Indians spring 20-14 upset on Bees

By LARRY BODIN

Port Arthur News Special Correspondent

PORT NECHES - While sitting in their locker room trailing by only 7-3 ,after forcing Lincoln to turn the football over at the Port Neches-Groves 19, 25, 1, and 12 yard lines, and holding the Bees on 4th-and-one at the 10, Matt Burnett's Indians knew this just might be their night to shine.

And 24 minutes later, the Indians triumphantly walked away with their biggest win of 2000 by rallying in the second half to ring up a 20-14 upset on the Bees before a howling crowd of some 9,000 Friday night at the Reservation.

"I'm so proud of our kids because they have never given up," said a happy Burnett, after much of the Purple and White celebration had subsided.

The victory, PN-G's first in District 20-4A action against two defeats, moves the Indians to 4-4 on the season. Lincoln, which dropped its second straight decision, also falls to 1-2 in league play and to 6-2 on the year.

Although Lincoln led by a 7-3 count at halftime, the Bees had to feel as if they had a chance to spring a knockout punch on the hosts in the opening two quarters, but let it get away.

Lincoln had a distinct advantage in the half leading in first down (10-2), and had an overwhelming margin in total offense with 165 yards to the Indians' 20.

But a fumble recovery by Jonathan Lumbley at the one, Keegan Swann interceptions at the goalline and 12-yard lines, an interception in the end zone by Jeff LeBlanc, and a great fourth-and-one stand by the Indian defense at the 10 was ultimately a backbreaker for the Bees.

PN-G trailed by only four points at intermission on the strength of superlative senior kicker Joey Price's 49-yard field goal midway in the opening period. With a good breeze to his back, Price drilled a bomb that probably would have been good from 60 yards.

Lincoln's only score of the half came at the 5:40 mark of the second when defensive back Daniel Francis swiped a Kirk Hallmark pass at the Indian 15 and sped in for the go-ahead touchdown. It would be Lincoln's lone lead on this night, though.

In the second half, Port Neches-Groves came out with fire in its eyes and put together an eight-play, 62-yard touchdown drive to gain the lead at 10-7.

Indian tailback Jeff Bergeron did the honors from five yards out and, after Price's PAT, PN-G never looked back. The TD march got a good boost when Troy Cooley took the second half kickoff and returned it 35 yards to the 38.

From there it was a 15-yard scramble by senior quarterback Tony Bowser, who replaced Hallmark late in the second quarter. Bowser, who ran for 17 yards and hit five-of-eight passes for 71 yards on the night, also hit tight end Jared Gary for 13 to the move the ball to the Lincoln 28.

Three plays later, Price raced 18 yards on an end-around to set up Bergeron's five-yard TD gallop.

Senior TE Gary, who entered the contest with just six catches on the year, proved to be the man of the hour, as he finished with four receptions for 47 yards. None was bigger than his 16-yard catch with less than five minutes to play when the Indians were backed up to their own seven facing the game's most critical play - a 3rd-and-13 situation.

This came at a time when the Indians were clinging to a precarious 20-14 lead after Lincoln's Ricky Wilson had dashed 77 yards to the end zone on the previous possession to make it a one-touchdown game.

From his right defensive end position, Gary placed the final nail in the coffin when he tipped away a 4th-and-5 Calvin Roberts pass attempt with just 0:50 left in the upset.

Price, who should rate up there with the finest schoolboy kickers in the state, had given his team a 13-7 lead with 2:58 left in the third when he booted a 43-yard field goal into a stiff 18-mile-an-hour wind.

Indian fullback Trayce Boudoin had given the Indians what looked at the time to be a commanding 20-7 lead when he bullied his way over several Bee defenders into the end zone from the five with 11:11 to play.

After gaining just 20 yards total offense in the first half, the hosts pretty much manhandled the Bee defense in the second half. PN-G ran for 137 yards in the second half, while throwing for another 98.

PN-G gained 235 total yards in the second half, while holding the Bees to 124 yards. Much of that 124 yards came on Wilson's 77-yard touchdown.

Bergeron, who was limited to just four yards on five carries in the first half, used fine blocking by the entire Indian offensive line to rush for 68 yards in the final two halves.

But on this night, it was the standout play of Swann (2 interceptions), LeBlanc (an interception), Gary (4 receptions for 47 yards and great defensive line play), and Price (field goals of 49 and 43 yards) which paved the way for an Indian victory in this do-or-die 20-4A league affair.

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