Kilgore finishes runner-up at State 7-on-7

Published 4:35 pm Tuesday, July 1, 2025

By Phil Hicks

The Kilgore Bulldogs 7-on-7 team placed second competing at the 27th Annual 7-on-7 State Championships from June 26-27 in College Station. (Contributed Photo)

The Kilgore Bulldogs finished second, while the Chapel Hill Bulldogs made the Final Four in Division 2 of the 27th Annual 7-on-7 State Championships on Friday at Veterans Park and Athletic Complex in College Station.

In Saturday’s Division 1 bracket play, Longview lost in the first round of the championship bracket and Tyler won two games in the consolation bracket.

Kilgore fell in the championship game of Division 2 to Frisco Panther Creek 32-26 in overtime. The Bulldogs moved ahead 13-0 when LaKeyleon Graves had a pick-six. The Panthers then took a 26-13 lead before the Bulldogs rallied to force OT.

Kilgore QB Kayson Brooks then hit Graves for a TD as time expired to bring the Bulldogs within 26-24. Brooks then connected with Brooks for the two-point conversion.

After Kilgore gave up the ball on downs, Panther Creek marched to the winning score as QB Graylyn Fry hit Jalen Lott on fourth-and-goal for the TD.

To reach the final, Kilgore scored wins over Columbia (27-6 in the first round), La Marque (28-19 in the second round), Mineral Wells (21-13 in the quarterfinals) and Benbrook (27-15 in the semifinals).

Chapel Hill reached the semifinals with wins over Brownwood (27-5 in the first round), Cuero (35-34 in the second round) and Lorena (28-21 in the quarterfinals).

Panther Creek edged Chapel Hill 27-23 in the semifinals.

Paris lost in the first round to La Marque (33-21).

On Thursday, Chapel Hill and Kilgore were 3-0 to win their pools.

The Chapel Hill Bulldogs won Pool E, while the Kilgore Bulldogs won Pool A.

Chapel Hill scored wins over Columbia (28-26), Jarrell (27-18) and Midland Christian (20-14).

Kilgore won over Austin LBJ (32-26), Bay City (20-19) and Brownwood.

In Division I pool play on Friday, the Tyler Lions lost their first two games of the day to Irving MacArthur 26-20 and Killeen Harker Heights (28-25), but won Game 3, 28-21 over Conroe Grand Oaks. Tyler (1-2) finished third in the pool. Harker Heights (3-0) was first with MacArthur (2-1) second and Grand Oaks (0-3) fourth.

Longview, competing in Pool I, won its first two games of the day over Fort Bend Hightower (33-21) and Pflugerville Weiss (20-19). The Lobos then fell to Plano (20-13). Plano won the pool at 3-0, followed by Longview (2-1), Weiss (1-2) and Hightower (0-3).

In Division I bracket play, Longview lost in the first round to College Station (19-0). The Woodlands defeated Dallas South Oak Cliff in the championship game 27-7.

In Division I consolation play, Tyler won over San Antonio East Central (41-28 in the first round) and Austin Anderson (in the second round) before falling to Princeton (in the quarterfinals). In the consolation final, Conroe Grand Oaks defeated Pflugerville Weiss, 26-24.

In Division 3, Tidehaven won the title with a 34-21 win over Ganado.

Grapeland won its first round game over Gunter (13-7), but lost in the second round to Tidehaven (25-7).

In Pool A in Division 3, the Grapeland Sandies were 0-3, falling to Poth (26-19), Bosqueville (26-19) and Eldorado (32-28).

You Might Like