Kennedale overpowered by Melissa as Wildcats eliminated in second round playoff game
The Kennedale Wildcats saw their 20th consecutive playoff run come to an abrupt end Friday night when they ran into the buzzsaw that is the Melissa Cardinals in a 43-17 loss in the Class 4A Division 1 area round game at Mustang-Panther Stadium.
The Cardinals (11-1) had their way with the Wildcats (9-1), jumping out to an early lead and answering every tally against a Kennedale offense that managed only a handful of big plays as the Melissa defense set the tone.
While Kennedale’s defense was able to slow down the Cardinal passing attack that accounted for seven touchdown passes in the opening round, it didn’t have an answer for Melissa running back Braeden Smith, who tallied 194 yards on 20 carries and scored three times. All told, the Cardinals got 279 of their 517 yards of total offense on the ground.
Meanwhile, quarterback Sam Fennegan added a pair of touchdown passes with 238 yards through the air on just 13 of 25 passing. The Wildcats did manage 146 yards on the ground, but 52 of those came on two plays – including a 21-yard touchdown run by Marlete Joyner just before halftime that cut the lead to 26-10.
Melissa needed just three plays at the outset to take the lead it never surrendered. A big return on the opening kickoff set up Smith for an 18-yard scoring run. After a short punt, Colton Wittmer recovered a fumble in the end zone to end the next Cardinal drive and make it 12-0 after two unsuccessful 2-point conversion attempts.
After Kennedale was stopped again at midfield early in the second, Smith broke loose again for a 24-yard TD run.
Down 19-0 in the second quarter, the Wildcats put together a 14-play drive that got them on the scoreboard with a 38-yard Aidan Birr field goal. But the Cardinals answered immediately, marching 82 yards before Wittmer caught a 45-yard TD pass.
Melissa set Kennedale up for the Joyner score after a roughing the passer infraction in the third quarter. The Cardinals then erased any doubt with a defensive stand at their own 4, followed by a 96-yard march to stretch the lead to 33-6.
Tyler Choice gave Kennedale its last hope with a 91-yard return on the ensuing kickoff to cut the lead to 36-17. But Smith again broke loose for Melissa with a 44-yard scoring run with just over two minutes remaining for the final score.
Melissa will meet Paris, a 38-28 winner over Midlothian Heritage, in the regional round next weekend.