By Daniel Maher | BeaumontEnterprise.com
Ozen failed to tighten up the District 22-5A race, letting an early lead evaporate as Port Neches-Groves scored the game’s final 29 points en route to a comfortable 36-13 win.
WHAT HAPPENED
PN-G hit its stride midway through the second quarter, scoring touchdowns on its final three possessions of the first half to open a 28-13 halftime lead. All four first half touchdowns came on Adam Morse passes, three of which went to Caisen Sullivan.
Ozen could have closed the gap when it took the second half kickoff into the red zone, but it failed to capitalize on a first-and-goal situation at the Indians’ 7-yard line, ultimately turning the ball over on downs.
The Indians’ lone rushing touchdown, an 80-yard dash by Kody Cropper midway through the fourth quarter sealed the win.
“The offensive line was doing a great job,” Morse said. “They had a big part in this game. They gave me time to go through my looks and find the open man.”
TURNING POINT
On its first two drives of the game, Ozen marched 72 yards for touchdowns both times, getting rushing scores from quarterback Josh Boyd and Calvin Tyler, Jr.
That early offensive firepower staked Ozen to a 13-7 lead, but the PN-G defense held Tyler in check for the rest of the game and contained Boyd enough to keep the Panthers out of the end zone the rest of the way.
Meanwhile, PN-G’s three straight scoring drives to end the first half shifted the momentum.
“Ozen’s a really great team and their quarterback and running back are really special,” PN-G coachBrandon Faircloth said. “I think it took us awhile to figure out how to deal with them. Then, it was definitely bend but don’t break and we were able to grind it out.”
MOST SPECTACULAR PLAY
After PN-G stopped Ozen’s second 14-play drive of the second half on an interception in the end zone, Cropper took a handoff at the Indians’ 20 and burst through the line headed towards the left sidelines. As he sliced through a hole, he hit a different gear and blew by the Ozen secondary to give the Indians a 36-13 with 7:00 left.
“I said to my legs ‘just go,'” Cropper said. “I didn’t worry about what was behind me. I just looked towards the end zone.”
BY THE NUMBERS
Tyler entered the game as the district’s leading rusher, but was held to seven yards in the second half and a total of 48 for the game on 22 carries.
Morse completed 16 of 22 passes for four touchdowns and 235 yards. He had 224 yards by halftime.
Sullivan caught nine passes for 124 yards and three scores, while Jack Giblin caught six passes for 80 yards. Cropper also had a 31-yard touchdown catch to go along with his touchdown run.
Boyd led Ozen with 146 rushing yards on 20 carries, while passing for 152.
RECORDS
PN-G 6-2, 4-1. Ozen 3-5, 1-4.
HE SAID IT
“It’s like a broken record,” Ozen coach David Suggs said. “We’re not staying focused. We’re not finishing drives. It’s hard to figure out.”
