Quick take
No. 1-ranked Lake Creek’s bid to complete an unbeaten season came to a disappointing halt Friday under the unflinching defense and clutch offense of Port Neches-Groves.
The No. 3-ranked Indians, while not always dominating on defense, were unyielding in limiting the Lions for a 30-27 victory in a Class 5A Division II matchup at Panther Stadium.
PN-G (12-1) moves on to meet Huntsville (8-5) in a state quarterfinal matchup next week.
The Indians scored 23 unanswered first-half points to take a 23-7 lead at intermission and held off a determined Lions comeback bid in the second half.
Lake Creek scored two third-quarter touchdowns to close to 23-20, but PN-G answered with Shea Adams’ 1-yard run later in the period, a score that proved to be the difference in the game.
PN-G head coach Jeff Joseph, who guided the Indians to a state title game last year in his initial season at the PN-G helm, couldn’t have been happier with his team’s start.
“It was huge, it was everything,” Joseph said of the 16-point halftime lead. “We made plays in the first half because we weren’t passive. We came out and attacked. Our young quarterback (sophomore Connor Bailey) made plays, our receivers made plays, and when our defense got them in long yardage situations, we were able to get stops.”
Lake Creek (12-1), which scored 78 points last week, walked off the field with a loss for the first time this season.
The Indians, winners of 12 straight, aren’t unfamiliar to pressure situations. PN-G is a seven-time state finalist with three state titles to its name.
Highlights
Lake Creek scored on its first drive of the game, moving 80 yards in 12 plays, culminating the march with a 34-yard pass from quarterback Eli Morcos to Sam Lee for a 7-0 cushion.
However, the Indians’ hard-hitting, disciplined defense kept the Lions off the scoreboard the remainder of the half.
PN-G’s offense converted four third-down conversions the first time it had the ball. The Indians scored on the last of those, a 19-yard pass from Bailey to senior Adams to knot the game with 9 seconds left in the opening period.
The touchdown would ignite the 23-point run to end the first half.
PN-G junior running back Blair Chatagnier bolted 49 yards for a TD run for a 13-7 edge at the 10-minute mark of the second quarter.
Lake Creek then put together an impressive drive and set up for a 37-yard field goal. However, it was blocked by senior noseguard Jacob Cabrera and returned to the Lions’ 35-yard line by junior Travis Cobb.
On second-and-15 from the 40-yard line, PN-G senior wide receiver Isaiah Washington made a leaping 37-yard catch for a first down at the 3-yard line.
Two plays later, Adams sneaked into the end zone for a 20-7 lead.
The Indians capped their first-half scoring with a methodical 12-play drive which ended with a 25-yard field goal by Giovanni Oceguera.
What it means
The win keeps PN-G on track to return to the Class 5A Division II title game for the second consecutive season.
Last year, the Indians advanced to that championship where it lost to Dallas South Oak Cliff, 34-24.
Quotable
Lake Creek head coach Pat Kennedy knew his team would have problems after putting itself in a hole.
“We were down 23-7 because of mistakes we made,” Kennedy said “We had three drops in the first half. We didn’t block on a field goal. In the second half, we got better one play at a time, and it’s a tribute to the senior class. We were one throw away from winning the game.”
Game balls
Lake Creek linebacker Davis Lee returned a PN-G fumble 38-yards for a touchdown and recovered another Indians bobble to stop a potential scoring drive. PN-G senior running back Isaiah Nguyen hammered the Lake Creek defense all afternoon, and it was his 54-yard burst which set up the game-winning score. PN-G stopped the Lions’ final effort to win the game with an interception by senior defensive back William Poole.
Up next
PN-G will take on Huntsville (8-5) in the Region III-5A Division II championship game next week.
