September 28, 2010
By Tom Halliburton
The Port Arthur News
PORT NECHES — Fewer football scholarships and post-season honors likely will come to Ben Parks than some of his teammates.
Other Port Neches-Groves students will win more academic scholarships too.
Yet 85 years after its inception, PN-G football is still vibrant, important and a very worthwhile endeavor within the Southeast Texas sports landscape.
None of the students, fans or participants who wear the purple and white typify the fighting Indians spirit any better than this 17-year-old Port Neches resident.
Bob and Lea Ann Parks raised a winner on and off the field who cares about young kids and appreciates a special teacher when he sees one.
Ben commands an outstanding 3.5 grade-point average. He’s considering nursing and pre-med options. He’s leaning toward eventually working, maybe owning, a pediatric facility and working with kids.
If the 6-2, 260-pound Parks plays college football, that’s fine. If he doesn’t, that’s fine, too.
Right now, the big picture is winning at Nederland — scoring at least one more point than the Bulldogs.
After a 49-42 loss to Livingston, PN-G clearly knows its urgent need to score at least one more point than each and every remaining opposition.
If Ben leaves the field on top 10-9, that’s fine. If Ben leaves the field on top 60-9, that’s even better.
“I feel we can get a lot better,” Parks said. “There’s a lot of potential we can uncover. Hopefully we can put up 60 instead of 40.”
How critical has Parks been to PN-G’s offensive success? OK, you figure it out. The Indians graduated Port Arthur News Super Team center Klete LeBlanc after last spring. They snap the ball deep to the quarterback in the shotgun.
Somewhere in a PN-GISD classroom, Parks learned the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. Where does it seem the Indians run the most and the best? Right through the ‘A gap’ in Parks’ direction.
Now here’s a fact through four games: How many times has QB Brennan Doty been sacked? None so far — another testimony to Ben’s superior work under center.
“It all starts with him,” Doty said of his center. “We have to have good timing. That’s the most important part of the play and I havenít been sacked.”
Offensive line coach Eddy Parker is no small reason in accounting for Parks’ success, according to Ben.
“Coach Parker was a center and a guard at Georgia Tech,” Parks said. “We’ve had a special bond. He’s a great example setter for me… He pushes you really hard.”
Due to the preparation from Parker and assistant head coach Joe Dale Cary, the transition from backup to starter has been an easy one for Ben this year. He logged varsity time at center and guard last year.
“I’ve become a much better player this year, though,” he said. “I definitely want to get more physical and do a better job of finishing my plays more.”
Cary is not surprised by Ben’s development, but the coach admitted Parks’ progress appeared ahead of the curve.
“He’s a young man that you want your daughter to date,” Cary said. “He’s reliable… trustworthy…. smart and a good athlete.”
Indian Inklings: Port Neches-Groves is scheduled to hold its Friday pep rally in the gym at 2:30 p.m. That time is subject to change in order to accommodate state-wide television coverage from Fox Sports Southwest… The Dallas-based network is featuring Mid-County Madness as its Dairy Queen Game of the Week on the weekly Friday Night Scoreboard show at midnight. The camera crew intends to be at both school pep rallies. Nederland’s Dogdome student pep rally is scheduled for 2:40 p.m…. Head coach Brandon Faircloth received a group photo from an orphanage in the East African Republic of Kenya. All 47 in the photo wore white PN-G football t-shirts. Faircloth and his staff sent the orphanage 60 shirts…. Dale Cary, father of assistant head coach Joe Dale Cary, came to PN-G last Friday for the Livingston game. Joe Dale’s parents live in Cisco….. Fantastic work continues at PN-G’s younger levels. The junior varsity is 4-0 and the freshman team is 3-1…. Those pop-up kickoffs from the toe of left-footed senior kicker Dylan Browning were deliberate in the Livingston game to negate the speed in the Lions kick return squad…. No injuries or lineup changes resulted within Faircloth’s Tribe after the 49-42 setback . . . PN-G leads the head-to-head Mid-County series 48-31-7 . . . The PN-G-Nederland clash is the Port Arthur News Friday Night Experience telecast, and will air at 10:30 p.m. Friday night on Fox 4. Harold Mann and Bob West will work the telecast.
