When it mattered most, the Pirates offense and defense did what they both needed to do in the final quarter to claim a staggering come-from-behind victory over the Silsbee Tigers, 51-48.
The first quarter started off well for the Pirates as the defense held Silsbee on its first possession and then marched 51 yards for a 7-0 lead, courtesy of a 3-yard scamper by quarterback Elisha Simmons.
However, it looked as if the Silsbee Tigers were going to put this game away by the end of the first quarter.
On the ensuing kickoff, Dre’lon Miller caught the ball and went 79-yards to the end zone. That was followed by linebacker Jayron Williams scooping up a Pirates fumble on the next possession and going 70 yards to the end zone. Williams picked off the Vidor quarterback on the Pirates following possession and set up the Tigers offense in the red zone. It only took three plays for Silsbee to capitalize as quarterback Mason Brisbane found running back Adam Saenz on the right sideline for a 15-yard scoring catch and run to put Silsbee up 21-7 at the end of the first quarter, despite only having 19 total yards of offense in the quarter compared to Vidor’s 125 yards of offense.
Vidor running back Weston Sepulvado, who led all rushers with 146 yards on 16 carries, broke through the line and zipped 50 yards for Pirates touchdown to start the second quarter and put Vidor right back in the game.
An onside kick failed, but Vidor’s Jarrett Odom intercepted Brisbane just two plays later. The Pirates wasted little time in converted the turnover into points as Layne Wilhelm scored from 4-yards and the converted two point attempt even the score, 21-21.
Brisbane and the Tigers aerial attack was on display all night as he connected with Miller on a 29 yard scoring strike and with Jarred Harris on a 41-yard score in the next two minutes and a 35-21 lead. Brisbane would throw five touchdown passes on the night.
Even though the Pirates were down by two scores, Vidor added another Wilhelm touchdown before the half as he broke through the line for a 2-yard score. Silsbee lead the Pirates 35-27 at the break.
Vidor opened the third quarter doing what its offense does best; controlling the clock and moving the ball. Sadly, the 14-play drive fizzled out at the Tigers 29-yard line following a fake field goal attempt.
Silsbee struck quickly as Brisbane found Miller once again on a 44-yard touchdown pass and 42-27 lead with 3:44 remaining in the third quarter.
Just when it looked like Silsbee had taken control, this was when the Vidor Pirates turned it all around.
Vidor responded on its next drive with a 57-yard scoring march in under three minutes as Sepulvado found the end zone on a 9-yard run.
The Pirates defense forced Silsbee into a four-and-out with a turnover on downs on the next possessionand only needed 72 seconds to reach the end zone when Ricky Gall galloped in from 44-yards out. Vidor took a 43-42 lead with the two point conversion and 10:41 remaining in the game.
The Vidor lead was short-lived though as Brisbane found Miller behind the Pirates defense on the Tigers first play from scrimmage and a magnificent 73-yard scoring strike. After the failed two-point pass attempt, Silsbee was back on top 48-43 with 10:30 left in the game.
The Pirates offense saved its best performance for last as the unit generated a stellar 18-play drive that consumed over eight minutes off the clock, while marching the ball 67 yards and converting two fourth-down attempts. None were more important than the last as Vidor faced fourth and two from the Tigers nine-yard line. Simmons took the quick snap and handed it to Gall, who broke through the middle of the Silsbee defense for the touchdown and the Vidor 51-48 lead after the two-point run conversion.
Silsbee had one more chance with 2:09 remaining in the game, but the Vidor defense kept the Tigers receivers in check. A final pass by Brisbane sailed over the fingertips of his receiver and gave the Pirates the ball on a turnover on downs.
The Pirates offense ran out the clock to grab the come-from-behind victory and start the season on a winning note.
Vidor (1-0) will host Houston Bellaire Episcopal next Friday, Sept. 3, while Silsbee (0-1) will return home to face off against the Jasper Bulldogs (0-1).
-Tommy Mann, KOGT-
SILSBEE 48
VIDOR 51
Silsbee 21 14 7 6 48
Vidor 7 20 8 16 51
SCORING SUMMARY
V – Elisha Simmons 3 yard run, Ryan Liu kick (7:07)
S – Dre’lon Miller 79 yard kickoff return, run good (6:54)
S – Jayron Williams 70 yard fumble return, pass failed (3:45)
S – Adam Saenz 15 yard pass from Mason Brisbane, Kolby Arceneaux kick (1:13)
V – Weston Sepulvado 50 yard run, kick failed (11:48)
V – Layne Wilhelm 4 yard run, run good (10:31)
S – Miller 29 yard pass from Brisbane, Arceneaux kick (9:58)
S – Jared Harris 41 yard pass from Brisbane, Arceneaux kick (8:48)
V – Wilhelm 2 yard run, kick failed (5:06)
S – Miller 44 yard pass from Brisbane, Arceneaux kick (3:44)
V – Sepulvado 9 yard run, run good (0:51)
V – Ricky Gall 44 yard run, run good (10:41)
S – Miller 73 yard pass from Brisbane, pass failed (10:30)
V – Gall 9 yard run, run good (2:09)
Sils Vid
First Downs 11 25
Rushes-Yards 17-108 74-441
Passing 242 39
Total Yards 350 480
Com-Att-Int 11-22-1 2-4-1
Fumbles-Lost 0-0 3-2
Penalties-Yards 5-50 8-75
Individual Stats
Rushing – Sils: Raydrian Baldrip 2-54, Marquis Dodd 12-43, Geremiah Jackson 1-8, Lamarcus Bottley 2-3; Vid: Weston Sepulvado 16-146, Layne Wilhelm 30-132, Ricky Gall 13-129, Elisha Simmons 15-34;
Passing – Sils: Mason Brisbane 11-21-0 242, Lamarcus Bottley 0-1-1 00; Vid: Elisha Simmons 2-4-1 39;
Receiving – Sils: Dre’lon Miller 3-146, Jared Harris 1-41, Adam Saenz 1-15, Max Brisbane 2-14, Gecoby Elam 1-14, Ashton Cartwright 3-12, Raydrian Baldrip 1-0; Vid: Weston Sepulvado 1-31, Ricky Gall 1-8;
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