At this level all the teams are good …
The Kennedale Wildcats, 9-3, have reached the 3rd round of the UIL Championship playoffs for the third time in as many years. The past two years the Wildcats have faced Argyle and lost. Both years, Argyle finished as the state runner-up. {{more: Read more …}}third time is a charm?
This team started with high praise and a top ranking. But, unlike the last two Barrett teams who busted out of the gates putting up gaudy numbers on offense and undefeated regular season records, this team staggered out of the gate and has ended up having to fight its way to respectability finishing by sweeping District 5-4A. It hasn’t been easy and it hasn’t been pretty but they are one of just 16 teams left in the playoffs for Class 4A DI.this is a scrappy working class team
This team doesn’t win with finese. This team is a scrappy working class team and they come ready to play and play hard. And, with this team’s combined talent on defense and offense, it has has a very good chance of crashing through that 3rd round barrier to the state quarterfinals. Only two Kennedale teams have done that in 2001 & 2003.standing in the way is Midlothian Heritage at 11-1
Heritage and Kennedale will meet Friday night in Mansfield at Vernon Newsome Stadium with a 7:30 p.m. kickoff time. This game will be the classic young upstarts vs a long established football power. They have talent and are well coached. Expect a tight game won by a touchdown or less.back story …
Midlothian Heritage is a two year old school. Last year, the football program played a “pick-up” season just with underclassmen. This is their first full season as a UIL competition team in football and they have gone 11-1 and into the third round. They had been expected to finish near the bottom of their district but swept the district instead.
Heritage is coming off an overtime win over Kaufman (8-4) last week by a score of 39-36. Kennedale defeated Terrell (9-3) 15-7 in an equally tough game. Both Kaufman and Terrell were part of a three way tie for 1st place in District 8-4A.
spread offense again …
Heritage runs a spread offense, something Kennedale has seen all season with the exception of Alvarado. Heritage’s only loss this season was against 3A Sunnyvale (11-1) in their first game of the varsity season, losing 56-36 but they have since won 10 straight. They have had a couple of blow-outs against winless teams, similar to Kennedale.season stats …
Receiving yards P/G:
- MH – 244.7; KD – 37.2
Rushing yards P/G:
- MH – 252.0; KN ? 357.8
Ttl Yards:
- MH – 496.7; KN – 394.9
TtLPoints scored:
- MH- 559 KN 458
Ttl Points allowed:
- MH ? 297; KN 179
players to watch for MH
Offense:
- QB #12 Landon Ledbetter(So) 141/216 for 2546yds 32 TDs;
- Receiver Kerrion Fields (Jr) 75/1375 yds, 15 TDS;
- Receiver #2 Noah Parker (So) 38/832, 11 TDs;
- Running Back #19 Nathan Gaskamp (Jr) 175/1319yds, 7.7avg, 14 TDs
Defense:
- #99 Preston Smith (Sr) 127 tackles, 6 TFL;
- #54 Isiah McCrary (Sr) 5 sacks, 39 tackles;
- #5 Dre Washington (So) 5 interceptions, 2 fmb rec, 2 sacks, 51 tackles;
- #1 Brayden Wright (So) 4 interceptions, 8 pass defenses, 60 tackles
common opponents …
Heritage and Kennedale have had three common opponents. Heritage beat Alvarado 17-14 while Kennedale loss 21-14. Heritage beat Wilmer-Hutchins 48-34 and Kennedale won 63-0. Heritage beat Lake Worth 55-0 and Kennedale won by 49-0 in 3 quarters.Kennedale will leave at 3:45 pm on Friday for Mansfield. Join the send off at Kennedale High School be there by 3 p.m.
