The Vidor Pirates traded score for score with the PN-G Indians on Friday night, but the one thing the Pirates couldn’t overcome when it mattered most was the clock as the Indians secured the win with a sack of Pirates quarterback Gage Galloway with 6 seconds left on the game clock.
The Port Neches-Groves Indians used the arm and legs of star quarterback Roschon Johnson to secure a 38-32 hard-fought victory over the Vidor Pirates on Friday night at The Reservation in Port Neches in a tough battle between two District 12-5A Division II heavyweights.
Johnson led all rushers as he ran for 189 yards and passed for another 126 yards, as he accounted for 315 yards of the Indians 370 total yards for the game against Vidor. He finished the game with four rushing touchdowns and one passing.
PN-G opened the scoring early in the first quarter after Vidor attempted an onside kick to start the game, as it took the Indians only five plays to move the ball 58 yards in just 52 seconds courtesy of a 32-yard run by Johnson. Johnson added the two-point run conversion as well.
The Pirates answered early in the second quarter with brisk 64-yard drive which was capped off by Brad Nunez from the 1-yard line. Nunez converted the two point run also.
PN-G responded immediately and marched the ball downfield in just three minutes as Johnson hit receiver Jose Ceja, who made a spectacular tip-drill-like catch, in the end zone. Johnson again added the two point conversion.
The Pirates answered and marched 77 yards in four minutes as quarterback Gage Galloway scored on a five-yard run to tie the game 16-16 following the two point pass conversion.
The Pirates intercepted Johnson on the next drive, but were unable to move the ball before halftime.
Johnson added a 2 yard touchdown run and spectacular 18-yard scamper in the third quarter and a 3 yard run late In the fourth quarter to put PN-G ahead for good.
Vidor’s Nunez, who had 162 yards rushing on 21 carries, showcased his speed as well as he zipped past the Indians defense for a 26-yard touchdown in the third quarter and fullback Kelby Odom punched the ball into the end zone from the 1-yard line with 6:01 left in the fourth.
The Pirates got the ball back with 1:22 left on the clock, after the Indians final touchdown, but could only move the ball about 20 yards before time expired.
Vidor had a chance to put a scare into the PN-G faithful on the same drive, as Galloway heaved the ball deep downfield with about 23 seconds remaining and just missed the outstretched fingers of receiver Bailey McDowell, who was two steps behind the defense.
Vidor (3-2,0-2) will host the Santa Fe Indians for homecoming next Friday (Oct. 12), while Port Neches-Groves (3-2, 2-0) travels to Crosby to face the state-ranked (#8) Cougars.
VIDOR – 0 16 8 8 32
PN-G – 8 8 16 6 38
SCORING SUMMARY
P – Roschon Johnson 32 yard run, run good (11:08)
V – Brad Nunez 1 yard run, run good (8:51)
P – Jose Ceja 12 yard pass from Johnson, run good (5:50)
V – Gage Galloway 5 yard run, pass good (1:47)
P – Johnson 2 yard run, pass good (5:45)
V – Nunez 26 yard run, run good (3:41)
P – Johnson 18 yard run, run good (1:22)
V – Kelby Odom 1 yard run, run good (6:01)
P – Johnson 3 yard run, run failed (1:28)
Vid PNG
First downs 17 18
Rushes-yards 53-337 32-245
Passing 0 125
Total yards 337 370
Com-Att-Int 0-7-0 9-19-1
Fumbles-Lost 1-0 0-0
Penalties-yards 7-53 6-50
INDIVIDUAL STATS
Rushing: Vidor, Brad Nunez 21-162, Gage Galloway 15-75; Zach Dahlenberg 6-61, Kelby Odom 8-27, Cree Simmons 2-6, Jackson LaPray 1-6; PNG, Roschon Johnson 24-189, Jaylan Williams 4-44, Gavin Deslatte 4-12;
Passing; Vidor, Gage Galloway 0-7-0 00; PNG, Roschon Johnson 8-18-1 126, Dakota Baxter 1-1-0 (-1);
Receiving: Vidor, none; PNG, Jose Ceja 3-47, Kaleb Wuenschel 2-42, Peyton Proenza 3-27, Cooper Hammon 1-9;
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