Redskins face Dickson for a win on Senior Night

This Friday night marked the end of the 2021 gridiron campaign for the Kingston Redskins. Having been eliminated from the playoffs, the Redskins were playing for pride on Senior Night. They hosted the Dickson Comets, another also-ran playing their last game of the season, and Kingston had fireworks both on and off the field as the Redskins gave their seniors a great sendoff, beating the Comets 62-12.

Kingston started at the Redskins’ 38 after the opening kick, and the offense promptly started down the field. Senior running back Brandon Watson needed four carries to move the ball 57 yards to the Dickson 5, and on third-and-four from there, junior quarterback Klete Finley found senior tight end Brycen Ellisor open in the end zone for the game’s first score, giving Kingston a 7-0 lead.

The Comets, having won only one game against hapless Little Axe all season, showed signs of life in their first drive. Dickson started at their own 28, and on the Comets’ third play, junior Jzavionn Bennett broke a big run to the Kingston 30, but a holding penalty on Dickson cancelled the big play. Dickson managed to toil forward for another first down but wound up punting from their own 43 on fourthand-eighteen, giving the ball back to Kingston.

The Redskins wasted no time at all adding to their lead. On the first play of the drive, Finley winged a pass over the middle to senior wideout Braden Matchen, who made a spectacular onehanded grab on a post route and shot past the Dickson secondary to the end zone for a 65-yard reception. After the extra point, Kingston led 14-0 still in the first quarter.

Dickson took the ensuing kickoff at their own 26, and after freshman running back Zander Schreiber picked up eight yards on first and second down, the Comets looked to be starting something positive. However, the Redskins’ defense stiffened, and Dickson netted minus one yard on third and fourth downs, turning the ball over on downs at the Dickson 33.

Once again, Kingston wasted no time. Finley pitched the ball to senior wideout Hayden McKinney, who threw a wide receiver pass to fellow wideout senior Cole Morgan, all alone in the end zone for a 33-yard touchdown. A missed extra point left Kingston with a 20-0 lead, still late in the first quarter.

On the kickoff, sophomore Rhett Coble kicked the ball high and short to the left, in an apparent attempt at an unorthodox onside kick.As the Comets watched, clearly unprepared for this development, Kingston freshman Brayden Ellisor snagged the loose ball before it went out of bounds, giving Kingston the football back at the Dickson 41. Two Watson runs, combined with a five-yard facemask penalty, were sufficient to cover the 41 yards to the end zone for Kingston’s fourth touchdown. After freshman Eli Oliger ran for the two-point conversion after taking a direct snap in Kingston’s swinging gate extra point formation, the Redskins led 28-0 with two minutes left in the first quarter.

Dickson’s next drive started at the Comets’ 24 and went nothing but backwards. Dickson punted this time on fourth-and-21 from their own 13, and McKinney returned the kick nearly 40 yards to the Dickson 21. Kingston needed four plays to score this time, after an apparent Watson touchdown run was called back for holding, and Watson eventually carried it in from the Dickson five, and another missed extra point yielded a 34-0 Kingston lead, early in the second quarter.

Bennett took the kickoff for Dickson at his 25, and put on a show on his return, carrying the ball all the way to the Kingston 33. Even with great field position, Dickson proved unable to even threaten the Redskins. A fumbled snap on third down left the Comets facing fourthand-ten at the 33, and senior quarterback Tanner Stewart was unable to complete a pass for a conversion, and the Comets again turned it over on downs.

Taking over at their own 33, the Redskins faced something of a struggle for the first time, as they shot themselves in the foot repeatedly with penalties. Kingston ultimately faced third-and-29 at their own 24. Finley dropped back, and found Matchen streaking down the left sideline, and Matchen took the reception to the house for a 76-yard score, and Kingston led 41-0 with seven minutes left in the half.

On the kickoff, the Comets finally produced points, as this time Bennett gathered the ball in at his own 28 and shot untouched through the Kingston kick coverage for a 72-yard score, putting Dickson on the board. Kingston junior Damon Rowe blocked the extra point attempt by Dickson junior Barrett Allen, and Dickson had trimmed the lead to 41-6.

Kingston took back over at the Redskins’ 32 and needed only six plays in just over two minutes to score again. Runs by Watson and senior fullback Grant Holmes, with a 21-yard pass to Matchen, were enough to cover the distance. Holmes covered the last four yards on the ground, and Kingston extended the lead out to 48-6 with just under five minutes left in the half.

Dickson took over at the Comets’ 38, and finally put together a sustained drive. Ten plays moved the ball 58 yards to the Kingston 4, where Dickson faced firstand-goal with 16 seconds left in the half. However, Stewart had been hurt on the preceding play, so freshman Kobey Hillis came in at quarterback, and mishandled the snap. Kingston senior Zach McQueary recovered the loose ball, and Kingston took the 48-6 lead into half.

Dickson took the opening kickoff of the second half, and could do nothing with it, gaining zero net yards on four plays, turning the ball over on downs as junior running back Colt Winchester was tackled for a loss at the Dickson 38. Kingston’s starters came out for their final drive, and on his last two carries as a Redskin, Watson picked up 23 yards and then 15 untouched for Kingston’s eighth touchdown of the night, making the lead 55-6.

From there, Kingston’s reserves came on, and a running clock made short work of the rest of the game. Kingston freshman Jacoby Jackson scored a two-yard touchdown midway through the fourth quarter, and Dickson’s Bennett put on another display of his speed with a 53-yard touchdown on the next play from scrimmage, and as fireworks went off north of the field, Kingston’s seniors sang the fight song for the last time to celebrate a 62-12 victory.

Finley led all passers, completing 7 of his 8 attempts for 219 yards and 3 scores. Watson led all rushers, carrying the ball 14 times for 184 yards and 3 scores. Matchen led all receivers with 162 yards on 3 catches for 2 scores. Kingston’s offense scored a touchdown on each of the Redskins’ first eight drives; Dickson’s defense did not register a stop until 3:30 left in the third quarter, when Kingston was playing reserves. Meanwhile, Kingston held the Comets to just 135 yards of total offense.

Kingston ends the season 3-4 in district play, and 5-5 overall, finishing sixth in the district. Offensively, Finley led the Redskins in passing, completing 55% of his attempts for 976 yards, 10 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. Watson was the team’s leading rusher, gaining 1172 yards on his 206 carries, averaging nearly 5.7 yards per carry, and scoring 18 touchdowns. Matchen led the Redskins in receiving, with 536 yards on 18 catches for 5 scores, with an eye-popping average of nearly 30 yards per catch. Rowe led the team in sacks with 4.5, and seven players finished the year with one interception each.

EXTRA POINTS

Given that the Redskins were ranked seventh in Class

3A in the preseason rankings, this season - where Kingston did not make the playoffs for the first time since 2009 - must be considered a disappointment. These Redskins clearly missed too many players who had been part of their core the past few years, and the young players entering the lineup simply weren’t able to raise their game to the level necessary quick enough. As Kingston - one of the smallest schools in Class 3A the last two years - drops back to 2A next year, the Redskins faithful are hoping that these young players will be able to use their hard-won experience to help their team get back to the playoffs next year.

Around the district, Plainview (6-1, 7-3) defeated Pauls Valley (4-3, 5-5) 42-21 to claim the district crown. The Indians host Kingfisher (4-3, 6-4) next Friday night in the first round of the playoffs, while the Panthers, fourth in the district, go on the road to face undefeated Heritage Hall (7-0, 10-0). Sulphur (6- 1, 7-3) defeated Lone Grove (5-2, 7-3) 44-41 to claim second place. The Bulldogs host Anadarko (5-2, 5-5) in the first round, while the Longhorns make the journey to Perkins-Tryon (6-1, 8-2).

Among the also-rans in the district, Madill (3-4, 6-4) blew out Little Axe (0-7, 0-10) 55-6, taking fifth place over Kingston by virtue of last week’s victory in the Marshall County Super Bowl. Dickson, having beaten Little Axe, ends the season in seventh, just above the winless Indians. For those teams, as with the Redskins, it’s clearly time for basketball.