TVCC keeps showing grit in 24-14 win over Kilgore
(Travis Tapley Photo)
The TVCC Cardinals continued their roll through the Southwest Junior College Football Conference (SWJCFC) by beating Kilgore Saturday, 24-14.
They did it by proving their defense is better than the one the statistics say is the stingiest. The Ranger defense is only giving up an average of 15.0 points per game, best in the conference.
And Kilgore played like it in the first half, holding TVCC scoreless.
The Cardinals didn't have a single 3-and-out in the first half, however, they lost two fumbles, one in the red zone. They also turned the ball over on downs at the Kilgore 4 yard line when TVCC's "heavy" formation lost yardage on fourth down.
But the Cardinals defense was better. The TVCC defense gave up one big play in the first half, a 53-yard touchdown run by Kilgore running back Donerio Davenport. Other than that, Kilgore's first half possessions went punt, punt, punt, punt, punt, punt, and punt. Four of those were possessions where the Rangers could not get a single first down.
That gave the Cardinals offense a chance to do what it has done all season, catch fire in the second half.
TVCC took the first possession after halftime and went 75 yards in four plays, finishing it off with Matthew Duncan scoring on a 1-yard run in the "heavy" package.
The Cardinals followed that up later in the third quarter with a five-play, 75-yard drive that saw QB Darion Peace hit a wide open Trent Hudson for a 47-yard score.
Hudson was particularly effective for the Cardinals against the Rangers, catching 10 passes for 151 yards and the touchdown.
Peace fought a steady wind all day to go 28-of-41 for 316 yards and two touchdowns. The second touchdown was a 52-yard bomb to Jared Jackson late in the fourth quarter to seal the win. Jackson caught four passes for 65 yards.
TVCC needed Peace to throw the ball because Kilgore made rushing the ball a chore. The normally productive Cardinal rushing attack was held to just 3.3 yards per carry after removing kneel downs.
But again, TVCC was the better defense in crunch time.
While the Cardinals were able to score 24 second half points, the Rangers only scored once. TVCC was able to force Kilgore to turn the ball over on downs on three of its final four possessions.
The Cardinals allowed the Rangers 181 yards rushing and just 8-of-25 passing for 135 yards.
TVCC was also helped by a slew of Kilgore penalties. The Rangers were flagged 23 times for 196 yards. Many of the penalties were odd distances because of circumstances. Kilgore was flagged for penalties of 2, 3, 1, 16, and 4 yards.
The Cardinals face a huge conference showdown next Saturday when New Mexico Military Institute comes to Bruce Field. NMMI beat Northeastern Oklahoma A&M this week, 27-24.
SCORING SUMMARY
KILGORE - 1Q, 2:48 - Donerio Davenport 53-yard run. Kolby King kick good. - 7-0
TVCC - 3Q, 14:02 - Matthew Duncan 1-yard run. Jake Gaster kick good. - 7-7
TVCC - 3Q, 5:27 - Darion Peace 47-yard pass to Trent Hudson. Jake Gaster kick good. - 14-7
TVCC - 4Q, 12:39 - Jake Gaster 32-yard field goal. - 17-7
KILGORE - 4Q, 10:06 - Donerio Davenport 1-yard run. Kolby King kick good. - 17-14
TVCC - 4Q, 2:04 - Darion Peace 52-yard pass to Jared Jackson. Jake Gaster kick good. - 24-14
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