Published: October 20, 2008 09:13 am      

Slow start sinks Cards

TVCC spots Kilgore 23-0 lead in third consecutive loss, 35-23

KILGORE — The Trinity Valley Community College Cardinals suffered a third straight loss Saturday afternoon, falling 35-23 to the Kilgore College Rangers in a Southwest Junior College Football Conference contest at R.E. St. John Memorial Stadium.

In falling to 4-3 overall and 2-3 in SWJCFC play, the Cardinals spotted Kilgore a 23-0 lead. TVCC rallied lat in the game to get within 29-23, but the Rangers answered with a scoring drive to seal the win and improve to 4-3 overall and 3-2 in the conference.

The day was not a total loss for the Cardinals. Because Arkansas Baptist pulled off a 27-22 upset of Tyler and NEO suffered a 58-12 loss to Blinn, the Cardinals still control their own playoff fate.

TVCC, Tyler, Arkansas Baptist and NEO are all tied for the fourth playoff berth with 2-3 league marks. The Cardinals own a win over NEO and have Tyler and Arkansas Baptist remaining on their schedule.

The Cardinals are scheduled to be at home Saturday against Tyler in a 3 p.m. kickoff and travel to Little Rock, Ark., the following week to face Arkansas Baptist.

With Kilgore up 23-0 midway through the third period, the Cardinals got on the scoreboard on a six-yard Chad Winbush run. Nestor Varona, back after missing two games with a muscle pull, tacked on the PAT.

Less than two minutes into the final quarter, the Cardinals stunned the Kilgore defense with an 83-yard scoring pass from Pat Cook to James Cleveland. Cook connected with fullback William Pittman on the two-point conversion and TVCC was within 23-15 with 13:38 left in the game.

Kilgore answered with a four-yard Donielle Hill touchdown run. TVCC blocked the extra point, leaving the score 29-15 with 8:15 left.

TVCC needed just three plays to respond, thanks to a 71-yard Cook pass to Cleveland. Pittman covered the final two yards of the quick scoring march. The Cardinals faked the PAT with holder Ryan Balentine scoring on a run to trim the Kilgore lead to 29-23 at the 6:55 mark.

Kilgore quarterback Lane Johnson hit three key passes on the Rangers’ ensuing possession and then called his own number for a 16-yard touchdown with 1:43 to go.

Winbush had 79 of the Cardinals’ 91 rushing yards on 20 carries.

Cleveland caught six passes for 183 yards.

Cook completed 10-of-23 passes for 189 yards — 156 coming on the two bombs to Cleveland.

Hill led the Kilgore offense with 130 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries.

In Saturday’s other conference game, Navarro protected its No. 1 ranking with a 31-6 thumping of struggling Cisco.