Wildcats looking for their groove

 

Whitehouse, off to their best start in several years, were

ready last week for Kennedale, who has struggled through a tough pre-district season. 5A The Whitehouse Wildcats (4-1) won their homecoming game Friday night by beating Kennedale (2-2) 34-21. {{more:Read more … }}

 

fumbles and penalties …

Kennedale running back D.J. Kirven rushed for 186 yards on

28 carries. Sophomore quarterback Evan Jowers rush for one touchdown and passed for another. The Wildcats of Kennedale had 372 yards of offense. But, Kennedale was hurt with a pair of lost fumbles that led to 14

Whitehouse points and 120 yards in penalties, four of which extended Whitehouse

drives by granting fresh sets of downs.

Whitehouse quarterback Tanner Roach, celebrated his return

off the injury list by throwing two touchdown passes in the first half with one

for 62 yards. Add in a 100 yard kick-off return by Whitehouse and a field goal

in the closing minutes, the hometown Cats were ahead by 24-7 at halftime. Kennedale had tied the game earlier in the

half at 7-7 but it that was as near as the Kennedale Cats would come.

big stop in the 3rd …

The Kennedale defense did make a huge stop early in the 3^rd

quarter against Whitehouse, forcing them to turn over the ball at their 22. Kennedale

scored 2 plays later and with the extra point, the score was manageable for

K-Cats at 24-14. But, still in the 3rd, the W-Cats responded with a

touchdown pass that put the game at 31-14.

Still trying to make a game of it, the K-Cats scored at the

beginning of the 4^th to make the score 31-21. However, the 10 point

differential was increase by 3 when Whitehouse kicked a field goal with 6

minutes left in the game. After an

exchange of downs, Kennedale had the ball at the three minute mark but was

unable to make good on the possession and the game ended with the Whitehouse

win.

GAME STATS:

Kennedale rushed for 332 yards and 2 touchdowns and passed

for 40 yards for and 1 touchdown for a combined total of 372 yards and 21 points The season

average per game is 373 and 22.5 points.

OFFENSE STATS: RUSHING:

Aaron Rinehart (Sr) 1-17 Evan Jowers (So) 8-66 (8.3av) 1TD; De’shaun

Kirven (So) 28-186 (6.6av); David Roper (Jr) 2-16 (8.0av); Jaden Knowles (Jr) 11-36

(3.3) 1TD; Darius Sanders (Sr) 2-11 (5.5) PASSING: Evan Jowers (So) 3-8 for 40

yards 1 TD. RECEIVING: Malik Burgess

(Sr) 1-10; Jaden Smith (So) 1-8; Tyler Alphin (Sr) 1-22.

DEFENSE STATS: TACKLES: Ector Rivera (Jr) 9; Michael Landers

(Sr) 9 tfl 1; D. “thunder” Watts (Sr) 7; Baron Browning (Sr) 5 tfl 1; Kevin Tiero (Jr) 2; Ricardo Pena (Jr)

2; Darius Sanders (Sr) 2; Braelin Brown (Jr) 2.

SACKS: Aaron Williams (Sr) 1 for 6;

Gjemar Daniels (Sr) 1 for 4. FUMBLES CAUSED: Jakahari Stafford (Jr) 1; Baron

Browning (Sr) 1; Ricardo Pena (Jr) 1 ? FUMBLES RECOVERED: Darius Sanders (Sr) 1.

SPECIAL TEAMS: KICKOFFS: Kevin Tiero (Jr) 4 for 233 yards (57.8av) ? PUNTS: Cody Gillespie

(Sr) 4-150 (37.5av) ? KICKOFF RETURNS: Devan Mason (Jr) 3-42 (14.0av); Jaden

Knowles (Jr) 1-13 (13.0av). PUNT RETURNS: Larry Brooks (Jr) 2-20 (10.0av). PATs: Kevin Tiero (Jr) 3-3

the frying pan into the fire …

Tonight, the Cats jump out of the frying pan into the fire as

they travel to Nacogdoches High School to play the #1 team in Class 4A West

Orange-Stark (4-0). Originally, billed as the biggest games of the pre-district season

in Class 4A, it has lost some of its luster.

But, it still offers Kennedale a chance to say that the Cats still have

a place in the top 20.

West Orange offers a real test for the Wildcat offense. The defense

has not allowed a single point yet this season. (A safety has been scored on

the offense). Defensively the challenge is just as great for the Wildcats. The

Mustangs have outscored their 4 opponents 183-2 for a 45 point average per game.

There might be some solace in the fact that the Wildcat

opponents this season so far have a combined record of 15-7 while the Mustangs

opponents have a combined record of 7-10. But, for the Cats, the real challenge

seems to be in playing 4 consistent quarters.

This means for Kennedale, not letting the other team mess with their minds. Penalties are mental mistakes and without

those Kennedale could very well be 4-0.

Game time 7:30 p.m. at Nacogdoches High School (neutral site

due to distance) Estmated travel time 3 hours 8 mins. Directions