Cubs pose sizable threat for Tribe

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By Tom Halliburton
The Port Arthur News


ALDINE -- Kyle Segura and Mike Arnaud helped this writer to assemble a Port Neches-Groves roster one day but some heights and weights may have been inaccurate.


"You can list all that group there at about 5-9, 170," Segura said, scanning a list of fairly recent Indians football candidates.

If Segura hunted for all the 5-9, 170-pounders on the 2009 Brenham's roster, the Indians' running back coach may be able to count them all on one hand.

A good-sized Brenham Cubs team visits Thorne Stadium tonight. When they get off the bus, Brenham's linemen will be 6-4, 286; 6-2, 275; 6-3, 275; 6-4, 238; and those will be the program heights and weights.

PN-G (11-0) will be pretty similar size for this Class 4A Division 2 area-round game. The Indians likely will outnumber the Cubs in fan support. They always do. But Brenham (9-2) may represent the best collection of athletes to confront the Indians all season.

When they kick off at 8 o'clock, this game will serve as proof that not all good ol' Brownwood boys always stick together. This will be the 12th game as a head coach from Brownwood boy Brandon Faircloth, who hopes his team can end the 12th season as head coach for much older Brownwood boy Glen West.

Besides those two, West also has offensive coordinator Tim Oehrlein and defensive coordinator Craig Agnew from Brownwood and an outstanding program that Faircloth wishes to emulate right here.

"I'm excited to play them because of the familiarity with all those guys," Faircloth said. "They have a program that we want to get to have here at PN-G. They're up there consistently every year and we want to be like that."

Faircloth stopped short of saying a win over Brenham would be his most prestigious win so far at PN-G, but it's obvious the matchup carried a special importance to him.

"I don't want to look at it as prestigious wins," he said. "I look at them as wins. It would be a big win.

"If it were a regular-season game, it probably would but since it's the playoffs, we just want to win and keep winning."

West has compiled a 110-34 record, including a 2009 co-championship in District 18-4A. West only wished Segura listed all of PN-G's current roster at 5-9, 170.

"Their defensive line is much bigger than our defensive line and their linebackers and secondary are very physical," West told the Brenham Banner-Press. "The challenge will be our little, quick defensive line against their big, physical offensive line."

Brenham will do its best to shut down Indians signature back Caleb Harmon (1,802 yards) and try to confuse PN-G passer Brennan Doty.

The Cubs look to have a 3-4 base defense look but they go to a four, even a five-man front appearance at times.

Brenham's coach indicated to Banner-Press sports editor Richard Bray that Harmon "runs about two feet off the ground."


If Harmon is PN-G's marquee man, the closest thing to Brenham's marquee man probably is two-way senior Terrell Reese (6-2, 195), an early verbal commitment to the University of Utah. Wearing the same number as famous pro receiver Terrell Owens, Reese has 43 receptions for 654 yards and 13 touchdowns. As a 4.5 strong safety, Reese has five interceptions, returning two for TDs, as well as one fumble return for a TD.

Two sophomores to catch Faircloth's attention have been Brenham running back Troy Green (4.6) and nose guard Malcom Brown (6-2, 275). Green missed several weeks earlier with a leg injury but still led Cubs rushers with 524 yards and nine touchdowns.

"They have a lot of skill kids," the Indians chief said. "They play in your face a lot in the secondary. They know their weaknesses and they do a good job of covering them up."

Tonight's winning coaches might as well stick around Houston until Saturday. The Brenham/PN-G survivor will meet the winner of Saturday's area-round game. Houston Jones plays Angleton on Saturday in Angleton at 1 p.m.



PN-GROVES VS. BRENHAM

When: Friday at 8 p.m.

Where: W.W. Thorne Stadium, Aldine

Records: Brenham (9-2); PN-G (11-0)

At stake: Class 4A Division 2 area championship

Series: Brenham leads 1-0

Previous meeting: Brenham, 33-9, Reliant Stadium kickoff classic 2006

Internet: videostream Saturday at noon on panews.com, pngindians.com, SETXsports.com
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