Published 2:08 am Saturday, November 12, 2016
BEAUMONT — Time was running out on Barbers Hill, and Port Neches-Groves made sure of it.
Cameron Cauthen had just completed a 32-yard pass to Cullen Kirkland, who had two second-half touchdown receptions, to the PNG 5 with about 11 seconds left. But linebacker Alec LeBouef and defensive lineman Logan Hammonds blitzed the BH quarterback for a 10-yard loss, running out the clock and preserving a 31-26 Indians victory Friday night at Provost Umphrey Stadium.
The Indians (10-1), District 22-5A co-champions, will take on Fort Bend Willowridge at 7 p.m. next Friday at Stallworth Stadium in Baytown in the area round. Willowridge came from an eight-point halftime deficit to defeat Houston Waltrip 28-24 Friday.
The way PNG’s defense started the game — they picked off Cauthen on each of his first three drives — a stop to end the game would have only been fitting. The Eagles, though, managed to total *502 yards on the night.
*[Game statistics published in this article are incorrect and should be reported as 356 yards. Accurate statistics can be viewed at the Houston Chronicle or Beaumont Enterprise sites which obtain information from iPreps.]
Cauthen came back from the disastrous start to finish 11 of 21 for 247 yards and four touchdowns. But two Logan LeJeune picks and one each for Vaughan and LeBouef would prove costly.
PNG sophomore Roschon Johnson won the quarterback chess match against Cauthen, who finished his junior season with 2,457 passing yards. Johnson rushed 40 times for 227 yards and two touchdowns and completed 15 of 25 for 198 yards and two TDs.
That gives him 3,255 total yards of offense this season.
PNG led by as much as 25-13 and never trailed but had to overcome four missed extra points (two blocked by Mason Dooley) and a field goal. Barbers Hill also missed an extra point and threw incomplete on a two-point conversion.
The loss ended Tom Westerberg’s first season coaching the Eagles at 8-3. Westerberg had won four state championships at Allen in the previous eight seasons.
The Eagles tied the game at 13 with 5:39 left on Cauthen’s 38-yard strike to a wide-open Dillon Zavodny in the right-hand flat, but the extra-point try hit the left upright. That would be their second and last deadlock of the contest.
Johnson threw a 29-yard over-shoulder pass to Dylan McGough (eight catches, 133 yards and three touchdowns) for the opening score. Johnson avoided disaster as Barbers Hill dropped a couple of interceptions.
But sophomore running back Spencer Long turned in a 38-yard carry to the Indians’ 12, leading to Cauthen’s first scoring pass to Skylar Langelier from 5 yards out to even the score at 7.
Johnson rushed for 57 yards on a 62-yard series early in the second quarter, finishing with a QB sneak at the 7:13 mark before the break to push the Indians back in front.
The Indians started the second half forcing the Eagles into their only three-and-out series. PNG capitalized as McGough had his second touchdown reception of the night from 5 yards out midway through the third quarter to make it a 19-13 lead.
LeJeune had returned his second pick 61 yards into the end zone, but it was shortened to 45 yards following a blocking penalty. Two plays and a holding call later, Johnson ran the remaining 16 yards out to bump the lead to 25-13.
Cauthen immediately shrunk that lead with a 66-yard toss to Kirkland, who had all three of his catches for 131 yards in the second half. Johnson countered, either rushing or completing passes on a seven-play, 74-yard series ending in McGough’s 45-yard tightrope down the Eagles’ sideline.
That lead whittled to 31-26 after Cauthen fired to Kirkland for a 33-yard touchdown in 1-on-1 coverage. LeBoeuf made the break-up on a two-point pass attempt.
Preston Riggs finished with six catches for 67 yards.
*Game statistics published in this PA News article are incorrect. Accurate statistics can be viewed at the Houston Chronicle or Beaumont Enterprise sites which obtain information from iPreps.
