The #14 Kennedale Wildcats are 2-0 in district play and have established an early lead in District 7-4A. In doing so, they have a secured a 20 win season, set a new individual school record and hit a coaching milestone.
Last week the Cats (20-6, 2-0) defeated Diamond Hill-Jarvis 80-34. For the Diamond Hill game, the Wildcats were led by VJ Hughes with 31 points followed by {{more}}Darius Hammond 17, Colton Otts 13, Dominique Doss 4, Kole Hohenberger 3, T.J. Davis 2, Quardraiz Wadley 2 and Blake Ingram. 1. {{more}}This set up an early match-up of the top two teams in the district, Kennedale and Godley.
The Game: On Tuesday night, Kennedale entertained the Godley Wildcats, who were picked to finish second in district this year. Playing in the ?Cage?, the Kennedale Cats defeated the Godley Cats 92-58 in an unexpected blowout.In Q1, Godley tied the game at 2 at the 7:08 mark and that would be the nearest Godley would come to a lead the rest of the night. Kennedale then went on an 18-5 run before finishing the quarter at 22-16. The Godley Cats cut it to just three with a 3 pointer at the start of the 2nd but the K-Cats outscored them 26-14 in the quarter finishing the half at 48-30. Third quarter ended with the K-Cats up 72-45.
Kennedale players scoring for the game were Darious Hammond 10 points, TJ Davis 4, Blake Ingram 7, Nick Autrey 5, Dominque Doss 6, Colton Otts 2, Kole Hohenberger 9, Aaron Chavez 2 and Quardraiz Wadley 3. Wildcat VJ Hughes outscored all players and set a new school record.
Billy Redmon (1970 photo)had record 42 points
The Record: In 1970, Billy Redmon set a school record for most points in a single game by making 42 points against Cedar Hill in a game that the Wildcats scored 125 points (another school record). In the Godley win this week, senior VJ Hughes scored 44 points to set a new Kennedale High School single game record.
The Milestone: Head Coach Doug Groff quietly passed a career milestone earning his 300th career victory in the win over Godley.
Quietly, because Coach Groff feels strongly that it is all about the team not him. But, the game is about statistics and so here are his.
Groff, in his first assignment as a head coach, inherited in 2003 a strong program that was used to winning district championships with some playoff successes. His teams have pushed it to the next level.
Coach Doug Groff at 2014 state semifinals
Excluding the unfinished 2014-15 season, Wildcat teams under his leadership for eleven years have been
- district champs or co-champions 6 times,
- in the playoffs 9 times
- area champions 5 times,
- regional quarterfinal champion 4 times,
- regional champions twice,
- state final four qualifiers twice, and
- state Champions once (3A).
On season records, his teams have
- winning record in 9 of 11 seasons,
- had 30 or more wins in a single season five times,
- had 20 or more wins eight times
- had an undefeated regular season (33-0), a Kennedale record in 2013-14
- and established a new school record of most wins in a season of 38-1, the best record in the state for (2013-14).
Groff’s overall coaching record to-date is 300-97 for a winning percentage of 75.5%.The Kennedale Wildcats and Lady Kats will play Alvarado there, Friday night, with game time for the Lady Kats at 6:30 and the Wildcats at 8 p.m.
