• The final interception return for a TD occurred with 1:31 left in the game
• Kennedale improved to 10-1 having won 10 in a row
• Last year, these two teams met in the playoffs and the Bulls pulled off a miraculous 35-28 victory. The Star Telegram wrote an article describing Kennedale's "pain"
• Kennedale had an 84 yard TD run called back
• The Bull offense seemed to get off track on the last half of the season
• Daugherty went 24 of 44 for 268 yards with tow interceptions
• Chris Martinez caught 8 balls for 118 yards
• Joseph Krebs caught six for 90 yards
• Jeremy Young was the leading ground gainer with 57 yards on 5 carries
• Kennedale's Brandon Ross rushed for 127 yards on 11 carries
• The Phillip Daugherty era begins at Texas Tech

Kennedale defense thwarts Bridgeport
By Rick Mauch
Special to the Star-Telegram

COPPELL - If Rocky Smith has ever felt better in his life, he couldn't recall it Friday night.

Smith's 45-yard interception return for a touchdown with 1:31 to play dashed Bridgeport's hopes for a comeback similar to the one the Bulls staged in last season's state quarterfinals against Kennedale. Instead the touchdown secured a 37-20 victory for the Wildcats (10-1) over the Bulls (8-3) in a Class 3A Division II bi-district game at Cowboy Stadium.

"With around two minutes to go it was a two-possession game and with them anything could happen," Smith said. "But that touchdown made it a three-possession game and crossing that goal line was the best feeling you could possibly have."

Kennedale will meets the winner of today's game between Vernon (5-5) and Ballinger (7-3) in the area round.

Smith recalled how disappointed he felt after the Wildcats' season ended in 2001. Kennedale squandered a 21-7 lead to Bridgeport, losing 35-28.

"I give Bridgeport all the respect in the world," Smith said. "They came back and we let them last year but not this time."

Smith also rushed for a pair of touchdowns and was the game's leading tackler with 11 from his defensive back position.

"I thought we still had it in us [to come back]," said Bridgeport quarterback Phillip Daugherty, who plans to play for Texas Tech next season. "We were in it until that last interception."

Kennedale coach Richard Barrett said he also breathed a sigh of relief when Smith scored on the interception.

"We weren't breathing easy when we were up by 10, no way," said Barrett, whose team won its 10th consecutive game after a 30-16 season-opening loss at Crandall. "But I felt good about our defense all night and it came through for us."

On the first play of the third quarter it looked as though Kennedale's Brandon Ross had gone 84 yards for a touchdown, but an illegal block penalty wiped out all but 33 yards. The Wildcats reached the end zone nine plays later, finishing the 4 1/2-minute drive with Smith's second touchdown for a 23-7 lead.

After a Daugherty-to-Joseph-Krebs touchdown pass of 10 yards cut the Wildcats' lead to 23-14, Ross scored on a 33-yard run 33 seconds into the fourth quarter. Ross led all rushers with 127 yards.