LOCAL SPORTS IN BRIEF

FOOTBALL

KHS wins freshmen, JV contests

Kilgore High School won both the freshmen and junior varsity games at Lindale on Friday, with the freshmen going 6-0 on the season and the JV improving to 5-1.

In the case of the KHS freshmen, they defeated a group of Lindale players that had never lost a game — as seventh, eighth or freshmen — until last night.

In a game filled with fireworks, Kilgore had the last word. Lindale scored with 48 seconds left in the contest to go in front, 42-41, but then the Bulldogs' offense went to work. Ladarius Anthony, who had a huge night for KHS, picked up 10 yards on first down, then got out of bounds around midfield. The second play went for only about two yards, and Kilgore had to hurry.

Quarterback Riley Toler dropped back, as he had for much of the night, and completed a pass to Shaun Williams from Kilgore's 48-yard-line down to the Lindale 3, with 12 seconds left. Lindale called a time out to try and ice KHS kicker Hugo Orta.

"We asked him how he felt about it," KHS freshmen coach Joey Pippen said. "He said, 'Coach, I got this,' and he did. It was a big, big kick."

Kilgore kicked off to Lindale, but the Eagles had under five seconds remaining, and Kilgore's defense held.

It was a marathon night for the offenses that started in wild fashion. The Bulldogs kicked off to Lindale to open the game, but Anthony caused a fumble on the play, and Jose Barron recovered it. The Bulldogs would score on the first play from scrimmage as Anthony, fittingly, scored on a 15- yard run. Orta's extra point was good, and KHS led 7-0.

Lindale scored, though, and went for the two-point conversion and got it, leading 8-7.

A 25-yard pass from Toler to Matthew Dickey set up KHS on the next drive, and Anthony scored again, this time from five yards out. Anthony finished the game with 200 yards rushing and four touchdowns.

After a second Lindale score and conversion, the Bulldogs put together another drive ending with a 2-yard Anthony touchdown this time, and then Williams picked off a pass on the next Lindale drive and returned it 60 yards for another score, putting Kilgore in front 29-16.

Just before the half, Toler hit Williams on a 45-yard pass play, but he was tripped up at the Lindale 5, and then time expired. The two made up for it in the second half, first with a 50-yard touchdown pass following the second-half kickoff, then on the play that set up Orta's game-winning kick.

Toler finished 4-for-5 for 160 yards and the touchdown to Williams. Williams had three catches and Dickey had one.

Kilgore's JV, coached by Jay Dean, got a 20-12 win in the nightcap.

Lindale opened the game with a touchdown, Dean said, but missed the extra point. Kilgore scored on its first series, got the two-point conversion and never trailed.

Dean complimented offensive linemen Pat Colbert, Dylan Nixon, Austin Miller, Dylan Jordan, Brandon Lopez and Dylan Leach for protecting quarterback Kaleb Brisendine well and for opening holes for Chris Crosby. Defensively, he complimented Robert Poland and Josh Medford.

Bulldogs host Lindale; KC to Tyler

This is another busy weekend in local football, as previewed Thursday in the News Herald's Game Time Weekly section.

Kilgore (4-1), back in action after an open date last week, begins its District 14-4A schedule tonight at R.E. St. John Memorial Stadium against Lindale (5-0). Kickoff is set for 7:30, as usual.

Other high school games involving teams in the News Herald's coverage area include:

• Harleton (4-1) at Sabine (2-3). The Cardinals had won two in a row for the first time since the 2002 season, but have lost their last two, both District 18-2A games, and need this win badly. Harleton is 2-0 in district competition.

• Elkhart (3-2) at West Rusk (5-0). The Raiders were also off last week after sprinting out to an impressive 5-0 record. The Raiders' homecoming is tonight, as well.

• Overton (3-3) at Alto (4-2). Prior to last week's run-in with 10th-ranked Cayuga, Overton had won three straight games. Tonight, the Mustangs face a team that has won the Class 1A state championship the last two seasons.

• Iredell at Leverett's Chapel (4-1). This is a six-man game, the first district game for LC since the school resumed its football program.

On Saturday, the Kilgore College Rangers (3-2) will visit Rose Stadium in Tyler to face the Tyler Junior College Apaches, who are 2-3 and come off a 52-3 loss to Blinn last weekend. A win tomorrow would move KC to 3-1 in Southwest Junior College Football Conference play — that could be huge in a conference that comes down to the wire every year. Kickoff tomorrow is at 3 p.m.

VOLLEYBALL

Kilgore hosts Lindale Friday at 4:30

The Kilgore High School volleyball team will try to get back on the winning track Friday afternoon, hosting Lindale as District 14-4A play continues. Kilgore (2-2 in district competition so far) saw a two-game district win streak end at Whitehouse on Tuesday.

The Lady Bulldogs' varsity will play at 4:30.

SOFTBALL

KHS boosters meet Monday

The Kilgore High School softball booster club will meet Monday at 6 p.m. at the locker room of the softball field on Harris Street. The meeting is open to anyone interested in supporting KHS softball, and for more information, call Lee Ann Warren at (903) 985-0681 or Frank Baggett at (903) 987-1463.

GOLF

KC hall tourney Oct. 31

Kilgore College will host its Hall of Fame benefit golf tournament Friday, Oct. 31, and hall inductees will be introduced at a luncheon set for 11:30 a.m., Nov. 1, in the Devall Student Center Ballroom on the KC campus.

Hall of fame members will also be recognized later in the day during the halftime of the KC-Cisco game at 3 p.m.

"As always, I look forward to this year's Hall of Fame events. It is one of the most rewarding and inspirational events of the year," said Jimmy Rieves, athletic director. "It is great to make connections with the athletes and supporters who have ensured over the years that Kilgore College was one of the premier athletic programs in the country."

The golf tournament is set for 11 a.m. Oct. 31 at Meadowbrook Country Club. The tournament, a 36-team, two-man scramble, is sponsored by KC, The University of Texas at Tyler and Aramark. All proceeds benefit KC athletics.

The college is still looking for hole sponsors for the golf tournament or any business that can donate door prizes. For more information, contact Gail Jackson, athletic secretary, at (903) 988-7537.