Matt Faye | Beaumont Enterprise
Dec. 16, 2022Updated: Dec. 16, 2022 10:10 p.m.
South Oak Cliff has stopped Port Neches-Groves one win short of a state title.
The Golden Bears dominated the second half and scored 29 unanswered points during a 34-24 victory in the Class 5A-II championship game.
Enterprise sports editor Matt Faye and photojournalist Kim Brent were on the sidelines all night long providing live updates.
Port Neches-Groves held a 17-12 lead at halftime before South Oak Cliff quickly flipped the script in the third quarter.
The Enterprise will have full game analysis, but here’s a play-by-play breakdown of how Port Neches-Groves’ state championship hopes were ended by South Oak Cliff:
KICKOFF
Port Neches-Groves will get the ball first. Opening kickoff by South Oak Cliff goes out of bounds, and Port Neches-Groves will get the will at its own 30-yard line.
10:52 1Q: PN-G 7, South Oak Cliff 0
Three plays into the game, and Port Neches-Groves has a 7-0 lead. Cole Crippen connects with Landon Guarnere for a 53-yard touchdown pass down the sideline. An absolute dream start for PN-G.
4:59 1Q: PN-G 7, South Oak Cliff 3
Red zone defense could be a deciding factor in this game. Port Neches-Groves comes up with a huge stop that holds South Oak Cliff to a field goal on its first drive.
A 21-yard attempt is true, putting the Golden Bears on the board. The score was set up by a fantastic, 45-yard catch by South Oak Cliff’s star receiver, Jamyri Cauley.
END 1Q: PN-G 7, South Oak Cliff 3
Biggest surprise so far is that South Oak Cliff is seriously struggling to find any room on the ground. The Bears have rushed 11 times for just 32 yards, and besides one big play, haven’t really moved the ball.
Port Neches-Groves is driving past midfield and looking to add to its lead.
9:12 2Q: PN-G 10, South Oak Cliff 3
Now it’s South Oak Cliff’s turn to come up with a red zone stop. The Bears do just that with a big sack on third down.
Port Neches-Groves still gets points out of the possession thanks to a 39-yard field goal by Andres Sandoval. PN-G controlling this game, but up by just a touchdown.
5:18 2Q: PN-G 10, South Oak Cliff 5
A potential turning point in the game…South Oak Cliff’s defense creates points with a safety.
South Oak Cliff will now get the ball at its 40-yard line late in the half. The Bears also get the ball to start the second half. Big possession coming up for the Port Neches-Groves defense.
3:32 2Q: PN-G 17, South Oak Cliff 5
Instead of a turning point for South Oak Cliff, it’s Port Neches-Groves that snatches up the momentum.
Bears go 3-and-out after the safety, then Isaiah Nguyen bursts through the middle for a 59-yard to set up Port Neches-Groves near the end zone. Shea Adams scores on the next play.
A massive sequence before the half.
0:24 2Q: PN-G 17, South Oak Cliff 12
Back and forth we go in the final minutes of the first half. Port Nehces-Groves had South Oak Cliff on a 3rd-and-18 attempt near midfield, but failed to get the stop.
Not long after, Bears receiver Trey Jackson goes all the way up for a touchdown on a jump ball in the corner of the end zone. South Oak Cliff needed that desperately.
HALFTIME: PN-G 17, South Oak Cliff 12
It feels like Port Neches-Groves should be up by more, but it was still a very good first half for the purple and white.
The biggest storyline has been South Oak Cliff’s inability to run the ball. The Bears have just 38 rushing yards on 19 attempts…not good. Conversely, Port Neches-Groves has run the ball 17 times for 106 yards.
South Oak Cliff gets the ball to start the second half. Every possession will mean more as this game continues.
10:23 3Q: PN-G 17, South Oak Cliff 15
South Oak Cliff hits on another long pass play on its first drive of the second half. Rickey Evans catches a 54-yard pass down the middle, but Port Neches-Groves holds again in the red zone.
Both teams clearly have capable kickers. That could come up big later in this game.
6:17 3Q: PN-G 17, South Oak Cliff 17
South Oak Cliff has all the momentum after another safety. It was a bad snap on a punt attempt, and the ball rolls all the way into the end zone. Crippen slaps the ball out of the end zone for the safety.
The South Oak Cliff defense is really starting to settle into the game. The bad snap on 4th down came after a Bears sack on 3rd down.
It’s a new ball game now.
2:05 3Q: South Oak Cliff 24, PN-G 17
For the first time all game, Port Neches-Groves is trailing.
South Oak Cliff was set up with great field position after the safety, and the Bears take advantage. The run game is finally starting to get going for South Oak Cliff. It showed up on that last drive.
Quarterback William Little keeps the ball for a 5 yard touchdown run. South Oak Cliff has scored 19 unanswered points.
1:03 3Q: South Oak Cliff 31, PN-G 17
Things go from bad to worse for Port Neches-Groves. Crippen makes a bad decision and throws an interception over the middle of the field. Manny Muhammad, a University of Texas commit, returns the interception 41 yards for a touchdown.
It’s been a disaster second half so far for Port Neches-Groves.
END 3Q: South Oak Cliff 31, PN-G 17
Big injury news for Port Neches-Groves. Quarterback Cole Crippen is icing his shoulder on the sideline and doesn’t look like he’ll return to the game. Could be a lot of Shea Adams here in the fourth quarter for PN-G.
4:18 4Q: South Oak Cliff 34, PN-G 17
South Oak Cliff slowly works its way down the field for a long drive that ends with a short field goal. It’s just a matter of time now…
FINAL: South Oak Cliff 34, PN-G 24
Port Neches-Groves scores a late touchdown with a short pass from Shea Adams, but it’s too little, too late. South Oak Cliff win the 5A-II championship for the second straight year.
