Kilgore rallies for 22-15 win over Blinn

Published 7:24 am Sunday, November 3, 2024

KILGORE — A week after losing a heartbreaker at the buzzer, the No. 14 ranked Kilgore College Rangers delivered the heartbreak here Saturday in a 22-14 Southwest Junior College Football Conference win over the Blinn Buccaneers at R.E. St. John Memorial Stadium.

The Rangers blocked a potential go-ahead 40-yard field goal with just over two minutes remaining and the game tied at 14-14. Izeal Jones returned the ball to Blinn 40-yard line, and three plays later, KC was in the end zone with what proved to be the game-winner.

Ironically, the Rangers lost on a 40-yard field goal as time expired last week in Tyler.

This time around, the Rangers were on the good side of a fantastic finish, improving to 7-2 overall and 4-2 in conference play while Blinn dropped to 4-4 and 2-4.

The homecoming win locked up one of the league’s playoff spots for the Rangers, who will close out the regular season at Northeastern Oklahoma next Saturday.

Both teams struggled offensively in the first half, which led to a 7-7 tie.

Blinn took a 7-0 lead on a 62-yard run by Kelton Weathers with 9:35 left in the first quarter.

KC answered with 32.5 seconds left in the first period on a 2-yard run by Jarik Jones that was set up by a 77-yard run from receiver Cedric Harden on a sweep play.

That was all of the offense until the fourth quarter when Weathers set up a touchdown with a 40-yard run. Weathers finished the day with 161 yards on 21 carries, but 105 of his yards came on two carries.

His 40-yard blast up the middle set up a 2-yard TD run by Devin Simpson that put the Bucs on top 14-7 with 8:40 left in the contest, but Devontae Mozee game the Rangers a much-needed spark when he returned the ensuing kickoff to near midfield.

Jarik Jones connected with Tanner Harrison for 11 yards on a first-down pass, and then kept for 15 yards. Jarik Jones later picked up four yards on third-and-2, but back-to-back penalties pushed the Rangers back to the 27-yard line.

On the next play, the KC quarterback found a wide-open Harrison near the KC sideline, and Harrison outran everyone to the end zone. The PAT by Anthony Monsivais tied thins at 14 apiece with 5:07 remaining.

KC tried an onside kick and recovered it, but the Rangers were flagged for touching the ball early and Blinn set up in good field position at the Ranger 44-yard line.

Blinn drove to the 23-yard line before stalling and bringing out Max Nowak for a 40-yard field goal attempt, which was swatted away.

Izeal Jones’ return and a 15-yard penalty on Blinn gave KC the ball at the Buccaneer 40-yard line, and two plays later Jones went up top to Mozee, who got twisted around but still managed to locate the ball and haul it in for the go-ahead TD with 1:04 showing on the clock.

The snap on the PAT was dropped, but holder Aden Reyes kept his head, scrambled and hit tight end Jordan Brown in the end zone for a 2-point conversion and a 22-14 KC lead.

The Ranger defense sealed the win with a strip sack on Blinn’s next possession — a ball also recovered by Izeal Jones — and KC was able to run two plays before kneeling out the rest of the clock.

The Rangers, who now own a 52-32 advantage in the overall series against Blinn, finished with 321 total yards offensively.

Harden rushed for 83, Jarik Jones rushed for 41 and passed for 95 — completing 5 of 11 passes — and Mozee finished with three catches for 46 yards.

Blinn had 329 total yards. QB Rylan Wooten was 10 of 19 for 108 yards and an interception — a pass picked off by KC’s Dorian Friend.