Good and bad day for Kilgore soccer

GOOD OPENING DAY FOR THE BOYS — Top: Kilgore High School's Fidel Cedillo (center) gets a header, and would score in the game against Palestine, a game KHS would go on to win in a shootout. Above: Kilgore's T.J. Knight (2) tries to guide the ball away from a Palestine defender. The Bulldogs won twice on Friday in their own eight-team tournament. Kilgore's girls lost twice in Mount Pleasant. Things couldn't have gone much better for the Kilgore High School boys soccer team on Friday.

And things couldn't have gone a lot worse for the KHS girls.

The Bulldogs, playing host to an eight-team home tournament in fairly nice weather on Friday before the cold weather moved in, beat Palestine in a shootout during the day game of the tourney, then got a close win late over Whitehouse.

The Lady Bulldogs, though, saw a key player get injured in their morning game in a tournament at Mount Pleasant, and wound up losing both of Friday's games.

Kilgore's girls were finished in Mount Pleasant and will finally get to play at home on Tuesday, hosting Whitehouse here at R.E. St. John Memorial Stadium, beginning with a 5:30 p.m. junior varsity start. At press time on Saturday, Kilgore's boys still had two more games in the tournament. They'll also be in action Tuesday night, but it will be at Nacogdoches, also a 5:30 p.m. JV start.

Photos by Lester Murray • Lady 'Dogs in Mount Pleasant tourney: Coach Amanda Farmer was disappointed after the second day of play in Mount Pleasant, and not all because of the outcomes of the two games.

Macy Reynolds of the Lady Bulldogs was injured in the first game against Henderson, an apparent collar bone injury, and had to be taken to the hospital.

Kilgore went on to lose the game, 3-1. Emily Green scored off a free kick of the foul on which Reynolds was injured, but that was the lone goal of the game for Kilgore (0-2-1).

Later in the day, Kilgore also lost to Nac, 1-0, giving up a late goal.

The JV, coached by Alice Crocker, lost to North Lamar 2- 0 early in the day on Friday, then earned a tie with Mount Pleasant.

• 'Dogs open well: KHS firstyear head coach Michael Bradshaw was pleased with the play of his team on Friday after the Bulldogs picked up a win in a Texas shootout over Palestine, then scored late to beat Whitehouse.

A goal by Fidel Cedillo put Kilgore in front with 2:21 left in the first half against Palestine, but the Wildcats would score with 5:41 left in the second half to tie things up. In the Texas shootout, Palestine went in front by one, but Ryan Bustin scored to tie it up again.

That would become a constant, as Kilgore goalkeeper Michael Jobe and his Palestine counterpart both played very well. Cedillo and Jose Barron both also scored for Kilgore in the shootout, and finally, Garrett Wood got the ball in the right corner of the net to give KHS the 5-4 win, and was then mobbed by teammates.

In the late game, Kilgore beat Whitehouse 1-0. Zach Driver scored for Kilgore with about 12 minutes left.

Kilgore was to face Pittsburg on Saturday afternoon, and then a later game. See coverage of the final day of the tournament in Tuesday's News Herald.