September 1, 2010
Tom Halliburton
CNHI
PORT NECHES — After Oklahoma’s remarkable 47-game winning streak ended, OU’s stadium announcer informed fans the 1957 team’s next streak would start the following week at Nebraska.
Do not expect a voice, such as Micah Murdock’s or Tip Durham’s, to proclaim a similar sentiment over Indian Stadium’s public address speakers, but it says here that a new Port Neches-Groves win streak is only a “Cherokee” away.
Nothing seemed severely devastated on The Reservation this week after game one’s outcome ended Gregory-Portland 30, PN-G 29. PN-G has two more extreme non-district challenges with Crosby and Texas City in the front mirror.
The Indians enjoyed an overall delightful experience by competing in Texas Football magazine’s 12th annual kickoff classic. Players, fans, and coaches welcomed a chance to play in San Antonio’s Alamodome against a perennial Coastal Bend power.
Kickoff Classic officials reported to Port Arthur News correspondent Steve Cohan that PN-G’s game offered the most excitement and attracted the largest crowd of the weekend’s five high school games in the facility.
Even though the outcome undoubtedly disappointed many purple shirts, Indians’ chief Brandon Faircloth wanted it perfectly clear how much his program appreciated the fans who traveled close to five hours for the game. PN-G’s world-famous fan support legacy never missed a beat in San Antonio.
“The Riverwalk was full of purple,” Faircloth smiled on Wednesday. “I would guess we had between 4 and 5,000 fans in the stands. We suited out 62 and our kids gave an unbelievable effort and played hard.”
That included seven brand-new Indians’ starters on defense. Tribe defensive coordinator Duane Kroeker wisely wanted his group to take away G-P’s strong suit. The Wildcats’ calling-card slot-T rushed for less than two yards a carry — 60 yards on 35 carries. Kroeker had to like those numbers.
A entirely novice secondary received its baptismal of fire against G-P signal caller Kyle Fishbeck, who completed 14 of 20 passes for 281 yards and three touchdowns. Another veteran passer visits The Reservation on Friday when Crosby’s 6-5 mad bomber Dominic Merka arrives.
“We gave up some passing yards and got beat deep but our kids competed and never backed down,” the Indians chief said. “That’s all you can ask for.”
After gaining 329 yards and scoring 29 points, PN-G’s offense drew very encouraging sentiment from its head coach. The Indians did very little wrong or unsuccessfully when they had the ball. An outstanding play by Wildcats’ linebacker Aaron Garza prevented the chains from moving on the Tribe’s final snap.
There’s no reason that Faircloth or offensive coordinator Jared Wingfield had to be disappointed after their G-P film review. Brennan Doty tossed three touchdowns and completed 60 percent of his 40 attempts. Doty also looked like a picture in PN-G’s final drive.
Plenty of new faces needed to step up and be counted in Wingfield’s receiving corps. New starter Amir Jalali tied a single-game school-record with 12 pass receptions. New starter Jayce Nelson also duplicated a PN-G mark for one game with three touchdown catches. New starter Collin Gizzi grabbed four balls for 55 yards, throwing one TD pass and catching another.
It also was heart-warming for PN-G fans to see the return of Hunter Denzlinger after last year’s injury.
“You know, we have good players even though they are new starters,” the Indians chief said. “I’m very pleased with our receivers. They block well and catch and run their routes well. And we have about seven of them again.”
Seniors Matt Desmond and Braden Grusecki and juniors Micah Murdock and Tyler LaCour show signs of providing excellent complementary receivers, too. Desmond sustained a concussion against G-P and senior Austen O’Day will replace Matt in the purple lineup against Crosby.
That’s the only offensive change in mind, though, even if Gregory-Portland limited the Tribe to 70 yards on 21 rushes. Faircloth continued to direct thumbs-up toward his new offensive line and new tailback, Chase Bertrand. Brandon considered the circumstances that the Wildcats placed at least seven defenders in the box to clog the rushing game.
“I don’t think anything will shake our confidence in our running game,” Faircloth said. “We’re playing some young kids that are growing up right now. Our offensive line still has room for improvement but they played well and they did not allow a sack (of Doty). I’m definitely pleased with our line.”
PN-G and Gregory-Portland are making plans to meet each other in next year’s season opener, too. That game likely will be played at a neutral site. But the Indians have plenty of other teams to try to scalp first, starting with Crosby on Friday.
