By Jorge Ramos, Beaumont Enterprise, October 3, 2020
After trailing by 26 points in the first half, Port Neches-Groves completed the come-from-behind win and defeated the Beaumont United 40-37 Friday night at BISD Memorial Stadium.
PN-G (1-1) spoiled Marcus Graham’s long-awaited first game as the Timberwolves’ head coach.
“We’re just so proud of our team and our coaches,” PN-G head football coach Brandon Faircloth said. “I am so proud of our defense in the second half for getting some stops and turnover for us.”
On a pivotal fourth-and-9 for the Timberwolves (0-1) with about three minutes remaining in the game, PN-G’s defense sniffed out a screen pass and stopped any chance of a game-winning drive for United.
In the second half, PN-G outscored the Timberwolves 26-11 and were led by quarterback Blake Bost. The PN-G quarterback finished the game completing 22-of-35 passes with 385 passing yards and six total touchdowns — three rushing and three passing. Bost added 97 rushing yards and was intercepted twice by United defensive backs Jacori Smith and Chandler Rivers.
“It’s just my teammates and coaches calling the right plays at the right times,” Bost said. “It also helps when my teammates are making plays and making it easier for me.”
PN-G scored four touchdowns on five of its second-half offensive possessions, while United only scored a touchdown, a 24-yard field goal and two points after returning an interception 100 yards on a PN-G 2-point attempt.
But before PN-G’s huge second half, it was United senior quarterback Bradley Thomas who had an equally impressive night. Thomas rushed for 225 yards and five touchdowns, while also throwing for 163 yards and was intercepted once.
“Bradley Thomas did an outstanding job,” Graham said. “It’s his first year starting at quarterback and did a great job carrying the offense.”
In the first offensive series, the Timberwolves looked sharp in large part because of Thomas’ dual threat ability. The United quarterback capped off an eight-play drive with a 42-yard rushing touchdown and finished the series 4-of-4 passing giving the Timberwolves a 7-0 lead with 8:48 remaining in the first quarter.
United capitalized on a blocked field goal attempt and doubled its lead on the ensuing drive. A huge 61-yard pass by Thomas to senior wideout Sir Zollocofer set up a five-yard rushing touchdown by the Timberwolves’ quarterback — his second of the game — and gave United a 14-0 lead midway through the first quarter.
On the next PN-G drive, Rivers returned a punt for 48 yards to set up the Timberwolves with excellent field position. It took just four plays for Thomas to rush into the endzone for his third touchdown of the half. But a missed extra point gave the Timberwolves a 20-0 lead early into the second quarter.
PN-G then collected a few first downs and had its first sustained drive of the game. But on the sixth play of the drive, Smith-Jackson intercepted Bost.
The Timberwolves capitalized on its next offensive series and capped off a 12-play drive with another rushing touchdown by Thomas — his fourth of the game. To make up for the missed extra point, United attempted a 2-point conversion but failed and led PN-G 26-0.
PN-G finally found itself on the scoreboard after Bost finished a seven-play drive with a seven-yard touchdown pass to senior wideout Grant Pearson. PN-G trailed 26-7 with about five minutes remaining in the first half.
The PN-G defense came up with its first stop of the game and forced United to punt after five plays. On the second play of PN-G’s next offensive series, Bost fumbled the snap, picked it up on his own 10-yard line, scrambled away from several United defenders and flung a deep pass to senior wide receiver Brady Nail for a 38- yard completion around midfield.
“Sometimes football doesn’t happen how you practiced,” Faircloth said. “When you have a great player like Blake (Bost) who can improvise and make plays, it gives you a chance to do some special things on offense.”
Six plays later, Bost rushed into the endzone for his second touchdown of the game cutting the lead to 12 points.
Early in the second half, it took five plays and just over a minute for PN-G to cut the United lead to five points. After two huge completion of 44 and 22 yards, Bost found the end zone from eight yards out and scored his third touchdown of the game. Bost’s second rushing touchdown brought PN-G within five points early in the second half trimming United’s lead to 26-21.
PN-G outscored United 19-9 and secured an important road win after a slow start.
“We got to do some work on how to begin games,” Faircloth said. “Two weeks in a row, we have not started very well. We have to figure that out and be a first-quarter team too.”
PN-G return home next week to face the Tomball Cougars, while the Timberwolves host Baytown Sterling next Friday at BISD Memorial Stadium.
Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that PN-G quarterback Blake Bost accounted for five touchdowns. This version has been corrected. Bost scored six touchdowns in Friday’s contest against Beaumont United.
