LINDEN-KILDARE (8-2) VS. KERENS (6-4)
SITE, TIME: Wildcat Stadium, Big Sandy, 7 p.m.
AT STAKE: Class 2A, Division I bi-district championship. GAME FACTS: Linden-Kildare tied for second in the 9-2A, Division I standings and took the second seed. The Bobcats finished third in 10-2A, Div. I. Kerens played two rounds deep last season and has been in the playoffs 3 of the last 4 years. This is the Tigers’ first playoff appearance since 2014, when the current seniors were freshmen. L-K is riding a 3-game win streak, averages 37.7 points and allows 20.8 per game. Kerens averages 25.7 points and gives up 19.2 per game.
COACH’S COMMENTS: LindenKildare’s Derek Simmons—“Kerens is very athletic; they’ll be a lot bigger than us, but that’s kinda been the case with everybody we’ve played. They’ve got good skill kids. They’re running back is probably the second-best running back we’ve faced behind the (JaQuan) Jackson kid from DeKalb; he’s going to present a challenge to us.
“We’re up to the challenge. We’re used to having a little bit of a speed advantage, but I think it will be neutralized because they’re going to be just as fast as we are. The kids are excited, and we’re looking forward to the challenge.
“We hit a little lull in the first two district games, and we had to have a little gut check after losing those first two district games. The kids responded well; we knew we were going to have to get back on a run and get back to doing the things we were doing in the first five pre-district games.”
NEXT ROUND: The winner advances to play either Groveton or Price Carlisle in the area round.