By Larry Bodin
Port Arthur News Special Correspondent
VIDOR – Any athlete will tell you in a hurry, it’s always much better to win “ugly” than to lose “pretty.”
As the struggling Indians of Port Neches-Groves awaken this morning, they know the feeling. Before a sold out crowd here Friday night on a soggy Pirate Stadium turf, Matt Burnett’s football team rallied from an early 10-0 first quarter deficit to edge winless Vidor, 14-10.
When you look back on this one, one word comes to the forefront – “ugly” and probably with a capital u.
Though a win is a win and you take ’em any way you can get them, the 3-2 Indians looked nothing like a team which played in the Class 4A state finals just 10 months ago.
Lacking a consistent offensive attack, and with a passing attack which has proven to be less than adequate, the Indians will enter District 20-4A play next Friday against West Orange-Stark with lots of question marks.
“I thought our defense played well, with the exception of their long touchdown pass (a 58-yarder to Troy Maddox),” said Indian head coach Burnett.
“Thank goodness the defense was about as good as you can ask for because we surely struggled offensively. Offensively we have to throw the football with some consistency. We weren’t very good tonight in that area and Vidor just lined up, came at us.”
Indian quarterbacks Tony Bowser and Cody Elkins were a combined 5-of-14 for 77 yards in the passing game. One of the key facets of the PN-G offense is getting the ball to standout receiver Joey Price and on this night, it didn’t happen.
Price caught only two passes for 47 yards, one a 36-yard TD pitch from Bowser early in the second period. In addition to a measly 77 yards through the airways, the Indian running game managed less than 100 yards on the ground (97 yards to be exact).
In a district as tough as 20-4A, that won’t cut it.
In dropping its fifth straight contest of 2000, Vidor also proved ineffective offensively on this night. The Pirates rushed for only 74 yards on 28 carries, and completed just 5-of-21 passes for 109 yards, 58 of which came on Maddox’ touchdown reception early in the first period.
The two teams also were woeful in third down conversions. PN-G converted but 3-of-15 in that all-important category, while the Pirates were equally bad, converting only 4-of-16 times on third down attempts.
Trailing by a 10-7 margin late in the third quarter, the Indians did prove they had enough pride when they needed it the most. Failing to score on a 4th-and-one situation at the Pirate five midway in the third period, the Indian defense dug in and forced the hosts to punt it away from their own five.
Wayne Hanks, who was brilliant all night long with an average of 45.0 yards on his eight punts, boomed a 40-yarder out of his end zone. Price did a nifty job and returned the punt 13 to the Vidor 32.
Facing a 3rd-and-9 at the Pirate 31, fullback Trayce Boudoin went around left end for three. The Indians were well short of a first down, but Vidor was flagged for a face mask infraction, moving the pigskin to the 13 yard line.
On first down, Elkins found tight end Jared Gary at the seven and the 220-pound senior blasted down to the two for a big 11-yard reception.
Junior Brady Flores scored on the next play with 11:58 left in the game, giving the Indians their first lead. Price kicked the PAT that proved to be the eventual final point.
In addition to his pivotal 11-yard catch setting up the winning touchdown, Gary was a demon on defense. Instrumental in two of the four Vidor turnovers, Gary intercepted one pass while dropping back in pass coverage from his defensive end position. He also recovered a Pirate fumble in the second half. Other Indians making key defensive plays were lineman Jeremy Davis with a fumble recovery, and Adam Guillory with a late interception.
One of the few positives on Indian offense was the play of Boudoin. Inserted at fullback in the second half, the star linebacker provided the Indians with some energy in the running game, gaining 48 yards on just eight carries.
In a listless first half, though, the Indians managed just 22 yards rushing and 53 yards passing. Due to a total ineffective offensive effort, PN-G’s Price was forced to punt six times in the first half alone. He finished with 11 punts and a 36.5 average.
Vidor led at halftime by a 10-7. Up 3-0 early in the first senior QB Travis Maines hit Troy Maddox on a 58-yard catch-and-run for the touchdown. Vidor had taken a quick 3-0 lead on Mitchel McDaniel’s 31-yard field goal with less than four minutes gone in the game.
The Indians lone bright spot offensively in the first half was Price’s 36-yard touchdown reception from Bowser with 8:39 left in the second quarter. PN-G’s only other first down in the half came just prior to Price’s TD when Bowser found Jonathan Lumbley for a six-yard pass to the Indian 49. PN-G got a break on the play when Vidor was flagged for a 15-yard face mask penalty moving the ball to the 36.
