By Allan Jamail
Houston, TX. ~ On Friday, November 24, 2023 at Houston’s NRG Stadium, the C.E. King Panthers football team lost their regional playoff game to Fort Bend Hightower Hurricanes 31 – 28. At the start of the playoffs there were 80 Houston area teams competing; now it’s down to five, North Shore, Atascocita, Westfield, Summer Creek and Hightower.
It was a close game throughout the four quarters, ending with a 3 point difference. The Hurricanes scored twice before the Panthers could get on track, leading 14 – 0 with five minutes left on the clock of the first quarter. Then the Panthers scored with three minutes left in the first quarter, making it 14 – 7 at the end of the quarter.
The second quarter was scoreless until King scored with two minutes left, tying the game 14 – 14.
It remained tied until late in the third quarter, when Hightower kicked a field goal, giving them the lead 17 – 14. With three minutes of the third quarter, Hightower scored making it 24 – 14. King came back and scored with less than a minute in the third quarter and ending the quarter 24 – 21 in Hightower’s favor.
Hightower and King each scored a touchdown in the fourth quarter, bringing the hard fought game to an end with a three point difference, Hightower 31 – 28.
King had 308 total yards to 280 for Hurricanes; King had 90 rush yards to Hurricanes 75; King had 218 pass yards to Hurricanes 205; and King had 18 first downs to Hurricanes 19. (Linda Jamail, photographer and statistician.)
Picking the player of the game for the Panthers, I would easily say it was #33 K’mard Kimble. He played both offense and defense. He scored two touchdowns on offense, and when on defense, he was relentless, making tackles behind the line of scrimmage numerous times.