By TOM HALLIBURTON
Port Arthur News Sports Writer
If Richard Marler returns to full health, and God-willing he will, this Saturday football news promises to bring a smile to his face.
Thomas Jefferson lost to Port Neches-Groves by a combined score of 101-21 in Marler’s first two seasons as head coach. While he remained in a coma at a Houston rehab hospital after sustaining a heart attack, Marler’s team continued to show its huge heart before 8,000 at Memorial Stadium.
Led by memorable nights from seniors Tony Tompkins and Brian Morgan and a 206-yard rushing performance from sophomore James Johnson, the Yellow Jackets rallied from a 14-0 first-quarter deficit to edge PN-G, 30-21.
Working out only four days as a quarterback in place of injured starter Terrance Gage, Tompkins ran for 62 yards and two touchdowns, threw for 103 yards and kept the Jackets attack alive against a talented Indians’ tackling unit.
Returning from a pulled hamstring to his kicking leg in Thursday’s practice, Morgan kicked a pivotal 52-yard field goal before half, endured his career’s toughest punting night and leaped in the air to snag Joey Price’s onside kick with 2:21 to play, preserving TJ’s 24-21 lead.
Making his first varsity start a sensational one, the 6-1, 185-pound Johnson dashed a career-best 26 times for 206 yards and two touchdowns including an 80-yard fourth-quarter touchdown run to give the Jackets a 24-14 lead with 10:21 to play.
TJ stayed in the 20-4A race at 5-2 and 1-1 while the loss severely damaged the playoff chances of PN-G (3-4 and 0-2), which still must host the powerful Lincoln-Nederland at The Reservation.
Regardless of anything that could happen the rest of the way, TJ has averted its first losing season in five years with that victory. It also arguably stands as the Jackets’ biggest win since clinching a 5A playoff berth in 1993 with a 26-12 win over Beaumont Central.
The need to win a prestige game definitely motivated assistant head coach Al Celaya as TJ tried to rebound for a 31-3 district-opening loss to Nederland last week.
“These kids have been whipped up on badly the last few years,” Celaya said. “We’ve just told the kids what they need was to play with more confidence. They have to realize their potential. I’m extremely proud of the kids and the whole program. We’ve been through a lot this year.”
PN-G head coach Matt Burnett was gracious in defeat, especially toward TJ signal caller Tompkins who was a quarterback in a high school game before Saturday night.
“They (TJ) made the big plays and we didn’t,” Burnett said. “Our defense didn’t play well obviously. But they blocked us like nobody has blocked our defense. They beat us with their regular offense and you have to give Tompkins a lot of credit. He did a great job.”
Tompkins completed 5 of 9 for 103 yards. His best dropback ball all night probably was the 40-yarder to flanker Wayman Harrison early in the second half at PN-G’s 13. That pass enabled Tompkins to sneak home for the final yard five plays later, giving TJ a lead for keeps, 17-14.
Tompkins fumbled a handoff late in the first half which PN-G’s Jared Gary covered at the Indians’ 10. Other than that mistake, the 5-9, 160-pound senior was outstanding. He also did an effective job of man-to-man coverage in the Jackets’ secondary.
“It wasn’t scary at all,” Tompkins said of his quarterbacking debut. “I had played quarterback in the ninth grade at Edison and backup quarterback on varsity as a sophomore. I was very excited about it.
“With me and James (Johnson) in the backfield, I thought it would cause a lot of confusion.”
Tompkins’ former backup at tailback, Johnson said he knew Tony could do it.
“All of my line did a great job,” Johnson said. “I’ve got to give them credit.”
Nick Benton, Cal Scott, Agheo Boleyn, Aaron Bergeron, Von-Shawn Lyons and Kevin Everett had their hands full against PN-G’s experienced and talented front eight. But they began to make a statement on a 80-yard, 15-play drive, cutting PN-G’s lead to 14-7 early in the second quarter.
Morgan booted what is believed to be a PAISD-record 52-yard field goal with nine seconds left in the half. He pounded it through despite a painful hamstring with the aid of a sturdy south wind at his back. That cut TJ’s halftime deficit to 14-10.
“I knew I was going to make that one,” Morgan said. “That definitely was the strongest wind I can remember in a long time. Whenever I kicked the field goal, it seemed like the squad’s whole attitude changed. We were pumped up.”
When Johnson busted the counter trey for 80 yards down PN-G’s sideline, the Jackets led by two scores (24-14) with 10:21 to play.
“My fullback (Justin Lanes) made a block and I cut outside of it,” Johnson said. “The rest was just a matter outrunning them.”
That 80-yarder helped TJ to win the total-yardage count, 405-262. TJ also held a slight possession-time edge, 26:32-23:28. Yet PN-G came out so strong that the Indians saw a chance to blow the lead wide-open.
Junior quarterback Kirk Hallmark (13 of 29 for 163) threw to a wide-open Jared Gary midway in the first quarter for a 7-0 lead. Outside backer Jeff LeBlanc picked off Tompkins and dashed 21 yards with an interception return for a touchdown. That lifted the Tribe ahead 14-0 with 5:11 left in the first quarter.
When TJ cut the lead to 14-7, PN-G came right back, moving from its 20 to TJ’s 24. That’s when the first of two PN-G turnovers inside TJ’s 25 really proved costly. Hallmark tried to hit Joey Price but safety Ronnie Hayes intercepted at the 2, and returned it eight yards.
PN-G came calling early in the fourth quarter, too. Hallmark hit Gary for 13 yards to TJ’s 10, but the ball came loose and Jackets’ corner Harrison fell on it at the 10.
TJ travels to Little Cypress-Mauriceville this Friday night while PN-G entertains Lincoln.
