The Pirates used a punishing ground attack to get one step closer to the post-season as Vidor defeated Huffman-Hargrave, 49-28, on Friday night at Pirates Stadium in Vidor.
Big plays were the name of the game for both teams. Vidor tallied 544 total yards of offense, which included 495 yards on the ground. The Falcons had 423 yards of total offense, which included 270 yards passing.
Huffman-Hargrave took the opening possession 65 yards in six plays in just 85 seconds as quarterback Nolan Cook connected with Bryce Nixon for a 33 yard touchdown pass to give the Falcons a quick 7-0 lead.
Later in the first quarter the Pirates marched the ball 80 yards in 12 plays, while taking over five minutes off the game clock. Running backs Isaac Fontnow, Dane Villadsen and Riley Marlow took turns chewing up the yards and moving the ball downfield until Marlow finally dashed in on a 7-yard run up the middle to make the score 7-7 late in the first quarter.
Vidor’s defense stopped the Falcons fake punt attempt at the Huffman-Hargrove 39-yard line. On the Pirates first offensive play, quarterback Daigan Venable ripped off a 39-yard scamper to the end zone to give Vidor a 14-7 lead with 7:25 remaining in the half.
Venable led all rusher on the night with 210 yards on 11 carries and three touchdowns. Marlow added 126 yards on 10 carries with two touchdowns, while Villadsen had 85 yards on eight carries and Fontnow added 79 yards on 16 carries.
Huffman responded on its next drive with a 67-yard touchdown pass from Cook to Nixon just nine seconds later to tie the game.
Following the kickoff and a 15-yard penalty on the Falcons, Vidor answered with another one-play scoring drive as Villadsen roared around the end for a 43-yard touchdown run to put Vidor back on top, 21-14.
Just when it looked as if the Falcons were about to tie the game once again, the Pirates defense stepped up and forced a turnover on downs deep in Vidor territory. The Vidor offense needed just another single play to find the end zone as Venable punched through the Falcons defense and outraced everyone for a 90-yard touchdown to put Vidor up 28-14 at the half.
Vidor looked to added to its lead, but miscues plagued the Pirates offense in the third-quarter as Vidor fumbled on three consecutive possessions. In all, the Vidor offense fumbled the ball six times and lost five.
After the third fumble, the Falcons unleashed a big play of its own with a 67-yard halfback pass from Treyson Martin to Nixon for a touchdown, which cut the Vidor lead to 28-21.
The Pirates had a nice kickoff return to the 40 yard line. On the first play, Marlow gained nine yards up the middle. On the following play, Venable again outran the Falcons defense as he zig-zagged his way down the right sideline for a 51-yard score. Vidor led 35-21 with 2:16 left in the third quarter.
Vidor added another touchdown early in the first quarter. The offense needed just three plays. The big play of the drive was a 32-yard run by Marlow to the Falcons 3-yard line. Fontnow punched the ball in for a touchdown on the next play to extend the Pirates lead, 42-21.
Huffman-Hargrave responded with its best drive of the second-half as the Falcons moved the ball 75-yards in nine plays, while just using 2:44 on the clock. Cook connected with Martin on a 43-yard touchdown reception to make the score 42-28 in favor of Vidor.
Cook completed 17 passes on 41 attempts for 233 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions. He led all Falcons rushers with 98 yards on 22 carries.
Another Pirates fumble, this time at the Falcons 9-yard line, stopped a nice, time-consuming drive, but Vidor would add a final touchdown on its next possession, as Marlow scored on a 32-yard run with 52 seconds remaining to give Vidor a 49-28 victory.
Vidor (5-4, 2-2) hits the road in the final week of district play to take on the Splendora Wildcats (1-8, 0-4).
-Tommy Mann, KOGT-
Social Media