Two years ago, the Wildcats had their first ever undefeated regular season going 12-1. Last year the team matched that record with another undefeated regular season and 12-1 record. This team couldn?t match that record but made it to the UIL Round 5 state championships, one round short of the state finals. The three year record for the Cats is 35-6. Pretty nice. See current roster Playoff
Roster 2016
playoff jitters ?
Call it first time semifinal playoff jitters. Whatever the reason, this was a game that got away from the Wildcats and one that will stay with the coaches and players for awhile. But at some point they will recall the whole season and what they accomplished. And they will remember that they held the Wylie Bulldogs to 165 yards of total offense and limited the cornerstone of the Dogs game plan to less than 100 yards on the ground.Unfortunately, the Cats turned the ball over twice on a fumble and an early interception and then failed on a fake punt attempt. Two other other fourth downs failed because of a juggled punt attempt and on a miscommunication. In the end Kennedale was 6-12 on third downs and 1-4 on fourth down and that is hard to overcome.
But the Cats did grind out 281 total yards. DJ Kirven (So) had 142 yards on 25 carries for a 5.68 average and 1 TD. Jaden Knowles (Jr) recorded 126 yards on 24 carries. Evan Jowers picked up 24 yards on four carries and 1 TD.
game story ?
Kennedale surprised Wylie by scoring on the Cats first possession. Kennedale quarterback Evan Jowers sprinted up field for a 23 yard TD but the extra point kick failed. Wylie was not use to being behind at the beginning of a game. Adding to the surprise, Kennedale stopped Wylie on their first two possessions limiting them to just 3 yards in 8 plays.
Cats defense limited Wylie?s running game to less than 100 yards for the first time this season (
Photo: Staci Otts)
On their third effort, the Dogs put together an 8 play 59 yard drive to go ahead 7-6. Kennedale quickly responded with another TD (Kirven, 48 yards) to take their final lead of the game at 13-7. The Cats were still in control when the defense put up a huge stand facing a Wylie 1st and 10 at the Kennedale 28. Three plays and facing 4th and 7, Wylie elected to go for it and the Cats threw them back.But Kennedale was hurt when the Cats netted only 4 yards after taking over at the KN 25 and ended up turning over the ball at the KN 28. It took the Bulldogs only 4 plays to cover the 28 yards and to go ahead 14-13 going into the half.Stats at the half showed that the Cats led in total yards 159 to 101, a reflection of the close game with a 1 point difference.In the second half, Kennedale limited the Bulldogs to 64 yards but Wylie benefited from another short yardage situation where the Dogs needed only 32 yards to score and to make it 21-13. Kennedale netted another 122 yards in the second half but on their best drive of that half they fumbled at the Wylie 21 and the Bulldogs recovered.
Wylie was surprised how big the o-line for the Wildcats were (
Photo: Staci Otts)
But it was a game even in the closing seconds. With Kennedale behind by eight points and less than 2 minutes, Wylie had the ball and just had to run out the clock. But, facing a 4th and 18 on the Wylie 30 with 17 seconds left, the Dogs punted.Kennedale took over at the 50 and had maybe two plays to get a score and a two point play. An interception at the Wylie 21 ended Kennedale last chance, as small as it was.
Enough said about that game, Kennedale can celebrate the year and know that the Cats will be returning 15 starters next year – 8 on offense and 7 on defense. It will be the first time in 3 years that the backfield will be returning. Good things are predicted.
