Larry Bodin | BeaumontEnterprise.com
Updated: Nov. 14, 2020 12:30 a.m.
PORT NECHES – It was a night Port Neches-Groves senior quarterback Blake Bost will probably remember for the rest of his life.
In leading PN-G to a 62-35 romp of Kingwood Park Friday night, the superb lefty accounted for seven total touchdowns, throwing scoring passes of 15, 9, 14 and 25 yards while rushing for touchdowns of three, five and two yards.
The victory improves Brandon Faircloth’s club to 3-1 in District 12-5A Div. II play while moving to 4-3 on the season. The visiting Panthers fall to 1-3 in league play and to 2-5 on the year.
The two teams combined for 14 touchdowns and 1,102 total yards. PN-G accounted for 553 yards on their own, but the defense allowed the Panthers 459 total yards.
Bost’s night was marvelous as he completed 18-of-25 passes for 227 yards with no interceptions. In addition, he rushed for 120 yards on just 13 carries.
In running up 326 yards on the ground on only 32 carries, PN-G ball carriers had 11 runs over over 10 yards. Aiding Bost in the offensive onslaught was senior back Lance Vaughn, who rushed for 159 yards on 14 carries. Vaughn also scored on a 14-yard TD pass from Bost, and on a 10-yard touchdown bolt. He also caught four passes for 53 yards.
While Bost and Vaughn were terrific, the pass-catching duo of Grant Pearson and Brady Nail were also outstanding. Pearson was spectacular with six catches for 107 yards, two of which were highlight reel plays (including touchdowns of 15 and 25. Nail added a nine-yard TD reception and also had six catches for 50 yards.
PN-G placekicker Tate Sandell was also a perfect 8-for-8 on point-after attempts.
PN-G outscored Kingwood Park 34-21 in the second half, after taking a 28-14 halftime lead.
In the final three minutes of the first half, PN-G erupted for a pair of touchdowns in a span of only one minute and 28 seconds to grab a 28-14 lead.
Going 75 yards in just four plays, Dejuante Conner weaved his way 17 yards to paydirt at the 3:16 mark of the second. Sandell’s PAT provided PN-G a slim 21-14 margin. The big-play Indians used Bost runs of 45 and 10 yards to move the ball to the 17.
And just like that, Kingwood Park went 3-and-out and punted to PN-G. A 37-yard punt pushed the hosts back to their own 55, but the Panthers were flagged for a personal foul penalty and PN-G had the football at midfield with 2:25 left in the half.
This time Port Neches-Groves used the smooth left arm of Bost for consecutive completions of 12 and 23 yard to senior wideout Pearson moving the pigskin to the Panther 15.
Once again Bost dialed up Pearson’s number and the slippery PN-G receiver sidestepped a Kingwood defensive back to take it in from 15 yards out for the score and the Indians’ margin ballooned to 28-14 with 1:48 left in the first half.
Earlier in the first period, Kingwood Park held PN-G on downs at the two-yard line. Then in the final five minutes of the first quarter, PN-G went 75 yards in 10 plays to take an early 7-0 lead on Bost’s first of two first half scoring runs – this one from three yards out. In this drive, Bost completed 4-of-5 passes for 52 yards in the drive.
The Panthers countered with 6-play, 75-yard touchdown drive culminating on Juan Garcia’s (185 yards rushing) great 37-yard run at the 0:13 mark of the first period to tie things at 7-7.
Early in the second period, PN-G marched 54 yards in only six plays with Bost doing the honors from five yards out. Sandell (who was 4-for-4 on PATs in the first half) made it 14-7 with 7:24 in the second.
Kingwood Park quarterback Hudson Dezell’s six-yard TD made it 14-14 with 5:00 in the half.
All this set the stage for PN-G’s magical final three minutes of the second. Bost had a monster first half completing 13-of-17 passes for 161 yards, while rushing for 92 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
