Jenna Smith was crowned Homecoming Queen of Vidor High School during halftime festivities on Friday night at Pirate Stadium in Vidor. Jenna was escorted by her father, Stacy Smith.
Using dominant performances by the offense and the defense, the Vidor Pirates celebrated a homecoming victory on Friday night and secured a trip to the playoffs.
The Vidor Pirates defeated the Livingston Lions, 49-14, at Pirate Stadium on Friday night in a District 22-5A matchup and, in the process, secured a spot in the post-season for the fourth time in eight years.
Livingston went three and out on its first series of the night, and this was a sign of things to come in the first-half as the Pirates used a smothering defense to limit the Lions to 33 total yards in the first-half and 223 total yards for the game. The Pirates defense had eight sacks and two interceptions on the night as well.
The Pirates offense was firing on all cylinders from the start, as Vidor scored on its first three possessions of the game.
Following a Livingston punt, the Pirates used a 10-play, 76-yard scoring drive while eating 5:25 off of the game clock and jumped out to a 7-0 lead after a 7-yard scoring run by Kolbie Humble.
Humble added a 9-yard touchdown run on the Pirates next series, which covered 73-yards in only five plays with 32-seconds left in the first quarter.
Another three-and-out series by Livingston and a short punt gave Vidor the ball at the Lions 36-yard line.
The Livingston defense appeared to stiffen as Vidor faced a fourth down with 13 yards to go from the Lions 39-yard line, but Pirates quarterback Maverick Quirante unleashed a deep ball down the middle to a falling Haylon Leckelt. Somehow, the ball never hit the ground and bounced twice off of Leckelt’s body before he secured the reception at the eight-yard line.
On the next play, Leckelt bounced around the left side for the score and 21-0 Pirates lead. Leckelt had three touchdowns on the night and led all running backs with 159 rushing yards on 17 carries.
Vidor did not take the foot off the throttle in the second-half as the team scored on four of its five possessions, including the opening drive of the half which covered 67 yards in eight plays and was finished off with a 26-yard scamper through the heart of the Lions defense by Hogan Stogner to give Vidor a 28-0 lead.
Livingston, led by quarterback Hunter Bland, finally found some momentum through the air as the Lions responded with a five-play, 70-yard scoring drive of its own, which was capped off by a 24 yard scoring strike by Bland to receiver Christian Mitchell.
Vidor responded with a another scoring drive and Leckelt’s second touchdown of the night, this time a dazzling 47-yard sprint to the end zone near the end of the third quarter. The Pirates got the ball right back after Justin Kaiser intercepted a pass from Bland and, on its next drive, Leckelt punched the ball in from the two-yard line.
Following an interception by Gavin Otey of Vidor, the Pirates only needed two-plays to score as Keaton Jones ran past the Lions defense down the left sideline for a 70-yard touchdown and a 49-7 lead.
Livingston refused to give up and had the second highlight reel moment of the night as Bland found receiver Mitchell down the left sideline for a 41-yard scoring strike. However, Mitchell had a spectacular move of his own as hurdled a Pirate defender near the end zone for the score.
Vidor (6-2, 5-1) will travel to Baytown next Friday to face the Lee Ganders (1-6, 0-5). Livingston (4-3, 3-2) is still in playoff contention but will have another solid test as the Lions host the undefeated Port Arthur Memorial Titans (6-0, 5-0).
Photos and story by Tommy Mann, Jr.
Vidor running back Haylon Leckelt (3) breaks out for a nice gain in the second-half of the Pirates 49-14 victory over the Livingston Lions. Leckelt scored three touchdowns on 17 carries and 159 yards.
Vidor 49, Livinston 14
Livingston – 0 0 7 7 – 14
Vidor – 14 7 14 14 – 49
SCORING
V – Kolbie Humble 7-yard run, Bridger Quirante kick (4:50)
V – Humble 9-yard run, Quirante kick (0:32)
V – Haylon Leckelt 8-yard run, Quirante kick (8:44)
V – Hogan Stogner 26-yard run, Quirante kick (7:43)
L – Christian Mitchell 24-yard pass from Hunter Bland, Raul Fernandez kick (5:28)
V – Leckelt 47-yard run, Quirante kick (2:48)
V – Leckelt 2-yard run, Quirante kick (8:38)
V – Keaton Jones 70-yard run, Quirante kick (3:51)
L – Mitchell 41-yard pass from Bland, Fernandez kick (2:03)
Liv Vidor
First downs 10 25
Rushes-yards 26-88 54-485
Passing 135 31
Comp-Att-Int 7-13-2 1-4-0
Fumbles-Lost 0-0 2-1
Penalties-yards 5-50 7-80
INDIVIDUAL STATS
Rushing
Liv: Hunter Bland, 19-63; J.D. Green, 7-25; Vidor: Haylon Leckelt, 17-159; Kolbie Humble, 11-101; Hogan Stogner, 12-95; Keaton Jones, 2-75; Maverick Quirante, 9-45; Dustin Burke, 1-10; Jace Humberson, 1-1; Devin Wagner, 1-(-1);
Passing
Liv: Hunter Bland, 7-13-2, 135; Vidor: Maverick Quirante, 1-4-0, 31
Receiving
Liv: Christian Mitchell, 4-91; Cade Campbell, 1-23; B.J. Mottu, 1-15; J.D. Green, 1-6; Vidor: Haylon Leckelt, 1-31
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