Gameday – Springtown vs Kennedale

Friday night in Springtown, the Kennedale Wildcats (5-0) will take on the Springtown Porcupines (2-3) with game time at 7:30 pm. It is homecoming week in Springtown. {{more}}

The Porcupines (Pojos) are coming off a beating by Brownwood 72-28 last week. The Wildcats are returning from a bi-week after beating Dallas Carter 70-27. This is the first district game for both teams.

Backstory ?

Springtown and Kennedale have played each over the years 19 times and are actually tied at 9-9-1 in the series. But, you would have to be an old Kennedale football fans to remember most of the series.

 

Kennedale first played Springtown in a district series from 1962 to 1967, each winning 3 games. It commenced again in 1974 with a tie 0-0 and continued to 1981 with all but last two of those games in district play. Springtown led the series 7-6-1 at that point. There was a two game non-district series in 1988-89 which Springtown taking both games. The series did not start again until 2012 with Kennedale winning all three with last year?s win by a score of 58-10.

Springtown, in the last two years, finished in 2nd place behind Kennedale at 7-4, 4-1 in 2014 (losing to Sanger in bi-district) and 6-6 in 2013 (losing to Stephenville in area).

 

This year …

 

This year the Pojos, who were picked to finish 3rd in District 5-4A, returned 10 lettermen, graduating 25. Four starters have returned on offense and 3 on defense. This year the Pojos have lost to Decatur (4-1), Liberty Christian (4-1), and Brownwood (5-1-1) but won games against Wichita Falls Hirschi (0-5) and Vernon (2-4).

 

Using the Star Telegram football stats, the Pojos are currently 4th in district in total offense having more success in the air (551 yds) than on the ground (244 yds) at an average of 159 yds per game . The Pojos quarterback, Kaleb Chesney (Jr), has completed 42 of 74 passes for a 57% completion rate with 9 touchdowns and 1 interception. Mateo Herrera (Sr) is the primary target and leads the district with 15 receptions for 220 yards (14.7 yds per) and 5 touchdowns. With their passing game, Springtown is #2 in the district passing offense and also in scoring offense with an average of 31 points per game.

Also using Star Telegram stats, Kennedale leads the district in total offense with average of 493 yards per game and leads in total scoring offense with average of 57 points per game. The Cats lead in rushing offense with 477 yards per but are 5th in district in passing offense at 16 yards per.

On defense Springtown is stingy and is in 2nd place overall in allowing an average of 137 yds per game. They are tops in district in pass defense with just 45 yards allowed in passing per game and in second place in rush defense. Kennedale leads in scoring defense by allowing an average of 20 pts per game ? Springtown is 4th with an average of 37 points per game.

Springtown expects to return to the playoffs again this year and should unless Lake Worth surprises them. Tonight, they would love to be the giant killer and take down undefeated Kennedale against huge odds.

 

For Kennedale, the Cats just has to stick to their game and score early and often. Springtown will not have the athletes that Carter and Dunbar had but they will be more akin to Kaufman in toughness.

Game time 7:30 pm.