Kennedale took the field by force, taking an early lead over Abilene Wylie at the Birdville Fine Arts Complex. From the time the game kicked off, you would never know that Kennedale was making its first state semi-final appearance in school history. It wasn’t until later in the game that traditional powerhouse, Abilene Wylie, would do what all championship teams do – find a way to win, even when it seemed an unlikely feat.
Moving in a fashion comparable to the entire season, Kennedale was big and fast. The Wildcat defense remained a threat to Wylie’s offense until the final seconds expired off the clock. With just under seven minutes left in the first quarter, Kennedale took a huge spurt in momentum converting on 4th and 2, followed quickly by QB Evan Jowers with a 23-yard run scoring the first touchdown of the game.
Kennedale’s defense held their opponent to a scoreless first quarter, but the Bulldogs found the end zone early in the second quarter, taking a 7-6 lead. The next score would come from a D.J. Kirven’s 48 yard run, regaining a 13-7 lead for the Wildcats.
What happened next would prove to be a game-changer. Kennedale gambled with a fake punt which resulted in a loss of yardage. The Bulldogs were able to count the Wildcat loss as their own gain. In four quick plays, QB Zach Smith rushed for the final score of the first half shifting the lead once again 14-13 in favor of the Bulldogs.
With a 14-13 score coming in to the second half, it was anybody’s ballgame. In a narrative that is almost identical to the conclusion of the first half, Kennedale failed an attempt at a fake punt which yielded a loss of 2 yards. Once again, the Bulldogs answered with a 21-yard QB run increasing Abilene Wylie’s lead to 21-13. Neither offense would score again.
Mirroring their successful facets of the game, Kennedale also suffered some key mistakes, mistakes that were virtually non-existent for the Bulldogs. In the end, Abilene Wylie was able to capitalize on Wildcat misfortunes to take the lead and an eventual victory. The Bulldogs will go on to play in the state championship game at AT&T Stadium next week.
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