Going into the Region II semifinal game, the Kennedale Wildcats (12-1) were the favorite over the Argyle Eagles (12-1) but ended up on the short end of a rain-soaked game at SMU Ford Stadium in Dallas Friday night 58-34. {{more}}
It was an offense dominated game as expected, but, it was the Eagles who rolled up 503 total yards and 7 touchdowns versus 423 yards and 5 touchdowns for the Wildcats of Kennedale.
Despite a 26 degree wind chill factor, Kennedale fans came and stayed Photo Staci Otts
Quarter 1 ? 4 touchdowns, fumble, blotch punt, blocked extra point, safety – Argyle 16-13
For the Wildcats the first half was the better game. At kickoff it was 40 degrees with a lite rain, wind was from the north at 10 mph and Argyle was receiving.
- Argyle turned it over immediately when Argyle senior Gage McCook fumbled the opening kick return, their only turnover of the game. Kennedale took advantage with a recovery on the Argyle 39 yard line and three plays later, Quardraiz Wadley (Sr) scored from 3 yards out giving Kennedale the lead for first and only time in the game at 7-0.
- Argyle, showing that they came to play, covered 73 yards in 3 running plays and tied the game with 8:49 in the game at 7-7.
- Argyle using 8 players stacked inside to stop Kennedale’s acclaimed run game, the Eagles forced the Cats to go 4 and out (helped by a Cat penalty). Then when the Kennedale snap sailed over the punter?s head, Argyle was able to take over at the Kennedale 19. Needing only 19 yards, Argyle scored four plays later to go ahead 14-7 at 5:19.
- Kennedale fought back with a 9 play, 70 yard drive, helped by a 28 yard scamper by QB Kasier McGothen (Sr), a Wadley 14 yard run and the 14 yard touchdown run by Dailyn Wells (Sr). Par for the evening, the extra point attempt was blocked and returned by Argyle for 2 points to give Argyle a 16-13 lead just before the end of the quarter.
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| The Wildcats ran for 429
yards and 5 touchdowns in the loss to Argyle Photo StaciOtts |
Quarter 2 – 4 touchdowns, failed 4th down attempt, missed field goal – Argyle 30-27
- The Kennedale defense forced Argyle to go 4 and out after an Argyle 10 yard penalty. With great field position at the Argyle 44, Wadley reeled off a 11 yard run to the A33 but on the next three plays the Cats netted a -1 yard along with one penalty that gave the Cats a 4th and 16 at the A39. After the 4th down attempt failed, Argyle went 64 yards, using a pass/run offense to score and take 23-13 lead at 6:20.
- The Wildcats answered back with a penalty free 75 yard, 9 play scoring drive helped by runs of 32 and 39 yards by Wadley. At 3:15 in the half it was 23-20.
- Argyle double down and on a 73 yard pass play from QB Dane Ledford to Drew Estrada and bumped the score to 30-20 at the 2:43 mark in the half.
- Matching Argyle?s scoring spree, Kennedale?s Wells went 75 yards on the first play from scrimmage to bring the Cats back within 3 at 30-27 at 2:31.
- In a driving rain, Argyle, starting at the A17 yard line, reached the Kennedale 37 on four straight passes. Switching to the run game, the Eagles reached the K13 yard line but were stopped and missed a field goal attempt. The half ended at 30-27.
Halftime stats – Argyle 307 total yards (pass 139, rush 168), 4 touchdowns, 1 safety, 1 missed field goal, 1 loss fumble. Kennedale 269 yards all by run, 4 touchdowns, 1 blocked extra point, 1 blotched punt.
Not missing a beat in the wind and rain the Wildcat band plays during the Kennedale/Argyle game
Photo StaciOtts
Quarter 3 ? 1 touchdown, failed 4th down attempt, 1 fumble – Argyle 37-27
Raining hard with the temperature at 40 degrees and a wind chill of 26 degrees. the second half started well for Kennedale.
- The Wildcats moved the ball from the K37 to the Argyle 28 in 9 plays helped by an 18 yard run by Wells. Then on a 3&2 from the A38, Wadley gained four yards and a 1st down but lost the ball to Argyle in a fumble. In a repeat performance from the 1st half, Ledford connected with Estrada for a 72 yard Eagle touchdown pass on 2nd and 4 at the A28, making the score 37-27 at 7:13. This would be the only score by either team in the 3rd period.
- Kennedale and Argyle swapped 4 and outs before Kennedale mounted a time consuming drive. Starting at their own 19, the Cats sustained an 11 play drive that crossover into the 4th quarter. The drive was helped by an Argyle penalty that set up a 4th and one at the K43. The Wildcat gambled and Wadley picked up the 1st down plus 19 yards.
4th Quarter ? 4 touchdowns, 2 failed 4th down attempts, fumble for TD
- In the drive that began in the 3rd, Wadley scored on a 3rd and 1 at the A17 to bring the Cats back within three at 37-34 at 10:42 in the game.
- Unable to stop Arygle, the Eagles answered back with a 10 play 73 yard scoring drive, capped with a Ledford 31 yard run at 6:51, Kennedale was down again by 10 at 44-34.
- With the clocking ticking, the Cats, in a 6 play drive from the K25 that netted only 6 yards after a Kennedale penalty, was forced to go for it on a 4th and 17. With the game still in play, the Cats attempted a fake punt and the attempted pass fell incomplete. Needing only 31 yards, Argyle?s Taylor Sweatt picked that up in one play to push the Eagle lead to 51-34 with 3:37 in the game.
- Whatever hope the Cats had, was dashed when five plays later and facing another 4th down situation, Kennedale fumbled and the Eagles recovered and took it back 46 yards for the final touchdown of the game, 58-34 with Argyle ahead at 1:19 left in the game, That completed all the scoring for the game and moved Argyle into the Region 2 finals.
just couldn’t finish it …
On this day, Argyle was the better team, beating Kennedale in just about all phases of the game. Eight penalties for Kennedale didn?t help along with the two fumbles and blotched punt. However, Kennedale was still in the game into the 4th quarter, down just by three, fighting to the end.
lots of reasons to be proud …
At 12-1 and an unbeaten regular season along with a 4th district championship, the 2015 Kennedale Wildcats had a very good run and a lot of reasons to be proud.
Kennedale Argyle Total yards 429 503 First downs 18 20 Rushes/Yds 63/429 31/366 Average rush 6.81 11.81 Comp-Att-Int 0-1-0 9-14-0 Pass yards 0 137 Comp pct 0 64.29 Punts 1 2 Punting Yards 13 75 Punting Average 13 37.5 Fumbles-Lost 4-3 1-1 Penalties-yards 8-36 6-65 KENNEDALE
Passing Comp Att Pct Yds TD INT Ector Rivera 0 1 0 0 0 0
Rushing Att Yds Yds/Att TD Dailyn Wells 22 182 8.27 2 Quardraiz Wadley 30 220 7.33 3 Kaiser McGlothen 9 44 4.89 0 Cody Gillespie 1 -2 -2.00 0 Team 1 -15 -15.00 0 ARGYLE
Passing Comp Att Pct Yds TD INT Dane Ledford 9 14 64.29 137 1 0
Rushing Att Yds Yds/Att TD Drew Estrada 7 137 19.57 2 Dane Ledford 6 74 12.33 1 Taylor Sweatt 11 109 9.91 3 Gage McCook 7 46 6.57 0
Receiving Rec Yds Yds/Catch TD Drew Estrada 4 121 30.3 1 Scott Smith 1 8 8.0 0 Gage McCook 2 7 3.5 0 J.C. Chalk 2 1 0.5 0
