Bring on the Braggin' Rights...

[KFDM COOP]

Bring on the Braggin' Rights...

PA NEWS GAME OF THE WEEK: PN-G AT NEDERLAND

By Tom Halliburton

The Port Arthur News

NEDERLAND -- Laid-back, down-home KYKR country music generally makes its way around the Port Neches-Groves fieldhouse. It can be heard there 24-7-365.

Those relaxing country sounds have prevailed around The Reservation's football factory throughout the years of Matt Burnett's 14 head-coaching seasons at PN-G.

Earlier this week at the start of an Indians practice, the country lyrics on PN-G's sound system went like this, "life goes faster than you think, don't blink."

That's part of the concern which Matt's defense has on this 84th Mid-County Madness football night. When Larry Neumann's offense stretches the field all over the place and varies the tempo with no-huddle snaps and quick hitch routes, the Indians tacklers had better not blink.

PN-G (3-2 and 2-0) fittingly would prefer more of a laid-back, down-home KYKR country pace than Nederland (5-0 and 2-0) will try to establish. The Indians will notice the difference in music over Bulldog Stadium's loud speakers even an hour before they take the field for tonight's 7 o'clock kickoff.

Yet it's stretching the truth to suggest that the host Bulldogs own all the upper hands in this meeting when they seek their fourth straight win in the longest-running continuous Southeast Texas high school football rivalry.

When Nederland's defense attempts to tackle Jake Hemmings and Josh Wright -- a powerful, new tandem of strong Indians runners -- it will be much harder for Chris Gutierrez and Dravannti Johnson to cope with them than with Shania Twain and Martina McBride... laid-back, down-home country music can be powerful, too.

"They (Nederland's offense) are doing a great job of spreading the ball around and executing their quick game real well," Burnett said, with country music flowing in the background on Tuesday. "Their quarterback (Kirby Bellow) has matured a lot. He's getting better every game. He has a good arm and he's done a good job of running their offense."

A self-assured, mild-mannered, southpaw sophomore, Bellow has accomplished what few sophomores ever could expect to do.

Replacing injured senior Ryan Sampere late in the third quarter of the season opener, Bellow has led 22-4A passers in most completions (60), attempts (115), yards (738) and touchdowns (10). He’s done it with no previous varsity experience and no significant passing success in that emergency outing against Brenham, either.

Always a superb defensive tactician, the Indians' chief Burnett picked up on the fact that Nederland's throwing game can dink a defense here and there, but it can bomb the opposition, too. With Asa Cardenas, Adam Broussard, Kyle Brady, Jude Vidrine, Reagan Stanley, Cameron Bass and Johnson among the receivers, Bellow can settle for short completions or go over the top.

"They throw a lot of short and sideways passes but they have a deep pass off of it," Burnett said. "Cardenas has made a lot of big plays."

A first-year varsity starter as a senior, Cardenas has leaped atop the 22-4A receiving and scoring charts. He has grabbed 28 receptions for 456 yards. With seven touchdown receptions and 42 points, Asa shares the league's scoring lead with PN-G's Hemmings and Lumberton's A.J. Dugat.

Whether or not statistics lie, Nederland's offense has gained very close to the same average number of yards a game which PN-G's defense has allowed. Ranked third in total offense, the Bulldogs have averaged 294 yards a game. Ranked last in total defense, the Indians have allowed 287.4.

That number does not deceive Nederland's Neumann one bit. He has a high respect level for the Indians' defense, especially ends Clint Burnett and Zeke Schexneider and linebacker Kaleb Walker.

[jake94]

Halliburton must have been drunk when he wrote this article. He is always a little goofy. But, Asa Cardenas is a junior and Kyle Brady is a TE in the NFL. Are his stats correct that PN-G is the last ranked defense in the district? That does not sound right to me.

[bhawk]

Lumberton's A.J. Dugat plays for dayton.... ;D

[tvc184]

They might be close to last in yardage. I don't put much faith in defensive yardage stats though. How many points did they allow and how many points did the defense score or give to the offense for an easy score?

[tvc184]

Lumberton's A.J. Dugat plays for dayton.... ;D

I wonder if Lumberton wants him back.  ;D

[bhawk]

yeah he was a joy to have around lol  ;D ;D ;D