LA VERNIA, Texas – The La Vernia Bears football team is heading to the UIL state semifinals for the first time in program history.
La Vernia (11-3) will play the Kilgore Bulldogs (12-2) in the 2024 UIL Class 4A Division I state semifinal round. The winner will advance to the state title game next week at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Led by head coach Brian Null, the Bears topped district foe Bay City 42-24 in the previous round to win the Region IV championship.
Now, La Vernia has a tall task against the Bulldogs. Kilgore finished the regular season ranked No. 6 in Class 4A-Division I, according to Dave Campbell’s Texas Football magazine.
During the Bulldogs' postseason run, Kilgore beat Vidor 66-6, Needville 48-14, Navasota 62-7 and Chapel Hill 30-6.
So far, La Vernia has advanced by defeating Tuloso-Midway 49-17, LBJ Austin 13-10, Calhoun 24-2 and the aforementioned win against Bay City.
La Vernia and Kilgore will take the field at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Randall Reed Stadium in New Caney, Texas.
Read more reporting and watch highlights and full games on the Big Game Coverage page.