Kennedale upsets state-ranked Midlothian Heritage thanks to unstoppable ground game

Kennedale running back Keirahyin Brown rushed for three scores and backfield mate Cameron Hynson rushed 20 times for 164 and another TD as the Wildcats upset No. 5 Midlothian Heritage, 35-28, on Friday at Wildcat Stadium.

“Our offensive coaches, offensive coordinator Matt Casey, George Griffin, Jay Beck, Aaron Wingfield, and Bandon Stumon did an excellent job of scheming this week,” said Kennedale head coach Richard Barrett. “We found something that we thought we could do to them and we just picked up short gains and ate the clock.”

Things looked bleak for Kennedale (1-1) after Jay Wilkerson hauled in a 92-yard scoring pass from Cade Sumbler to give Heritage (1-1) a 21-7 lead late in the second quarter. The scoreboard clock wasn’t working for most of the game.

But the Wildcats defense stepped up and the offense scored the next 28 points, starting with a 17-yard touchdown pass from Seth Paroulek to Wali Latifi to cut the lead to 21-14 just before halftime.

Brown was everywhere. The junor scored on two one-yard runs and another from 43 yards out.

After his 43-yard score, where he ran over a Jaguar defender at the 35, tied the game at 21 with 9:46 left in the third quarter, Brown picked off a Heritage pass in the end zone to kill a drive.

On the next play Hynson darted 80 yards up the middle to give Kennedale a 28-21 lead with 7:43 left in the third.

Following a Heritage punt, Kennedale did what it does best...chewed up the clock. The Wildcats ran 19 plays covering 83 yards taking 4:47 off the third quarter clock and a bunch more out of the fourth quarter. The drive was capped by a one-yard scoring run by Brown.

Kennedale’s young and inexperienced offensive line featuring Tanner Coker, Junior Seay, Dimas Ibanez, Cole Shue, Victor Garcia and tight end Zach Thetford grew up helping the Wildcats pick up 319 rushing yards against the Heritage defense.

The Wildcats scheme of pressuring Heritage quarterback Cade Sumbler worked as expected. Wayne Landry and Micah Conner led the effort keeping Sumbler on the run.

Kennedale has started the season against two of the best teams in Class 4A Division I.

Heritage came into the game fifth in Dave Campbell’s State Football Poll. The Wildcats opened the season with a 35-21 loss at No. 10 Decatur.