FOOTBALL HISTORY

4-Time State Champions

“That first home game against the Bulldogs, played upon the banks of the Neches River, started Indian football down it’s first ever “trail of victory”.  A sportswriter who witnessed the game noted that “…attendance was good and much spirit manifested.”  He also noted that the Port Neches squad played “fiercely”.”

– Dr. Jon Buck Ford (Author: Down Trails of Victory)

Since 1925, the Indians of Port Neches and Groves have been a strong presence on the Texas high school football scene.  In the 99 years of PN-G football, the Indians have compiled a 646-368-33 record*, had seventeen 10+ win seasons, won 28 district championships, 15 regional championships, appeared in 8 state championship games, and have won 4 state championships.  The 1975 state championship team was ranked as the #3 high school football team in the nation.

The 60th school to achieve 500 and 600 wins in Texas high school football history,  PN-G is among the top 10 percent of winning programs in all state classifications based on records kept by football historian Joe Lee Smith, and ranks in the top 2 percent in playoff success.

The long list of former PN-G players includes 117 All-State and 4 All-American selections.

From the first game on the southern bank of the Neches River, to the present day games in their multi-million dollar stadium, the student athletes of Port Neches and Groves Texas continue to play with honor, representing the traditions of a proud community.

* through 2023 season

1925-1929

Port Neches High School played it’s first football game against the Silsbee Tigers on Saturday afternoon, October 10, 1925.  The Indians outgained the opposing Tigers but lost the game 7-0.  Port Neches gained their first ever victory, and initial home win against the Nederland Bulldogs a few weeks later with a 13-7 victory.  The Indians won only nine games through the remainder of the decade, but established the fighting spirit that would become the trademark of future Port Neches-Groves football teams.

1930-1939

Head coaches I.B. Griffith, R.D. Hitt and Claude Stone led the Indians to a respectable 58-29-7 record. With three district championships, and a regional championship in 1934, the football program was well on it’s way to even greater success.

1940-1949

1946 Champs

Three district championships and back to back regional championships, including the only perfect season in PN-G history hilighted the decade.  Head coach Gene McCollum began building what would become a state power in football. The overall record for the decade was 56-35-6.

1950-1959

Three straight state championship appearances, and state championship wins in 1953 and 1955 established the Port Neches football program as a force to be reckoned with in Class AAA football.  Led by two great head coaches, Gene McCollum and Lewis Ford, Port Neches finished the decade with a 79-27-3 record.  Indian Stadium was built in the current location in 1951 with a seating capacity of 6,500.

1960-1969

District champions in 1961 and 1968, Head coaches Wilford Moore, O.A. “Bum” Phillips and Ken Watson led the Indians to a respectable 55-38-6 record.

1970-1979

1975 State Champs

Beginning with the offensive powerhouse of the early seventies that featured Jeff Bergeron and the Wishbone offense, to four straight semifinal appearances, two state final appearances, and a 1975 state championship win over Odessa Permian, the 1970s was the most successful and exciting decade of football in PN-G history.   Led by legendary head coach Doug Ethridge and a host of assistant coaches that went on to achieve greatness themselves,  the Indians of the 70s left behind a record of 93-24-1, multiple state attendance records, a #3 national ranking, and a place among the all-time great programs in Texas high school football history.  Achieving success against much larger schools and players, the Indians of this era demonstrated discipline, determination, perseverance and belief in each other.

1980-1989

The eighties were an uncharacteristic struggle for the Indian football program until a dynamic coach with Nebraska roots arrived at the Reservation.  Head Coach Danny Malone revived a dormant program and quickly built a powerhouse team that shocked the area. Malone coached the Indians only two short years but in that time resurrected a proud football program setting the stage for the next decade of PN-G football.

1990-1999

The 1990s began with several challenging seasons in the 5A ranks, but  culminated with an exciting state championship assault in 1999.  Perhaps the most balanced and potent offense in Indian football history, the ’99 Indians played for the 4A state championship against the Art Briles coached Stephenville Yellowjackets.   Playing before a record Astrodome crowd of 39,100, the Indians fell short of the championship trophy but finished as one of the most exciting teams in PN-G history.  Head Coach Matt Burnett was named Fox Sports 4A Coach of the Year after the 1999 season.  The Indians finished the decade with a 68-42-1 overall record and three district championships.

2000-2009

The Indians finished the decade with a 63-41 record and 4 district championships matching the 50s and 70s teams.  Coach Matt Burnett became the winningest coach in PN-G football history before stepping down with a 95-66 overall record in his 15 seasons as head coach.  Coach Brandon Faircloth took over the reins in 2009 as head coach and athletic director.  Faircloth and staff led the Indians to their best season since 1999, and only the 4th perfect regular season in PN-G history.

Indian Stadium received a new turf field, all new home stands, new restroom and concession facilities for home and visitors, and a pressbox and high definition video board that brings a college atmosphere to The Reservation.  Along with an already impressive fieldhouse, Port Neches-Groves enjoys some of the best high school facilities in the state and nation.

2010-2019

Through the 2009-2019 seasons, the Indians compiled an 89-40 record, won or shared 5 district championships, appeared in the playoffs 10 of 11 seasons, and had 39 players selected for all-state honors.

Record setting performances each season have exemplified the Indians high octane brand of offense.  Quarterbacks Brennan Doty, Travis Miller, Ky Walker, Adam Morse and Roschon Johnson combined for a total of 20,634 yards passing and 215 touchdowns.  Leading rushers for each of those seasons ran for 13,071 yards.  In 2019 junior QB Blake Bost continued the passing excellence by throwing for over 2,000 yards in his first season.  In 2021 junior QB Cole Crippen passed for 3,019 yards, good for second all-time in the record books.

Like former PN-G offensive coordinators Greg Davis and Mike Long, head coach Brandon Faircloth brings an exciting brand of football that promises to keep the Indians on the Trail of Victory. 

2020-2021

The Indians offensive prowess continues, led by quarter back Blake Bost in 2020 (2,435 yards passing, 936 yards rushing) , and Cole Crippen in 2021 (3,019 yards passing). 

Coach Brandon Faircloth achieved a couple of milestones with his 97th and 100th wins to become the all-time winningest football coach in PN-G history as well as the first to reach 100 wins.  The 2021 Indians reached the third round of the playoffs highlighted by a convincing win over the undefeated and state ranked Montgomery Bears in round 2.  The 2021 Indians featured the first PN-G team to field a 3000+ yard passer, 1700+ yard rusher and 1400+ yard receiver.  Running back Koby Trahan broke a 50+ year single game rushing record with a 365 yard performance against Kingwood Park.

2022-

Head coach Jeff Joseph accepted the AD and HC positions before the 2022 season.   In his first season as a head coach, the Indians finished with a 13-3 record becoming only the 5th team in PN-G history to win 13 or more games and only the 7th team to appear in a state championship game.

In his second season the Indians finished the season with a 15-1 record, won the 2023 5A-DII state championship, the fourth state championship by a PN-G football team, and the first for the Indians since 1975.  Joseph’s two year record of 28-4, and playoff record of 11-1 places him on a pace to rewrite the PN-G coaching record books.  Running back Isaiah Nguyen became the second 2,000+ yard rusher in PN-G history, ending the season with 2,051 yards and 14 touchdowns for the 2023 season.  19 Indians were recognized with All-District honors.