Matt Cates runs the ball for Pine Tree during a 2023 game against Kilgore in Pirate Stadium. (Longview News-Journal Photo)

Kilgore (3-1) at Pine Tree (4-0)

Time: 7:30 p.m. Friday

Stadium: Pirate Stadium, 3737 West Loop 281, Longview, 75604

Coaches: Kilgore: Clint Fuller; Pine Tree: Jason Bachman

WHEN KILGORE HAS THE BALL

Players to watch

Kilgore: Kayson Brooks (873 passing yards and nine pass touchdowns) … Jayden Sanders (331 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns) … Rayshaun Williams (245 rushing yards, 91 receiving yards, three rushing touchdowns, and one receiving touchdown) … LaKeyleon Graves (216 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns) … Isaiah Watters (145 rushing yards, 68 receiving yards, three rushing touchdowns, and one receiving touchdown) … Javon Towns (102 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns) … Takieran White (37 receiving yards) … Jacory Walton (19 receiving yards)

Pine Tree: Kesean Bowie (40 tackles, four tackles for loss, three quarterback pressures, two fumble recoveries, two pass breakups, and one forced fumble) … Seth McFarland (35 tackles, two tackles for loss, two pass breakups, and one fumble recovery) … Carl Turner (25 tackles, four pass breakups, and three tackles for loss) … Treavon Rougely (22 tackles, nine quarterback pressures, six tackles for loss, one sack, and one forced fumble) … Peyton Davis (22 tackles, 12 quarterback pressures, two tackles for loss, two sacks, and one pass breakup) … Earl Williams (21 tackles, three quarterback pressures, and one pass breakup) … Dalan Montgomery (22 tackles and one quarterback pressure) … David Lively (15 tackles, eight quarterback pressures, one tackle for loss, and one pass breakup)

Keys: Kilgore and Pine Tree are very competitive on paper, so the tiniest of margins could decide this matchup of state-ranked top-10 teams. The seventh-ranked Bulldogs will battle the sixth-ranked Pirates with the intention of winning a close contest. Kilgore has won two of its three one-possession games this season, but Pine Tree is slightly better at 3-0 in the same scenarios. The Bulldogs will require enough points to outperform the challenging competition during their road trip to Pirate Stadium on Friday, and will need enough production from playmakers all over the field like Kayson Brooks, Jayden Sanders, Rayshaun Williams, LaKeyleon Graves, Isaiah Watters, Javon Towns, Takieran White and Jacory Walton. The Pine Tree Pirates will plan to answer with standout defensive play from Kesean Bowie, Seth McFarland, Carl Turner, Treavon Rougely, Peyton Davis, Earl Williams, Dalan Montgomery and David Lively.

WHEN PINE TREE HAS THE BALL

Players to watch

Pine Tree: Matt Cates (817 passing yards, 26 rushing yards, eight passing touchdowns, and one rushing touchdown) … Jordan Taylor (481 receiving yards, 33 rushing yards, and six receiving touchdowns) … L’Marion Hunter (232 rushing yards, six rushing touchdowns, and six receiving yards) … Brandon Smith (142 receiving yards) … Roger Attaway (77 rushing yards and 38 receiving yards) … Dalan Montgomery (54 receiving yards, five rushing yards, and one receiving touchdown) … Kalil Deckard (56 receiving yards and four rushing yards) … Jaeden Williams (56 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown)

Kilgore: Jakalen Sheffield (40 tackles, seven pass breakups, and two interceptions) … La’Perrion Graves (37 tackles, four tackles for loss, three quarterback hurries, two pass breakups, and one fumble recovery) … La’Keyleon Graves (31 tackles, two tackles for loss, two interceptions, and two pass breakups) … Javon Towns (27 tackles, three pass breakups, and one interception) … Cameron Christian (22 tackles, three and a half sacks, two quarterback hurries, one tackle for loss, and one pass breakup) … Wylie Mitchell (18 tackles, four tackles for loss, three quarterback hurries, one and a half sacks, one forced fumble, and one blocked punt) … Jamarian Morgan (18 tackles, two quarterback hurries, one tackle for loss, and one interception) … David McGowan (18 tackles, one tackle for loss, and one forced fumble)

Keys: The matchup to watch in this game will be Pine Tree’s offense vs. Kilgore’s defense. Pine Tree has scored three more points (109) than Kilgore (106) in the first four weeks this season, but the Bulldogs’ defense has only allowed 77 points to opponents compared to the 79 that the Pirates’ defense has given up to foes. Pine Tree will need another big outing from offensive director Matt Cates, so he can move his team down the field on enough possessions, and connect with important teammates like Jordan Taylor, L’Marion Hunter, Brandon Smith, Roger Attaway, Dalan Montgomery, Kalil Deckard and Jaeden Williams. Kilgore will rely on the efforts of Jakalen Sheffield, La’Perrion Graves, La’Keyleon Graves, Javon Towns, Cameron Christian, Wylie Mitchell, Jamarian Morgan and David McGowan to try and find the necessary answers, and slow down the competition.

Did you know: Kilgore and Pine Tree will meet for the 17th time since the 2004 season … The Bulldogs own a 14-2 series advantage during that stretch after victories in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2022 and 2023, but the Pirates have turned the corner and won two (2018 and 2021) of the last five meetings … Pine Tree dropped down from District 8-5A Division II during February’s biennial UIL realignment event, and will compete in the same football league as Kilgore (9-4A Division I) for the first time since the programs’ shared 14-4A home during the 2010 and 2011 seasons … Pine Tree is ranked sixth in this week’s Class 4A Division I state rankings, and Kilgore is sitting right behind in the seventh spot … Both programs will launch their 2024 District 9-4A Division I play on Friday.

Last Week: Kilgore 37, Pleasant Grove 31 (OT); Pine Tree 30, Hallsville 27

Up next: Henderson at Kilgore; Pine Tree at Mabank