Celina routs Kilgore to claim Texas 4A Division I state championship
The last time Celina made a Texas state title game, it saw its undefeated season come to an end, falling to West Orange-Stark in 2015. Nine years later, the Bobcats returned to the Texas 4A Division I championship having not lost a game.
Kilgore tried, but was unable to write the same ending on Friday night at AT&T Stadium, as Celina steamrolled its way to a 55-21 win, claiming a 16-0 season and its ninth title in program history.
Junior quarterback Bowe Bentley was on fire for four quarters, throwing for 265 yards and five touchdowns. Ethan Rucker and Colton Rodriguez both caught a pair of TD passes. Kilgore matched its opponent’s speed early on, but the Celina offense was too much to handle as the game wore on.
The Bentley-Rucker connection was on fire early. The junior signal-caller fired a 34-yard dart to his receiver for a touchdown on the first drive of the game. Kilgore answered on its first drive, with Watters punching in a 12-yard score.
Rucker got loose again on the next drive, as Bentley fired a slant the senior, who broke a tackle and scampered to the end zone for a huge 60-yard TD. The PAT was blocked, but Rucker already had 94 receiving yards on just a pair of catches in the first quarter.
Again, the Bulldogs fought back, as Javon Towns caught a red zone screen pass and made a slick move to get past the Celina defense for a score. Kilgore converted its PAT to take a 14-13 lead.
A pair of field goals from Braden Johnson brought the Bobcats back ahead before Bentley dropped his third dime of the day for another score, this time a 50-yard bomb to Rodriguez. At halftime, Bentley had 181 passing yards and over 50 rushing yards, captaining Celina to a 27-14 lead.
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Celina caps off perfect season with statement second half
After the Celina defense picked up a stop to begin the second half, Bentley and Rodriguez connected for another big-time score. The QB rolled out to his right, hummed it 30 yards down the sideline to his receiver, who once again had the Kilgore defense beat and found the end zone for a 63-yard TD.
Luke Biagini, who finished with nine tackles, then put things out of reach, intercepting Kilgore quarterback Kayson Brooks and returning it for a score to make it 41-14 in the middle of the third quarter. While Rucker didn’t find the end zone again in the second half, he flanked Biagini by picking up an interception right after the senior linebacker.
A touchdown run for Harrison Williams and another TD pass from Bentley at the end of the third quarter solidified the blowout for the Bobcats.
Celina finally gets back to the top of the mountain and is the No. 20 team in the state of Texas, according to the On3 Composite Rankings. Kilgore’s impressive campaign comes to a close at 13-3. The Bulldogs were winners of nine in a row heading into Friday.