By HOWARD RODEN
Port Arthur News Sports Correspondent
BAYTOWN – Against Crosby Saturday night, Port Neches-Groves exhibited little of the offensive pyrotechnics that were a trademark of the Indians’ impressive march to the Class 4A state championship game last season.
There are times, however, when a little spark can be as effective as a big bang.
Jeff Bergeron’s two-yard scamper late in the third quarter was all PN-G needed to successfully embark on a new millineum.
Coupled with a near-perfect defensive effort, the Indians’ secured their 7-0 season debut before an estimated 6,000 at Stallworth Stadium.
Bergeron’s touchdown capped the Tribe’s lone, true offensive highlight – an 11-play drive which accounted for 77 of PN-G’s 202 total yards.
The senior tailback’s score came four plays after junior quarterback Kirk Hallmark and senior receiver Joey Price teamed for a 42-yard pass play that set up the Indians at the Crosby 11.
Price, who had been a non-factor in the first half by constant double- and tripled-teaming, sliced through the Cougar secondary with a precise post route. And Hallmark, who struggled to find his range at the start, fired a perfect strike to Price, one of the few offensive holdovers from last season.
“We needed it,” said PN-G head coach Matt Burnett of the game’s longest play. “Crosby had come out and taken away our sweep (to Bergeron) and Price. So we gave them some different looks in the second half, and when they started crowding the line, we felt the time was right to stretch things out.”
As he proved during last year’s playoffs, Burnett has the heart of a riverboat gambler. Facing fourth-and-inches at the Crosby two during that winning drive, he never wavered on going for the end zone rather than settle on a certain field goal by Price.
Burnett called timeout prior to Bergeron’s decisive carry, but only to change the play. “I didn’t like the play we had called. Besides, the reason I went for it was because I didn’t think they (Crosby) could score (a touchdown) on us,” he said.
Burnett’s confidence was well-founded. Though the Indian offense struggled to find its identity, the playoff-tested defense displayed late season form against a Crosby team that had reached the 4A quarterfinals last year.
Linebackers Cody Clark, Trayce Boudoin and Jeff LeBlanc, and linemen Michael Brignac, Jeremy Davis and Jared Gary were the main component of a “Purple Swarm” unit that held Crosby to 54 yards rushing on 34 carries. The Cougars crossed into Indiand territory on their own power just three times.
Crosby’s only true threat of a score came via Bergeron’s miscue of a punt which Cougars recovered at the PN-G 29. But with defensive stops spearheaded by Gary on second down and LeBlanc on third, the Cougars settled for a 40-yard field goal try by Jason Salas.
His attempt missed just to the right, and, bouyed by their good fortune, the Indians immediately embarked on their touchdown drive that consumed 5:20.
Though he faced the uneviable task of replacing the cavernous expectations created by former all-state quarterback Dustin Long, Hallmark’s passing proved critical.
Starting with an interception on his first attempt of the night, Hallmark finished a respect8-of-16 for 102 yards. He was 3-for-3 passing during the touchdown march, and coverted a third-and-two with some nifty running.
“Offensively, we knew it would be slow going in the beginning,” Burnett remarked. “Our starting center (Justin Mercer) couldn’t play because a 100-plus fever. I thought Kirk handled himself well in the situation.
“I know expectations are high, but we’ve got some growing pains. We just happy to come out with a win,” Burnett added.
Those growing pains were evident in the first half as PN-G crossed into Cougar territory on its first and final possessions.
Meanwhile Crosby’s deepest foray was only to the Indian 49.
A shanked punt by Ronnie Blunstrom put the Tribe in business at the Crosby 39 on its opening drive. A couple of carries by Bergeron and Hallmark got the Indians as close as the 25. But on third-and-12 Hallmark’s first attempt of the night – a wobbly toss wide of its mark – was intercepted by linebacker Kevin Arceneaux.
