2023 RECORD OVERALL RECORD : 4-6 DISTRICT RECORD : 2-4
Palestine WILDCATS
TAYLOR HONEA Sports Writer sports @ palestineherald . com
A 4-6 overall record for the Palestine Wildcats was not enough to get them into the University Interscholastic League ’ s football playoffs , even though it is impossible to call the 2023 campaign a down year . The Wildcats have played in one of the toughest districts in East Texas for the past three years , and have fought tooth and nail with some of the heaviest hitters in the state in Lindale , Chapel Hill and Kilgore . Palestine gave the eventual state runner up Chapel Hill Bulldogs one of the hardest fights they encountered all year , before the Bulldogs pulled out a 40-31 victory . The nine point difference was the second smallest margin of victory for the Bulldogs all season , and the smallest period in the regular season . The Wildcat offense was a ground and pound machine , racking up nearly 3,000 yards rushing and 41 touchdowns on the season . Senior running backs Ti Crawford and Elijah Walker lead the charge for the Wildcat back field , with Crawford gaining 1,116 yards and scoring 11 touchdowns . Walker had a great season in his own right , rushing for 699 yards and 11 scores , but dealt with nagging injuries all year that slowed the tank of a back down the home stretch , dampening what could have been another 1,000 season . Palestine also implemented a new wrinkle this year , adding a “ Wildcat ” style offense in certain situations , helmed by running back Jon Denman . The “ Wildcat Offense ,” made popular by the Miami Dolphins in the mid-2000 ’ s , sees a nontraditional quarterback lineup at the position for the purpose of adding extra athleticism , with most wildcat quarterbacks having the option to hand off or keep the ball on every play . Palestine Head Coach Lance Angel unleashed Denman against Lindale , as the junior running back turned quarterback rushed for 147 yards and five touchdowns in the 57-49 loss to the Eagles .
Defensively , Palestine played a tough brand of football all season , led by defensive stalwarts Reese Hargers , Kendrick Calhoun and Perry Cole . Hargers , the 2023 Palestine Herald-Press Defensive Most Valuable Player , is technically a safety , but seemed to find himself lined up in several different areas over the season . The senior has a nose for the football , and is a sure handed tackler , leading the Wildcats with 92 tackles on the season . Cole is a force in the trenches , using his massive 6 ’ 3 , 255 pound frame and deceptively fast speed to wreak havoc on opposing offenses . Cole was also one of the key emotional leaders
10 WINTER EDITION 2024