Published November 21, 2009 02:14 am
By Steven Cohan
The Port Arthur News
HOUSTON – Port Neches-Groves Coach Brandon Faircloth’s initial season on the Reservation ended sadly on the artificial turf of Thorne Stadium Friday night in Aldine, although the Indians gave their fans reason to be proud.
The Indians found themselves in a 20-0 hole after 24 minutes of play, but a touchdown in the final minute and recovery of an onside kick gave them hope until the end of a 27-21 second round playoff loss to the Brenham Cubs.
“It’s been a wonderful year,” said Faircloth, after the Indians first loss of the year following 11 wins. “These kids have played with heart and passion all year long and they did it again tonight. I’m so proud of our kids, from what they’ve been through with the coaching change and being district champs and that’s what PN-G is. There’s a spirit here that’s very special, and it showed tonight.”
The Indians wasted little time in the second half, with Amir Jalali returning the kickoff 61 yards to the Brenham 28. On fourth and two from the three, Caleb Harmon, took a pitch and raced around left end into the end zone for the Tribe’s first score.
The Indians’ defense forced Brenham to punt after three plays but the Tribe was unable to do anything offensively on their next possession.
Brenham answered with a seven-play, 41-yard drive with Ty Schlottman connecting with Derek Edwards on a 12-yard scoring strike that gave the Cubs a 27-7 lead.
But the Indians took only 26 seconds to move 60 yards in three plays to score on a 34-yard pass from Doty to Blake Reyenga.
PN-G moved into Brenham territory in the fourth quarter but Doty was sacked on fourth and four from the 17 and the Cubs also converted a fake punt from their own 34 in the fourth quarter.
“It caught them off guard,” said Brenham coach Glen West, whose team improved to 10-2. “We told our team it was going to come down to the wire like this and they were going to have to make big plays to win it.”
The Indians forced a turnover in the final two minutes when Kyler Cross recovered a Brenham fumble at the PN-G seven. Doty directed a 94-yard scoring drive, connecting with Spencer DeRon on a one-yard pass with 15 seconds left that brought PN-G to within 27-21.
Larry Padia was in the right place and recovered the onside kick at the Brenham 35, but Doty’s desperation pass was intercepted by Terrell Reese with 8 seconds left to seal the Indians’ fate.“That’s second round playoff action,” West said. “Brandon Faircloth and his team have done a great job.
We knew it was going to be tough, and close and that it would come down to the wire.”
There was a bad omen from the first play from scrimmage. Schlottmann connected with Troy Green on a 12-yard pass and the Tribe was guilty of a personal foul that moved the ball to the PN-G 35. PN-G also lost Hunter Denzlinger on the play, as he was driven off the field on a cart. But the Indians defense stiffened and the Cubs had to settle for a 38 yard field goal by Tanner Schmidt.
PN-G managed a single first down before having to punt and Brenham marched 67 yards in 11 plays with Schlottmann scoring on a one-yard run with 16 seconds left in the first to make the score, 10-0.
PN-G was unable to move the chains in three plays so they punted back to Brenham early in the second quarter.
A personal foul after the punt return put Brenham at the PN-G 43. The Cubs counted on a powerful ground game to grind to the end zone in seven plays with Michael Walker carrying the final six yards into the end zone. Schmidt’s PAT gave the Cubs a 17-0 lead with 8:11 left in the half.
Doty completed a 22-yard pass to Garrett Boudoin that put PN-G in Brenham territory. A pass interference penalty extended the drive, but the Brenham defense held and the Tribe had to punt.
Brenham took over with less than a minute to go in the half, but Schlottmann directed the Cubs deep into PN-G territory and Schmidt added his second field goal to send the game into halftime with a 20-0 Brenham lead.
The Cubs ‘ defense limited Caleb Harmon, who had rushed for 1840 yards to 38 yards on 11 carries. With the defense packed tightly to stop the run, Faircloth knew that the Indians would have to throw the ball.
“They were going to make us throw it, that was the game plan,” Faircloth said. “We were going to have to throw the ball to win and we knew that. That’s just the type of defense they play, and they’re very solid and it’s feast or famine. We didn’t get it done in the first half and we made some plays in the second half.”
The Cubs alignment allowed Brennan Doty to complete 20 passes in 42 attempts for 250 yards with two interceptions and touchdown passes of 34 yards to Reyenga and one yard to DeRon.
