For the first time in 38 years, the Vidor Pirates can call themselves district champions.
The Vidor Pirates jumped out to an early 21-0 lead on the Memorial Titans and held on late for a 31-21 victory and, in the process, won a share of the district championship for the first time since 1978.
Pirates running back Kolbie Humble powered the Vidor rushing attack with 189 yards on 17 carries, along with scoring all four Vidor touchdowns on the night. None was more important than his last score of the night, an eight yard scamper with only 4:32 left in the game.
The Vidor ground game had 342 yards on the night and 379 total yards for the contest, but it was the Pirates defense which held the previously undefeated Memorial Titans offense in check most of the game, and, when it mattered most, the Vidor defense rose to the occasion.
Facing fourth down and six to go from the Pirates 26 yard line, Titans quarterback Kadon Harrison took the snap from shotgun. The Pirates secondary had good coverage and the rush sent Harrison scrambling to his right where a host of Vidor defenders swarmed the quarterback for a six-yard-loss and Memorial was forced to turn the ball over on downs.
Vidor led Memorial 21-0 at halftime thanks to touchdown runs of 22-yards, 4-yards and 12 yards by Humble. Just when it looked like Memorial finally had some momentum late in the second quarter, running back Elijah Hines was stripped of the ball at the 1-yard-line as he tried to fight his way into the end zone with 31-seconds remaining before the buzzer.
Vidor (8-2, 7-1) is co-district champions with Memorial and Port Neches-Groves. Early reports indicate Vidor will face Crosby (8-2, 7-1) next Thursday night at Stallworth Stadium in Baytown.
-Tommy Mann, Jr-
Photo: Pirates running back Kolbie Humble (5) follows his blocks as he avoids Memorial defenders on a big gain Friday night. Humble had 189 yards on 17 carries and four touchdowns for the game.
Vidor 31, Memorial 21
Memorial – 0 0 14 7 – 21
Vidor – 7 14 3 7 – 31
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