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| KILGORE - There wasn't a shred of doubt about this one.
Shaking off the much-despised "doormat" tag, the Kilgore High School Bulldogs stamped themselves as an outside choice to gain a chunk of the District 9-AA crown by upsetting the heavily favored Longview Lobos, 13-0, here Friday night. Playing without their ace halfback, Robert Powell, the Bulldogs punched over touchdowns in the first and second quarters and then threw up stout defenses to hurl back several Lobo scoring thrusts. It was Kilgore's first district victory in two seasons, and the first time in a long drought that the Bulldogs have scored more than one touchdown in a ball game. Burrell Dykes, a regular end who was inserted into the fullback hole when short yardage was necessary, was Kilgore's new "secret weapon." The 214-pounder blasted his way through the middle for both Bulldog counters. Kilgore's defenses bottled up Longview's vaunted Sonny Jones, allowing the Lobo star only 33 net yards gained in 19 carries. Jones and Quarterback Jerry Matthews tried to reach deep into the fire to pull the game out with glasses. Both got burned. The Lobos threw 36 passes, but the Bulldogs were equal to that threat, allowing only 14 completions for a non-too-impressive 122 yards. Longview gained only 36 net yards rushing. The Bulldogs dominated the ground game, rolling up 257 net yards rushing for 13 first downs. In posting their first triumph over the Lobos since 1948, the Bulldogs played near-perfect ball, both on offense and defense. Leader popped loud and often and the 'Dogs block and tackled with reckless abandon. The opening minutes of the ball game were dark ones for the Bulldogs. After a touchback on the opening kickoff the local punted out of bounds on their own 37. Field Judge Rosy Adkisson ruled pass interference on Longview's first pass from scrimmage, giving the Lobos a first down on the Bulldog 10. But the Bulldogs were ready for the Jones assault, halting the Longview triple-threaten in three swipes at the line, finally taking over on the 6. Kilgore kicked out to the 29, the Lobos fumbled and quarterback Nolan Killingsworth recovered on the 22, giving the Bulldogs room to work. Kilgore marched to the 45 before being forced to punt again. Longview lost four yards in thrusts at the line and kicked to the Kilgore 25. The Bulldogs returned it to their own 41 and started their first touchdown march. Halfback Pat Foster, Kilgore's leading ground gainer of the night with 110 net yards rushing in 19 attempts, slipped through left tackle for 10 to the Longview 49. Jimmy Woodson got six through left guard. Dykes, making his first appearance as a fullback, picked up three to the 40. Killingsworth, running the quarterback sneak for the first time since the Kilgore-Freeport game, got 13 to the Longview 27 for a first down. Foster, a little 136-pounder, went over right tackle for 23 yards to the Longview 4. The remaining work was turned over to Dykes. Dykes "lowered the ram" and picked the remaining yardage on three plunges, the touchdown coming from a half-yard out. Woodson's attempted conversion was low. The first quarter ended as Kilgore kicked off to the Lobos. Longview's running game was stalled again as Jones, with fourth down and one to go on the Lobo 47, gambled on a smash into the line. The Bulldogs threw him for a one yard loss and took over on downs on the 46. Foster went through right tackle for 4. Fullback Charles Hill garnered a like amount, hill picked up a half-yard and then Woodson broke through right guard for 2 1/2 yards for a first down on the Longview 35. Killingsworth was halted in his tracks on another sneak, but Foster continued to gain with another five over right tackle. On the next play Woodson slashed through left tackle, cut to his right and raced 22 yards to the Longview 8. Dykes became a fullback once again. He hammered to left tackle for three. Foster was halted for no gain. Woodson drove into left tackle for 4 to the one. On fourth down, Dykes ripped through left guard for the touchdown. End John Jennings converted to put the Bulldogs out in front, 13-0. Longview turned to the air lanes in the second half, and racked up seven first downs. The Bulldogs allowed the Lobos to complete the short ones, waiting for the law of averages to catch up with them allowing Hopson's harries to intercepted one. Longview couldn't complete a long pass. Early in the fourth quarter, Kilgore drove to the Longview 11 where Foster fumbled after catching a pass from Killingsworth. The Lobos recovered and began their only sustained drive of the night. With Jones throwing from the double wing, and mixing in a few ground plays to keep the linemen alive, Longview pushed 78 yards in 16 plays to the Kilgore 11. But there the attack bogged down. Jones threw three incomplete passes and was stopped for no gain when he tried to sweep right end on fourth down. The last stand virtually clinched the verdict for the Bulldogs. Late in the ball game, guard Tommy Rodgers intercepted a short pass by Jones and almost got away for a touchdown. The game ended with Kilgore on the Longview 22. The entire Bulldog line played great defensive ball. End David Newbolt was constantly in Jones' face when the Lobo star tried to pass. Guard DeWitt Laroux, who is weekly gaining more and more all-district notice, covered the field like a blanket, making countless tackles and batting bases out of the air. Tackle Danny Tatum played all but two minutes of hard-charging football. Defensive halfback James Austin and Jerry Watson were instrumental in keeping the Lobos from scoring via the aerial route. Jerry Matthews handles some of the passes for the Lobos and did well, and Jud McRee, Ronnie Lemmons, Don Huff and Billy Shaw helped with some neat receptions. But the Lobos' usually strong running attack just wasn't a factor. It was stopped cold. Shibley Horaney and Dick Nash played good defensive ball for the Wolves but they always nailed the runner after he had gone too far. |