By Tom Halliburton | BeaumontEnterprise.com
Nov. 19, 2021
BAYTOWN – Junior quarterback Cole Crippen added his name to the list of legendary Port Neches-Groves football heroes Friday night at Stallworth Stadium.
Crippen completed 25 of 30 passes for 355 yards, throwing for three touchdowns and running for another as PN-G stunned previously unbeaten Montgomery 49-42 in the 5A Division II area round playoffs.
Locked into an offensive shootout without his superb running threat – due to Koby Trahan’s third-quarter leg injury – Crippen refused to wilt and delivered big strikes to six different receivers.
PN-G (8-4) advanced to next weekend’s 5A regional semifinals against Texarkana Texas High, a 31-0 winner over Texas City on Friday night.
PN-G needed seven touchdowns, 29 first downs and 579 total yards to offset the remarkable performance by Montgomery senior running back Jalen Washington.
A devastating freight train right in the middle of PN-G’s defense, Washington ran 37 times for 317 yards and four touchdowns. But the superb Bears weapon may painfully remember one lost fumble in PN-G territory with five minutes to play.
PN-G defender Seth Landry appeared to strip the ball at the end of Washington’s run and defensive back Matthew Kendrick claimed the free ball at PN-G’s 37.
With Crippen and reserve tailback Chase Johnson holding onto the precious football, PN-G ran out the clock. Johnson replaced an outstanding runner for PN-G. Trahan was helped off the field with 3:20 left in the third quarter after he had carried 25 times for 150 yards and two touchdowns.
The District 12-5A rushing leader never returned to the game after his leg injury.
Enjoying the sharpest half of his career, Crippen completed 15 of 19 passes for 203 yards and two touchdowns as PN-G commanded a 28-14 halftime lead.
Those two scoring passes unlocked a 14-14 tie in the first half’s final three minutes. A nifty catch-and-run by Chance Prosperie covered 29 yards, lifting PN-G ahead 21-14 with 2:51 left in the half. Prosperie caught Crippen’s bullet at the Bears’ 15, cut through would-be tacklers and found the end zone.
The Crippen-to-Prosperie connection capped a 78-yard, nine-play series. The PN-G sharpshooter connected on 5 of 6 tosses for 68 yards during the drive.
If any play put Montgomery on its heels, a fourth down jet sweep got it done. Facing fourth-and-1 at the Bears’ 37, Trahan took the snap in the wildcat formation and gave it forward to Guarnere for a six-yard gain and a new set of downs with 3:40 left in the half.
Instead of keeping pace on the scoreboard, Montgomery relinquished possession 26 seconds later. Facing 3rd and 14 at the Bears 28, Crippen lobbed home a perfect rainbow to the northwest end zone corner.
Landon Guarnere made an over-the-shoulder catch for a 28-yard touchdown with seven seconds left in the half. The 65-yard, nine-play series doubled PN-G’s halftime advantage.
