Eight Rangers SWJCFC All-Conference

File photo by Lester Murray BIG PLAY — Kilgore College receiver Kendrick Johnson (5, in the center) makes a great catch between two Trinity Valley defenders. Johnson was one of eight Rangers named SWJCFC all-conference on Monday, one of five to earn first-team. Eight Kilgore College Rangers were selected following the Southwest Junior College Football Conference season as All- Conference, and five of them made the first team, the conference announced Monday.

Tight end Woody McClendon, wide receiver/kick returner Kendrick Johnson, cornerbacks Victor Carmichael and Jimmy Anderson, defensive lineman Alex Kautai, linebacker L.T. Gaston, wide receiver Cortez Smith and kicker Rico Casas were all named all-conference — McClendon, Johnson, Gaston, Carmichael and Kautai were named first-team, and Smith, Anderson and Casas to the second team.

KC finished the regular season and the playoffs with a 6-4 record. The Rangers, in coach J.J. Eckert's second season, had the second-best record in the conference and lost to Blinn in the first round of the playoffs. There is still the possibility the Rangers may be offered and accept an invitation to a bowl game.

McClendon was hampered early with an injury, but finished with nine catches for 89 yards and a touchdown. Johnson had 15 catches for 336 yards and three touchdowns, and was the team's return specialist, as well. He had 13 punt returns for 262 yards (averaged 20 yards per return) and 15 kick returns for 355 yards (23.7 yards per return).

Carmichael had two interceptions, one for a touchdown, recovered a blocked punt for a touchdown, and blocked two more punts, recovering one of those for a score. Gaston had an interception for a touchdown, had 62 tackles, four sacks and a fumble recovery as well.

Kautai had 44 tackles and four sacks.

Cortez Smith was the Rangers' leading receiver. He had 32 catches for 536 yards and five scores. Anderson finished the season with eight interceptions, leading the conference and the nation in that category. He returned one for a score. He had 40 tackles this season.

Casas missed time late in the year due to an injury, and Marty Kulat did a nice job filling in. Casas, a former Marshall High School standout, scored 31 points on the season for KC, and had a game-winning field goal against Blinn in an overtime win in September.

The conference's most valuable player was Blinn quarterback Terrance Cain, who threw for over 2,600 yards and almost 30 touchdowns on the season. The offensive most valuable player was Navarro's Anthony Morgan, and the defensive MVP was Blinn's Jared Price, who had 16 sacks this year.

Joining KC's McClendon on the first team were Cain, Reggie Brown (RB, Blinn), William Powell (RB, Navarro), Aaron Wagoner (C, Cisco), Dexter Ransom and Justin Johnson (WRs, Blinn), and offensive linemen Morgan and Roy Watts (both of Navarro), Logan Clair (Northeastern Oklahoma A&M), and Marquis Franklin (Blinn).

First-team defense is Kilgore's Carmichael at corner, Gaston at linebacker, Kautai on the D-line, and Johnson as the return specialist. The first-team defensive line with Kautai were Price (Blinn), Brandon Joiner (Navarro), and Travis Stephens (Blinn). Linebackers in addition to Gaston are T.J. London (Cisco) and Vernon Brooks (Blinn). The secondary with Carmichael is Malcolm Williams (Trinity Valley), Calvin Rubles (Tyler Junior College), and Byron Landon (Blinn). Also, Travis Cobb (Blinn) at return specialist, punter Bryan Day (Cisco) and kicker Brad Hicks (Blinn).

Members of the second-team offense: quarterback Pat Cook (TVCC), Kilgore's Smith and James Cleveland (TVCC) at receiver; tight end Prizell Brown (Blinn); linemen Jeremy Bean (NEO), Fonda White (TJC), Phillip Blake (TJC), and Brian Krauskoph (Blinn), and center Chris Brunson (TJC); tailbacks Cardel Clemons (NEO), O'Brian Bell (TJC) and Chad Winbush (TVCC).

Second-team defense is defensive linemen Jason Thompson (TVCC), John White (NEO), Dewayne Baziel (Cisco) and Darby Jackson (Navarro); linebackers Brad Graham (Navarro), Jimmy Spann (NEO) and Prentice Joseph (Blinn); secondary Anderson of KC, Trevor Drayton (Navarro) and Melvin Hopkins (Navarro); returner Micah McDonald (Arkansas Baptist), KC's Casas as the kicker and Blinn's Mark Sprague, the punter.