By TOM HALLIBURTON
Port Arthur News Sports Writer
PORT NECHES — Jared Gary brings life to the saying that there’s no substitute for experience.
Every time the Port Neches-Groves senior plays, he tends to improve. And there’s no substitute for Jared now, either. Now that he has experience.
At 6-3, 220 pounds, this 17-year-old defensive right end may be recruited as much as senior football standout at The Reservation next winter.
He divided time much of last year, playing in every game and entering the game in every-other series. That was last year when Gary was not a seasoned hand.
“Last year I could have made a bunch of plays but I missed them,” he recalled, showing the kind of all-out honesty you would want from your own child.
He’s not bragging a year later when Gary says, “I make the plays that I missed.”
So what’s the major difference from a year ago?
“I’m quicker and stronger than last year but I think experience is the main key,” he said.
While Vidor’s Pirates enter Friday’s game against PN-G with an 0-4 record, the Vidorians always pose a threat to run the option. That’s water torture to Gary’s ears. He would rather not confront such a predominantly option-oriented offense. Again, Gary earned an A-plus for candor.
“I’d rather not (face an option team) but it’s all the same,” he said. “They try to cut the defensive ends. My knees aren’t the best part of my body.
“It’s not a concern. I know they’re going to be there. I just have to avoid it and use my hands and not let them get to me.”
Gary takes the field at Pirate Stadium knowing Vidor’s option game will be out to chop him down. But he also can take that field with the awareness that he played well there last year when PN-G came home with an important, season-turning 34-14 triumph.
“I had one of my best games there,” he recalled. “I was fired up and we were all fired up because we knew we had to win or we couldn’t go to the playoffs.”
Gary and his many family supporters are all fired-up about PN-G football. Most of them always have been. His parents are about as purple and white as they come. Andy and Candy Gilbert and Jeff and Jeanie Gary have followed Jared’s football days since Port Neches Middle School.
Stepfather Andy Gilbert played on the 1975 state championship team that took down the Mojo.
When Gary gets his mojo going, he has a way of delivering big plays as just about anyone on PN-G’s defense. That’s one item which Indians’ chief Matt Burnett emphasized on Tuesday.
“Gary has a knack for making big plays,” PN-G’s head coach said. “He runs real well. You don’t have to worry about Jared competing in a game. He really plays the game hard. He didn’t rest on his laurels from last year. He’s put on some weight and strength and he’s getting some college attention.”
Gary would love to carry on a PN-G to Texas A&M pipeline which his older brother Chad would build. A member of the Texas Aggies’ 12th Man kickoff squad, the older Gary is interested in heading toward Stanford University in graduate school and working toward becoming an orthopedic surgeon.
Those all are rather impressive footsteps to follow but Jared wouldn’t mind placing his big feet right in them.
“I definitely want to play college sports,” Jared said. “I would like to get into physical therapy and maybe work with him (Chad).”
That makes about as much sense as playing an intelligent brand of defensive end, knowing when to crash the opposing backfield, knowing when to stay at home and play assignment football.
Jared and the rest of that experienced Indians’ defensive front plan to roam where it’s necessary in order to solve Vidor’s attack.
“We’re coming around now,” he said. “Once we get everything on the same page, we’ll be rolling like last year.”
If the Indians can roll that well, you can bet Jared Gary has plenty to do with it on both sides of the ball. He doubles as a valuable blocker at tight end. The more he mans his right end spot on defense, the better Gary gets.
“I started off kinda slow, but as the games went on, I’ve gotten more confidence and started reacting a lot better.”
Come to think of it, that’s how Gary intends for the Indians’ 2000 football season to work out.
INDIAN INKLINGS
Senior free safety Troy Cooley is one of a few Southeast Texans to earn recognition for his play against Kelly on this week’s statewide Associated Press high school honor roll story…. Now that head coach Matt Burnett has three healthy QBs for a change, he plans to start junior Kirk Hallmark at split end in Vidor. Seniors Tony Bowser and Cody Elkins will share the QB chores. Burnett says Bowser will start the game at QB. “That’s what we feel is best for our team,” Burnett said. “We will keep it that way as long as it’s productive to do it like that.” …. Senior TB Jeff Bergeron (separated shoulder) is said to be improving but he will not suit out at Vidor. Junior TB/OLB Brady Flores has a hip pointer but is considered probable for Vidor along with senior offensive linemen Elliot Adams (broken hand in a cast) and Joe Hollis (dislocated finger in a cast)…. Another senior offensive lineman Michael Thibodeaux (lower back strain) has been ordered to remain on the inactive list indefinitely after receiving a second opinion in Beaumont…. Top tacklers vs. Kelly were ILB Cody Clark (7 solos and 2 assists), OLB Jeff LeBlanc (6 and 1), ILB Trayce Boudoin (4 and 5) and OLB Adam LeDoux (4 and 4). With Flores playing more offense, LeDoux has started and played well at the right outside backer spot.
