night at Gladewater's Jack Murphy Stadium in the Gladewater Kickoff Classic. The Cardinals' opponent is Class 2A power Troup.

All the Friday night games begin at 7:30. Sabine's game against Troup is set for a 7 p.m. kickoff.

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HERE'S A RELATED ITEM I've been asked to pass along.

The second annual East Texas Kickoff Luncheon will be at the University of Texas at Tyler's Patriot Center tomorrow from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. The event, I'm told, is an effort to celebrate football in East Texas, and 31 high school and college programs will be represented, either by coaches or administrators. Players in attendance will be awarded $250 in scholarships, and the guest speaker will be former Green Bay Packer Terrence Murphy, a former Chapel Hill High School and Texas A&M University standout. KTBB's David Smoak will be the event's emcee.

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REGISTRATION FOR the fall season of the East Texas Hockey League, a roller hockey league that plays its games at Interskate in Kilgore (located off Highway 259 on Kilgore Street) is under way.

Teams are forming for boys and girls ages under 10 through high school. Forms may be picked up at the skating rink or at Craig Eye Associates (800 Highway 259 north) until Sept. 9, the week of the first practice. There is a registration fee of $60, and late registration is $75. There is a $10 discount for multiple members of a family.

The first games are Sept. 30, and the season wraps Nov. 18. Registration information is online at easttexashockey. com or by calling (903) 984-3729.

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ONE MORE THING: I knew I would leave someone out.

In the football preview when I was mentioning former Kilgore High School players currently playing college football, I left out former KHS running back Jerek Sheffield, who plays right here at Kilgore College! My apologies, Jerek; the omission was certainly an accident.

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY TODAY to Cherokee Autumn Buck, Dean Taliaferro, Billye Joyce Hawkins, J.D. Dorman, Mary Ida Wyatt, Libby Laird, Peggy Jacobs, Robert Earl Williams, Owi Simpson, Daniel Swaim, Dakota Weinberg, Sunni Tanner, Maureene Scoggin

Also, a happy birthday today to Enos! Actor Sonny Shroyer, who was dipstick Deputy Enos Straight on "The Dukes of Hazzard" and a short-lived spinoff, is 72 today. Also celebrating: country singer Billy Grammer (82), singer Shania Twain (42), actor David Soul (64), actor Daniel Stern (50), actress Emma Samms (47), actor Jason Priestley (38), and singer LeAnn Rimes (25).

Happy Anniversary today to Mr. and Mrs. James Dene Baker