Jaleel Kendrick isn’t paying the property taxes, but Randall Reed Stadium is clearly his house.
For the second time this season at the cathedral of New Caney ISD football, the senior had a huge night rushing the ball and Dayton won again there for the second time this season.
Dayton took a tight game at halftime and extended it out to a 40-8 District 8-5A Division II win over West Fork Thursday night on Halloween.
Dayton (4-5, 2-4) has won consecutive games and held an opponent to single digits in consecutive games for the first time since shutting out Nederland and Galena Park in back-to-back weeks in 2022. The Broncos dropped Splendora 33-6 last week.
West Fork (2-7, 1-5) has dropped four straight games with the last three scoring just single digits.
Kendrick had three back-breaking trips to the end zone, including two explosive plays from the other side of the 50.
The senior – now up to 10 rushing scores on the season – had a 15-yard sprint to the end zone in the first quarter.
With the finish still in the balance with a 14-6 at halftime, Kendrick ran home a 66-yard touchdown in the third quarter and later had a 52-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.
Earlier this season in a 42-20 win over Porater, Kendrick went for 154 yards and two scores.
Kendrick’s counterpart in the backfield, Lane Mitchell, scored on a 3-yard run in the first quarter to go up 14-0.
Aside from the Kendrick show, the defense came up with two takeaways for touchdowns in the second half.
Merkle Judge jumped a route in the third quarter and returned the interception 18 yards to the house.
Then in the fourth quarter, Rakin Akmal raked up a fumble on the turf and scored from four yards out.
Dayton’s final points on the night came late in the fourth quarter on a safety as the Gators snapped the ball over the punter’s head and through the back of the end zone.
Easton Brock made the start at quarterback for the Broncos, the fifth starter of the season and third consecutive week with a new one due to injuries.
Dayton will close out the season at home next Friday night against defending state champs Port Neches-Groves. The Indians play host to Montgomery tonight.
EDITOR’S NOTE: More information will be added as it becomes available.
Seen here against Splendora on October 25, 2024, Dayton senior Jaleel Kendrick (20) scored three touchdowns Thursday night at West Fork. (Chris Zorzi/SportCast Media)
