By Larry Bodin
Port Arthur News Special Correspondent
HUMBLE – It was a tale of two halves.
And if you’re Port Neches-Groves, you’ll erase any memory of the first 24 minutes of this one as fast as you can say “turnover.”
On the other hand, the Indians can use the final two quarters as a building block on which to prepare for a very tough District 20-4A season ahead.
But when all was said and done, an Indian 10-point fourth-period rally was not enough as Matt Burnett’s club dropped a 24-17 decision to Kingwood here Friday night at Turner Stadium before a crowd of 7,000.
Although having a statistical edge over the 5A Mustangs in almost every category, the Indians dropped their second straight decision to fall to 1-2 on the young season. Kingwood claimed its initial victory of 2000 to go to also go to 1-2.
PN-G led in first downs (18-9), in rushing yardage (105-99), and in passing yardage (165-39). But statistics don’t mean much when you find yourself on the losing game of the scoreboard.
If you were one of the large throng of Purple and White faithful that made the 90-minute trip, you must have thought you were watching a horror show in the first half.
After scoring on its second series on a one-yard plunge by Jeff Bergeron midway in the first period, PN-G proceeded to turn the football over an incredible six consecutive possessions. Their first half tally sheet showed four lost fumbles and three interceptions.
The Indian defense played really well, though, and the hosts from Kingwood weren’t able to do much with the giveaway game the Indians were playing.
Kingwood did a terrible job of capitalizing on the PN-G miscues and led by only a touchdown at intermission, 14-7.
“There’s no doubt the turnovers played a big factor. It’s still a non-district game though and what matters is how we end up at the end of the year,” said Burnett.
“We’ve played three quality football teams and it should help us prepare for district play.”
On the way the Indians performed in the second half, after such a dismal first half offensive performance, Burnett said, “I thought we outplayed them in the second half. Our defense was always in a situation where they (Mustangs) didn’t have very far to go. We had a long way to go, and we did it. We’re a good football team, but we didn’t prove it.
“You just can’t make these errorrs, but like I said this is still a non-district game and I’m proud to coach these kids and proud of their efforts.”
The Indians saw themselves fall into a deep hole right off the bat in the second half. On Kingwood’s first series, it drove 45 yards in five plays with quarterback Mark Murphy scoring on a nifty 19-yard scamper around the right side. Nick Deaville’s PAT made it a two-touchdown deficit for PN-G, as the Indians trailed by a 21-7 count at the 7:52 mark of the third.
PN-G still couldn’t get anything going offensively and saw disaster strike once more in the kicking game. Senior Chris McCabe roared through to block Joey Price’s punt with 1:23 remaining in the third setting the hosts up at the Indian 21.
Indian defenders, who played outstanding football all night long, allowing just 138 total yards, dug in and forced Deaville to boot a 26-yard field goal on the second play of the final stanza. Kingwood led by a 24-7 margin and things didn’t look good for the Purple and White.
With top running back Jeff Bergeron on the sidelines with a shoulder injury the entire second half, the Indians rallied to make it a ball game on the strength of a great receiving effort from Price (seven receptions for 124 yards), and some fine passing from junior Kirk Hallmark.
Hallmark threw for 93 yards in the final 11 minutes, but it wasn’t enough.
After Deaville’s early final quarter FG, the Indians roared 80 yards in nine plays, keyed by Hallmark completions of seven to Brady Flores, 22 yards to Price and a 20-yard run by Nathan Perez setting up the score.
Flores made it a 24-14 game by scoring from the eight with 8:52 left in the game.
On the Indians final possession, they drove 75 yards in 14 plays before electing to use Price’s sturdy right foot to make it a 24-17 game with only 0:32 remaining. Price’s 32-yard FG was perfect, but his onside kick was recovered by the Mustangs who ran out the clock. Highlighting the series was completions to Price for seven, 17, and 16 yards, and a 20-yard pass to Flores.
In the first half, PN-G possessions looked like a “how not to” manual. On the first series of the game, they went seven plays ending in an interception. After Bergeron’s TD, they went six plays (lost fumble), three plays (interception), three plays (interception), four plays (fumbled snap on punt ending in Kingwood TD), one play (lost fumble), one play (lost fumble).
