Rangers stumble at Navarro

Photo by Becky Rodriguez GO, KC — Kilgore College running back Cornelius Shackelford (3) weaves his way through Navarro defenders. Shackelford had a 5- yard touchdown on Saturday, but the Rangers needed even more. The Bulldogs sent KC home with a 28-10 loss in the Southwest Junior College Football Conference opener for both teams. KC (1-2) hosts topranked Blinn on Saturday, a 7 p.m. kickoff. Turnovers and just not enough offense cost the Kilgore College Rangers last Saturday in its Southwest Junior College Football Conference (SWJCFC) opener at Navarro in Corsicana.

And things get even more difficult this weekend.

The Rangers visited Navarro over the weekend for a night game at the new stadium in Corsicana, and in spite of a good performance by tailback LaRon Elmer, KC wasn't able to come home with a win, dropping the game, 28-10.

The Rangers (1-2 on the season, 0-1 in conference play) now have an even-tougher test: they host top-ranked Blinn on Saturday, a 7 p.m. kickoff. Blinn beat conference newcomer Arkansas Baptist, 35-3, on Saturday, and allowed ABU just 74 total yards of offense.

At Navarro on Saturday, offense was hard to come by for KC, who got just four first downs in the first half. Navarro, though, now ranked No. 2 in the latest NJCAA poll, came out swinging, scoring twice early. Tailback Vetric Sam completed the Bulldogs' first drive with a 3-yard touchdown run, and then quarterback Andre Bevil, who had rather pedestrian numbers coming into the game against KC, hit William Powell on a screen pass that Powell turned into a 39-yard touchdown. Navarro took a 14-0 lead.

Powell scored again on a 5-yard run with just over six minutes left in the half, and Navarro led 21-3 at halftime. The field goal came with some hard work for the Rangers' offense — they executed a 57-yard drive that included a 22-yard pickup on a pass play from Shane Fry to Ed Victorian, and when the drive finally stalled, Rico Casas, formerly of Marshall High School, tacked on a 29-yard field goal. KC cornerback Jimmy Anderson ended the half with an interception for the Rangers.

KC made things interesting with a touchdown on the opening drive of the second half. Cornelius Shackelford, a preseason All- American tailback for KC, scored on a 5-yard run to cap the 65- yard, nine-play march, and with 13:46 left, the Rangers were within 11, 21-10.

But Navarro would score once more, putting the game out of reach. Navarro, last year's conference-title-game winner, had 454 total yards on the night.

KC continued with a two-headed quarterback system. Fry finished completing 12-of-28 passes for 140 yards and two interceptions. Freshman Lane Johnson of Groveton went 1-of-5 and also threw a pick.

Elmer rushed for 115 yards on 15 carries for the Rangers.