Whoa what an ugly game in round 2 of the playoffs for the Bulldogs. La Porte's season ended in the worst possible way on Saturday night in Galena Park, a 16-0 loss to Clear Creek. Things did not go the Bulldogs way at all.
The defense held up their end of the bargain shutting down all-area Clear Creek RB CJ McElroy (22 carries for 83 yards) and holding him under 4 yards per carry. The only real threat the Creek offense showed was through the air and on the fumbled pitch that bounced straight up into McElroy's hands in the 3rd quarter for a nice touchdown run. The D shut down the Wildcats high powered offense, which was exactly what the Bulldogs needed for victory.
The personal fouls at the end of the game were embarrassing and dampened the performance by the defense as a whole. Resorting to cheap and dirty play when you're down will never be a way to earn respect locally or state-wide in the future.
The Bulldogs out-gained the Wildcats in total yardage 288-203. However nobody was in sync on offense, with at least 10 false starts and 8 fumbles, 4 of which were recovered by Creek.
La Porte did not have many opportunities with the fumbling and penalties. With the Bulldogs down 3-0 and time running down in the first half (25 seconds left), La Porte decided to try for the field goal on 3rd down and I believe that mistake bit them as they finally had the Clear Creek defense on their heels and should have taken a shot at the end-zone instead of a rushed field goal attempt. The first half was not a good one for the offense and I did not think it could get any worse, but it got much worse.
In the second half the attitudes of the Bulldogs players were visibly bad watching from the stands. It didn't help that every other offensive snap was either a offside penalty or a fumble. On the first possession of the second half Senior QB Jeremy McNeal (109 yds passing, 107 yds rushing), who did put up a gutsy performance, was fighting for extra yards and the ball popped straight into a Wildcat defender's hands and he walked into the end zone. Any air that was left in the La Porte balloon was let out right there. The Bulldogs never had another good opportunity and frankly didn't show a lot of urgency in the fourth quarter down two scores. La Porte is not a good team when playing from behind, especially by two scores. Senior RB Anthony Webb had only 17 carries for 71 yards on the night. Clear Creek's defense was very scrappy and quick and made life very tough on the whole Bulldog offense.
La Porte has a very promising future with many underclassmen getting extensive playing time this season. It will be very interesting to see which way the offense goes in the off-season to replace McNeal and Webb. The defense will be a strength again next season, so I believe La Porte will still be a run first team. I will have a full season recap and a preview for next season in the coming days.
Overall I had a great time following the team this season and great things were there for the taking with the weak bracket La Porte was in. The players must learn from this experience and have more confidence and composure when things are going wrong on the field. An ugly loss like this takes away from how good this team really was this season. I believe this was the best La Porte team I've ever seen, but my experience only goes back to '98.
If anybody has any thoughts on the game or season as a whole, please share them.
La Porte Bulldog Football Blog
Monday, November 22, 2010
Monday, November 15, 2010
Playoffs! Round 2 La Porte vs Clear Creek
This Saturday at Galena Park ISD stadium at 7pm the La Porte Bulldogs will face the Clear Creek Wildcats in the area round of the 5A Division 2 Playoffs!
La Porte will be taking a step up in competition this week when they take on Clear Creek from offensive powerhouse district 24-5A. The Wildcats defeated Fort Bend Travis 37-34 in round 1. The Bulldogs took out South Houston 42-7. Clear Creek comes in averaging 35 points per game on offense while giving up 21 a game on defense. La Porte comes in averaging 32 points per game while only giving up 12 per game so far this season.
Both teams played Deer Park this season with the Bulldogs going down 21-19 and Clear Creek taking care of the Deer 40-7.
The Bulldogs and Wildcats both feature a University of Houston commitment at running back. La Porte's Anthony Webb and Clear Creek's C.J. McElroy feature almost identical stats in leading their teams throughout the 2010 season and will be roaming the UH practice fields next summer in the same backfield.
The past doesn't matter this week as it's win or go home for both teams.
La Porte is at full strength on offense this week as Senior QB Jeremy McNeal didn't show any ill effects from his week 10 injury in his limited action against South Houston, throwing and rushing for a touchdown. On the season he has thrown for thrown for 1000 yards and run for over 600 with 19 total touchdowns. His ability to mix the run and pass could be the difference the La Porte offense needs against the Wildcats. Webb comes into the game on a roll in recent games and he ran for 120 yards in the first half against South Houston and was able to rest in the second half. On the season the future Cougar has 1450yards and 20 touchdowns. The offensive line features a bunch of hosses, one of the biggest o-lines in the Houston area, and are responsible for opening the holes for the Bulldog rushing attack. They impressively wore down a good Beaumont West Brook front 7 in week 10 of the season. La Porte has a cast of many different receivers and Senior Karl Terrebone leads the way with 22 receptions on the season. The short passing attack takes some of the pressure off the running game. La Porte will need to keep the Wildcats Defense off balance with a good mix of outside and inside running. McNeal can make opposing defenses pay that over pursue and key on Webb.
The Clear Creek defense has been categorized as a small and scrappy bunch. They have a undersized defensive line that is very quick off the ball. Their defense will be tasked with stopping the multi-faceted Bulldog rushing attack and will have their hands full this week. They will need to get some stops and force some turnovers for the win this week.
Clear Creek features a offense heavy on running the ball. McElroy leads the team and is a very productive runner with 1349 yards and 22 touchdowns on the season. He is also a threat catching the ball out of the backfield with 15 catches for 220 yards and 3 tds. Junior RB Colby Davis is no slouch himself as he has ran for 800 yards and 9 touchdowns. The two headed wildcat at running back has been tough to stop this season for opposing defenses. Senior QB Chris Collins has thrown for 1000 yards and 10tds on 53% passing. He is not a huge threat through the air, but provides just enough threat to ensure the opposing team stays out of their comfort zone. Leading receiver Senior Tevin Jones has 28 catches for 474 yards and 4 touchdowns and is a dangerous threat with 17 yards per reception. Overall the Wildcats offense has carried them on the season and they will need a big game against La Porte's smash-mouth defense.
Speaking of, the Bulldogs defense comes into this week on a nice roll after facing two consecutive passing teams. La Porte's strength could be the downfall this week for the Clear Creek offense as the Bulldog defense is very good against the run. They have not allowed a 100 yard rusher on the season and will try to contain McElroy and Davis out of the backfield this week. The La Porte front 7 lead by Junior Linebacker Chad Sutherland has been great this season and dominated games. Sutherland has a knack for being in the backfield hitting ball carriers and will need to have a big game this week for La Porte to advance. The rest of the linebackers are very fast and the Bulldogs mix up their blitz packages to confuse the offense pre-snap. La Porte has been very good in the secondary with Senior Cornerbacks John Wesby and Ben Flores as well and should be fine in man to man coverage against the Wildcats. This will free up the front 7 to pursue the ball carrier and focus on the run. Other standouts on the Bulldog's defense include Sophomore Safety/Running Back Keith Whitely and Junior Safety/Wide Receiver Aaron Nance-Garrett who is a punishing hitter.
The keys to advancing to round 3 for La Porte:
- Stop McElroy - While stopping him will be a tough task, the Bulldog defense is capable of doing it. If the defense holds him under 125 yards they will be in great shape.
-Attack Clear Creek from all angles and score early points- La Porte plays great with a lead because they can really grind the clock.
-Win the turnover battle- La Porte has slowed down their turnover production in the last few weeks and are due for a big turnover game.
-Limit the penalties - The Bulldogs have improved greatly in this area and must stay focused this week.
Something has to give this week with a great running offense against a great defense.
The winner takes on the winner of Cypress Woods against Katy Taylor playing at the same time Saturday at Tully Stadium.
The game will be broadcast online at http://www.legacysportsnetwork.com/ starting at 6:45 Saturday.
I will be live on Twitter, you can follow along with me at http://twitter.com/#!/LPBulldogBlog or follow @LPBulldogBlog
Come on out to Galena Park and lets get loud this week to fire up this football team!
La Porte will be taking a step up in competition this week when they take on Clear Creek from offensive powerhouse district 24-5A. The Wildcats defeated Fort Bend Travis 37-34 in round 1. The Bulldogs took out South Houston 42-7. Clear Creek comes in averaging 35 points per game on offense while giving up 21 a game on defense. La Porte comes in averaging 32 points per game while only giving up 12 per game so far this season.
Both teams played Deer Park this season with the Bulldogs going down 21-19 and Clear Creek taking care of the Deer 40-7.
The Bulldogs and Wildcats both feature a University of Houston commitment at running back. La Porte's Anthony Webb and Clear Creek's C.J. McElroy feature almost identical stats in leading their teams throughout the 2010 season and will be roaming the UH practice fields next summer in the same backfield.
The past doesn't matter this week as it's win or go home for both teams.
La Porte is at full strength on offense this week as Senior QB Jeremy McNeal didn't show any ill effects from his week 10 injury in his limited action against South Houston, throwing and rushing for a touchdown. On the season he has thrown for thrown for 1000 yards and run for over 600 with 19 total touchdowns. His ability to mix the run and pass could be the difference the La Porte offense needs against the Wildcats. Webb comes into the game on a roll in recent games and he ran for 120 yards in the first half against South Houston and was able to rest in the second half. On the season the future Cougar has 1450yards and 20 touchdowns. The offensive line features a bunch of hosses, one of the biggest o-lines in the Houston area, and are responsible for opening the holes for the Bulldog rushing attack. They impressively wore down a good Beaumont West Brook front 7 in week 10 of the season. La Porte has a cast of many different receivers and Senior Karl Terrebone leads the way with 22 receptions on the season. The short passing attack takes some of the pressure off the running game. La Porte will need to keep the Wildcats Defense off balance with a good mix of outside and inside running. McNeal can make opposing defenses pay that over pursue and key on Webb.
The Clear Creek defense has been categorized as a small and scrappy bunch. They have a undersized defensive line that is very quick off the ball. Their defense will be tasked with stopping the multi-faceted Bulldog rushing attack and will have their hands full this week. They will need to get some stops and force some turnovers for the win this week.
Clear Creek features a offense heavy on running the ball. McElroy leads the team and is a very productive runner with 1349 yards and 22 touchdowns on the season. He is also a threat catching the ball out of the backfield with 15 catches for 220 yards and 3 tds. Junior RB Colby Davis is no slouch himself as he has ran for 800 yards and 9 touchdowns. The two headed wildcat at running back has been tough to stop this season for opposing defenses. Senior QB Chris Collins has thrown for 1000 yards and 10tds on 53% passing. He is not a huge threat through the air, but provides just enough threat to ensure the opposing team stays out of their comfort zone. Leading receiver Senior Tevin Jones has 28 catches for 474 yards and 4 touchdowns and is a dangerous threat with 17 yards per reception. Overall the Wildcats offense has carried them on the season and they will need a big game against La Porte's smash-mouth defense.
Speaking of, the Bulldogs defense comes into this week on a nice roll after facing two consecutive passing teams. La Porte's strength could be the downfall this week for the Clear Creek offense as the Bulldog defense is very good against the run. They have not allowed a 100 yard rusher on the season and will try to contain McElroy and Davis out of the backfield this week. The La Porte front 7 lead by Junior Linebacker Chad Sutherland has been great this season and dominated games. Sutherland has a knack for being in the backfield hitting ball carriers and will need to have a big game this week for La Porte to advance. The rest of the linebackers are very fast and the Bulldogs mix up their blitz packages to confuse the offense pre-snap. La Porte has been very good in the secondary with Senior Cornerbacks John Wesby and Ben Flores as well and should be fine in man to man coverage against the Wildcats. This will free up the front 7 to pursue the ball carrier and focus on the run. Other standouts on the Bulldog's defense include Sophomore Safety/Running Back Keith Whitely and Junior Safety/Wide Receiver Aaron Nance-Garrett who is a punishing hitter.
The keys to advancing to round 3 for La Porte:
- Stop McElroy - While stopping him will be a tough task, the Bulldog defense is capable of doing it. If the defense holds him under 125 yards they will be in great shape.
-Attack Clear Creek from all angles and score early points- La Porte plays great with a lead because they can really grind the clock.
-Win the turnover battle- La Porte has slowed down their turnover production in the last few weeks and are due for a big turnover game.
-Limit the penalties - The Bulldogs have improved greatly in this area and must stay focused this week.
Something has to give this week with a great running offense against a great defense.
The winner takes on the winner of Cypress Woods against Katy Taylor playing at the same time Saturday at Tully Stadium.
The game will be broadcast online at http://www.legacysportsnetwork.com/ starting at 6:45 Saturday.
I will be live on Twitter, you can follow along with me at http://twitter.com/#!/LPBulldogBlog or follow @LPBulldogBlog
Come on out to Galena Park and lets get loud this week to fire up this football team!
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Round 2 Matchup set
La Porte (9-2) will play Clear Creek (8-3) in round 2 of the playoffs. Clear Creek took care of business 37-34 against Fort Bend Travis. I will have a preview soon.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Final La Porte 42 South Houston 7 Postgame Analysis
La Porte got off to a rip-roaring start downing South Houston 42-7 in the first round of the 5A division 2 playoffs.
It was a night of scares and upsets around the Houston area(Undefeated The Woodlands lost, Clear Springs lost, North Shore squeaked by Deer Park 17-10), but La Porte avoided a let down and came out ready to make a statement.
The defense had little problem with the South Houston passing attack in the first half. South Houston Senior UT commitment Corner back/Running back Leroy Scott started the game at running back and the Bulldogs were not fooled at all. It will be hard for any team to run on La Porte in the playoffs this year. It was a total team effort for the Bulldog defense. Sophomore Safety Keith Whitely picked up a interception and also made a unbelievable 78 yard punt return for a touchdown, the last 50 yards of the run were with only one shoe. I have to say Whitely was making plays everywhere and has to be considered player of the game this week. We have 2 more seasons to watch this young man and I believe big things are to come. The second half featured the backup defense which did struggle a little bit at the point of attack. This is understandable against South Houston's starters. These underclassmen got some valuable experience and will get into the weight room this summer. The team will only have more depth with them getting playing time, especially being in the playoffs.
On offense La Porte started with Junior QB Josh Vidales in the game. You could tell Senior QB Jeremy McNeal really wanted to be in this game from the beginning, but with the start La Porte had with the punt return the Bulldogs decided to get Vidales some playing time. Senior RB Anthony Webb made a big bang carrying the ball twice for 40 yards and a TD on the Bulldog's first offensive possession. Webb ended up with 119 yards on 14 carries all in the first half. The offensive line opened huge holes for Webb. Vidales struggled a little with his passes, but completed a touchdown to Senior TE Pierre Hernandez. Midway through the 2nd quarter McNeal entered the game and was dominant going 5 for 5 for 65 yards and a 40 yard touchdown pass to Senior WR Justin Collins who got behind the highly recruited South Houston secondary on the first possession of the 3rd quarter. That was it for the night for the starting offense. Junior RB Tommy Banda had a 50 yard run where it looked like he was shot out of a cannon, although he fumbled at the end of it. Freshman RB Hoza Scott had some tough yards to run down the clock in the fourth.
Overall a great and focused performance for La Porte. They got to work on some passing against a good secondary and did not disappoint.
South Houston's Leroy Scott must have had 20 tackles on the night as it seemed he was making every stop for the Trojans. He looks like he will be a great player for the University of Texas.
La Porte will face the winner of the Fort Bend Travis-Clear Creek game being played today at 1pm in Pasadena. Either team will be a great challenge for La Porte.
It was a night of scares and upsets around the Houston area(Undefeated The Woodlands lost, Clear Springs lost, North Shore squeaked by Deer Park 17-10), but La Porte avoided a let down and came out ready to make a statement.
The defense had little problem with the South Houston passing attack in the first half. South Houston Senior UT commitment Corner back/Running back Leroy Scott started the game at running back and the Bulldogs were not fooled at all. It will be hard for any team to run on La Porte in the playoffs this year. It was a total team effort for the Bulldog defense. Sophomore Safety Keith Whitely picked up a interception and also made a unbelievable 78 yard punt return for a touchdown, the last 50 yards of the run were with only one shoe. I have to say Whitely was making plays everywhere and has to be considered player of the game this week. We have 2 more seasons to watch this young man and I believe big things are to come. The second half featured the backup defense which did struggle a little bit at the point of attack. This is understandable against South Houston's starters. These underclassmen got some valuable experience and will get into the weight room this summer. The team will only have more depth with them getting playing time, especially being in the playoffs.
On offense La Porte started with Junior QB Josh Vidales in the game. You could tell Senior QB Jeremy McNeal really wanted to be in this game from the beginning, but with the start La Porte had with the punt return the Bulldogs decided to get Vidales some playing time. Senior RB Anthony Webb made a big bang carrying the ball twice for 40 yards and a TD on the Bulldog's first offensive possession. Webb ended up with 119 yards on 14 carries all in the first half. The offensive line opened huge holes for Webb. Vidales struggled a little with his passes, but completed a touchdown to Senior TE Pierre Hernandez. Midway through the 2nd quarter McNeal entered the game and was dominant going 5 for 5 for 65 yards and a 40 yard touchdown pass to Senior WR Justin Collins who got behind the highly recruited South Houston secondary on the first possession of the 3rd quarter. That was it for the night for the starting offense. Junior RB Tommy Banda had a 50 yard run where it looked like he was shot out of a cannon, although he fumbled at the end of it. Freshman RB Hoza Scott had some tough yards to run down the clock in the fourth.
Overall a great and focused performance for La Porte. They got to work on some passing against a good secondary and did not disappoint.
South Houston's Leroy Scott must have had 20 tackles on the night as it seemed he was making every stop for the Trojans. He looks like he will be a great player for the University of Texas.
La Porte will face the winner of the Fort Bend Travis-Clear Creek game being played today at 1pm in Pasadena. Either team will be a great challenge for La Porte.
Friday, November 12, 2010
Gameday La Porte vs South Houston
A couple of notes before tonight's game:
- 5A Texas football uses their special algorithm for predicting games. Here are a couple of links previewing Division 2 Region 3 and beyond... Very interesting where they have LP ending up in their predictions:
http://www.5atexasfootball.com/playoffs/bi-district/d2r3/
http://www.5atexasfootball.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/2010-Predictor-Playoff-Brackets-D2.pdf
- The Houston Chronicle labels La Porte, Alief Taylor and Cypress Woods as region 3 favorites.
http://blogs.chron.com/prepsports/2010/11/football_breaking_down_the_bra_1.html
Looks like the bad weather will be holding off until after midnight. Tonights game should be a great one!
For those at home you can listen on http://www.legacysportsnetwork.com/.
I will be live on twitter @lpbulldogblog or http://twitter.com/#!/LPBulldogBlog. Follow along I will provide highlights and commentary.
See everyone out there!
- 5A Texas football uses their special algorithm for predicting games. Here are a couple of links previewing Division 2 Region 3 and beyond... Very interesting where they have LP ending up in their predictions:
http://www.5atexasfootball.com/playoffs/bi-district/d2r3/
http://www.5atexasfootball.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/2010-Predictor-Playoff-Brackets-D2.pdf
- The Houston Chronicle labels La Porte, Alief Taylor and Cypress Woods as region 3 favorites.
http://blogs.chron.com/prepsports/2010/11/football_breaking_down_the_bra_1.html
Looks like the bad weather will be holding off until after midnight. Tonights game should be a great one!
For those at home you can listen on http://www.legacysportsnetwork.com/.
I will be live on twitter @lpbulldogblog or http://twitter.com/#!/LPBulldogBlog. Follow along I will provide highlights and commentary.
See everyone out there!
Monday, November 8, 2010
Playoffs! Round 1 La Porte vs South Houston Preview
The La Porte Bulldogs (8-2) will face the South Houston Trojans (5-5) this Friday at 7pm at the Galena Park ISD stadium! This is the first round of the 5A Division 2 Playoffs.
Here is the Division 2 bracket: http://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?tid=379099&tclass=Division%202
La Porte has a favorable bracket and could have another big playoff run in them this season. However, before we get too far ahead of ourselves, South Houston will be ready for the Bulldogs this Friday.
South Houston is in the playoffs for just the 4th time in the last 20 years. They have won two playoff games in the school's history going back to 1958. Things are changing this season under new coach and former NFL'er C.L. Whittington. The Trojans are led by a spread passing attack and a very heavily recruited player on the defensive side of the ball. They have underclassmen all over the field and will only get better in years to come.
These two teams have four common opponents this season:
Atascocita (3-7)
La Porte won 35-0
South Houston lost 38-18
Baytown Sterling (2-8)
La Porte won 56-21
South Houston won 51-50
Deer Park (7-3)
La Porte lost 21-19
South Houston lost 30-27
Port Arthur Memorial (7-3)
La Porte won 37-13
South Houston lost 48-13
On offense South Houston's spread passing attack features Junior QB Rudis Requeno. He is a small QB (5-9, 175) with good feet in the pocket and good instincts. He has racked up some yardage this season through the air with 2042 yards and 17 touchdowns. He does not add much of a running threat, but he is quick. Requeno's favorite target is Sophomore Receiver Torre Daniel (55 catches for 558 yards). The Trojans spread the ball around to a wide number of receivers South Houston will try to use quick passes to beat the big time La Porte pass rush. They will keep the ball through the air, as their leading rusher is Sophomore back Byron Hodges with only 300 yards rushing on the season. One player to look out for when he comes in on offense is Senior and UT commitment Cornerback Leroy Scott. He only had 26 carries on the season, but put them to good use with 239 yards and 4 touchdowns. I wouldn't be surprised to see him more on offense to try and extend South Houston's season.
La Porte on defense comes into the post season as one of the top defenses in the Houston area. In the season finale against Beaumont West Brook's spread passing offense the Bulldogs shut down one of the best passers in the state Senior Bruce Reyes in the second half to come out victorious. This was a great warm-up for this week. La Porte's front 7 is very efficient stopping the run and did not give up 100 yards to any individual runner this season. Junior Linebacker Chad Sutherland has been the team leader and finds himself in the right place at the right time continuously. I could name names all day and still not recognize everyone that has stood out this season on defense. This week the secondary will have to step up once again with Senior Cornerbacks John Wesby and Ben Flores leading the way. La Porte will be prepared for the all-out passing attack and will mix up their coverages and blitz packages just like they did against West Brook. The Bulldogs have forced 23 turnovers in 10 games and will need more of the same this week.
On defense South Houston is led by Scott who will be taking his talents to Austin next season. At 5-10, 185 with a 4.4 40 yard dash, he is a great athlete and a shutdown cornerback. The Trojans have struggled against the run and they will have to step it up this week to have a chance against the vaunted La Porte rushing attack. Against the better rushing teams on their schedule they have given up 10 yards per carry to the other teams leading rusher every time.
La Porte on offense will be running, running and running. There is a question whether Senior QB/Safety Jeremy McNeal will play this week after suffering a mild concussion against West Brook. While his loss would take away a dimension of the Bulldog offense, Junior QB/Punter Josh Vidales showed he could fill in admirably. No matter who the Quarterback is this week this game will be won between the tackles for the Bulldogs. UH commitment and Senior Running Back Anthony Webb comes into this week on a roll. racking up 400 yards and 7 touchdowns the last two weeks. On the season he stands at 1300 yards and 20 touchdowns. I don't expect much passing from La Porte this week as they will try to keep the South Houston offense off the field with long sustained drives.
Keys to the game:
-Stay focused and ready for South Houston, any team that makes the playoffs is a threat.
-The La Porte secondary must keep the South Houston receivers in front of them and make solid tackles.
-Pound the rock on the ground with Webb, Keith Whitely and Hoza Scott. Don't let up.
This team needs all the support they can get and I expect a big crowd in Galena Park Friday night!
This is my inaugural article for lpinsider.com http://www.lpinsider.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=124:playoffs-round-1-preview&catid=34:lp-football&Itemid=79
Check out that website, it has local La Porte news and also features other La Porte High School and junior high sports.
Here is the Division 2 bracket: http://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cfm?tid=379099&tclass=Division%202
La Porte has a favorable bracket and could have another big playoff run in them this season. However, before we get too far ahead of ourselves, South Houston will be ready for the Bulldogs this Friday.
South Houston is in the playoffs for just the 4th time in the last 20 years. They have won two playoff games in the school's history going back to 1958. Things are changing this season under new coach and former NFL'er C.L. Whittington. The Trojans are led by a spread passing attack and a very heavily recruited player on the defensive side of the ball. They have underclassmen all over the field and will only get better in years to come.
These two teams have four common opponents this season:
Atascocita (3-7)
La Porte won 35-0
South Houston lost 38-18
Baytown Sterling (2-8)
La Porte won 56-21
South Houston won 51-50
Deer Park (7-3)
La Porte lost 21-19
South Houston lost 30-27
Port Arthur Memorial (7-3)
La Porte won 37-13
South Houston lost 48-13
On offense South Houston's spread passing attack features Junior QB Rudis Requeno. He is a small QB (5-9, 175) with good feet in the pocket and good instincts. He has racked up some yardage this season through the air with 2042 yards and 17 touchdowns. He does not add much of a running threat, but he is quick. Requeno's favorite target is Sophomore Receiver Torre Daniel (55 catches for 558 yards). The Trojans spread the ball around to a wide number of receivers South Houston will try to use quick passes to beat the big time La Porte pass rush. They will keep the ball through the air, as their leading rusher is Sophomore back Byron Hodges with only 300 yards rushing on the season. One player to look out for when he comes in on offense is Senior and UT commitment Cornerback Leroy Scott. He only had 26 carries on the season, but put them to good use with 239 yards and 4 touchdowns. I wouldn't be surprised to see him more on offense to try and extend South Houston's season.
La Porte on defense comes into the post season as one of the top defenses in the Houston area. In the season finale against Beaumont West Brook's spread passing offense the Bulldogs shut down one of the best passers in the state Senior Bruce Reyes in the second half to come out victorious. This was a great warm-up for this week. La Porte's front 7 is very efficient stopping the run and did not give up 100 yards to any individual runner this season. Junior Linebacker Chad Sutherland has been the team leader and finds himself in the right place at the right time continuously. I could name names all day and still not recognize everyone that has stood out this season on defense. This week the secondary will have to step up once again with Senior Cornerbacks John Wesby and Ben Flores leading the way. La Porte will be prepared for the all-out passing attack and will mix up their coverages and blitz packages just like they did against West Brook. The Bulldogs have forced 23 turnovers in 10 games and will need more of the same this week.
On defense South Houston is led by Scott who will be taking his talents to Austin next season. At 5-10, 185 with a 4.4 40 yard dash, he is a great athlete and a shutdown cornerback. The Trojans have struggled against the run and they will have to step it up this week to have a chance against the vaunted La Porte rushing attack. Against the better rushing teams on their schedule they have given up 10 yards per carry to the other teams leading rusher every time.
La Porte on offense will be running, running and running. There is a question whether Senior QB/Safety Jeremy McNeal will play this week after suffering a mild concussion against West Brook. While his loss would take away a dimension of the Bulldog offense, Junior QB/Punter Josh Vidales showed he could fill in admirably. No matter who the Quarterback is this week this game will be won between the tackles for the Bulldogs. UH commitment and Senior Running Back Anthony Webb comes into this week on a roll. racking up 400 yards and 7 touchdowns the last two weeks. On the season he stands at 1300 yards and 20 touchdowns. I don't expect much passing from La Porte this week as they will try to keep the South Houston offense off the field with long sustained drives.
Keys to the game:
-Stay focused and ready for South Houston, any team that makes the playoffs is a threat.
-The La Porte secondary must keep the South Houston receivers in front of them and make solid tackles.
-Pound the rock on the ground with Webb, Keith Whitely and Hoza Scott. Don't let up.
This team needs all the support they can get and I expect a big crowd in Galena Park Friday night!
This is my inaugural article for lpinsider.com http://www.lpinsider.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=124:playoffs-round-1-preview&catid=34:lp-football&Itemid=79
Check out that website, it has local La Porte news and also features other La Porte High School and junior high sports.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
La Porte vs Beaumont West Brook Highlight Video
Courtesy of Dr. Mark Redd
Great videos this year from Dr. Redd! Pleasure meeting you Friday sir.
Webb and the o-line were not giving any penetration from the West Brook front 7. Look at them dominate at the point of attack.
Final La Porte 19 Beaumont West Brook 14
What a great performance from the Bulldogs to close out the regular season!
Both teams came into the game already cemented in their playoff position. Both teams also played their starters to the end.
La Porte's defense was the star of the game. Although West Brook did drop a bunch of passes, the Bulldogs forced all-state Senior QB Bruce Reyes to scramble and made him uncomfortable all night. The Bulldogs held the Bruins to 3 yards a carry on the ground and forced them to pass. Reyes ended up with 243 yards passing on the night. He is a great player and I can see why he receives as much hype as he does. Most of those yards were in the first half as the La Porte D shut them down in the second half with good coverage and tackling. The defense will have great momentum going into the playoffs against another passing team in South Houston. South Houston passes, but not nearly at the caliber of West Brook.
On offense Senior RB Anthony Webb and the o-line dominated all night long. They sustained long drives and kept the defense fresh. This was the exact gameplan needed for victory this week. Webb ended up with 38 carries for 187 yards and 3 touchdowns. By far this was his highest total carry output on the season. The offensive line dominated this game. The West Brook front seven was gassed in the 4th quarter.
Senior QB Jeremy McNeal was hurt just before halftime and he did not return in the second half. I hope he is ok because he will be needed in the next few weeks. I saw him standing on the sidelines in the second half which is a good sign for next week.
I have to hand it to Junior QB/Punter Josh Vidales. He came in and led this team seamlessly, completing important drive extending passes. Vidales also had some huge punts that backed West Brook up all second half. The one thing I noticed, when he pitched the ball to Webb he was the first one down-field blocking. He looked very quick. It was good for him to get some action against a good team.
Great job by the Bulldogs to pull out a second place finish in a very tough district 21-5A. La Porte finishes the regular season with a 8-2 record.
Final 21-5A standings:
9-1 5-0 North Shore
8-2 4-1 La Porte
7-3 3-2 Beaumont West Brook
7-3 2-3 Port Arthur Memorial
1-9 1-4 Channelview
2-8 0-5 Baytown Sterling
Now it's onto the playoffs! La Porte has a good/favorable matchup in the first round with South Houston. They will need to stay focused this week for success in round 1. I will have a full game preview in the next couple of days.
No matter what the Bulldogs will NOT face Katy this year. They will be playing in the Division 1 Bracket with the rest of the big boys.
Both teams came into the game already cemented in their playoff position. Both teams also played their starters to the end.
La Porte's defense was the star of the game. Although West Brook did drop a bunch of passes, the Bulldogs forced all-state Senior QB Bruce Reyes to scramble and made him uncomfortable all night. The Bulldogs held the Bruins to 3 yards a carry on the ground and forced them to pass. Reyes ended up with 243 yards passing on the night. He is a great player and I can see why he receives as much hype as he does. Most of those yards were in the first half as the La Porte D shut them down in the second half with good coverage and tackling. The defense will have great momentum going into the playoffs against another passing team in South Houston. South Houston passes, but not nearly at the caliber of West Brook.
On offense Senior RB Anthony Webb and the o-line dominated all night long. They sustained long drives and kept the defense fresh. This was the exact gameplan needed for victory this week. Webb ended up with 38 carries for 187 yards and 3 touchdowns. By far this was his highest total carry output on the season. The offensive line dominated this game. The West Brook front seven was gassed in the 4th quarter.
Senior QB Jeremy McNeal was hurt just before halftime and he did not return in the second half. I hope he is ok because he will be needed in the next few weeks. I saw him standing on the sidelines in the second half which is a good sign for next week.
I have to hand it to Junior QB/Punter Josh Vidales. He came in and led this team seamlessly, completing important drive extending passes. Vidales also had some huge punts that backed West Brook up all second half. The one thing I noticed, when he pitched the ball to Webb he was the first one down-field blocking. He looked very quick. It was good for him to get some action against a good team.
Great job by the Bulldogs to pull out a second place finish in a very tough district 21-5A. La Porte finishes the regular season with a 8-2 record.
Final 21-5A standings:
9-1 5-0 North Shore
8-2 4-1 La Porte
7-3 3-2 Beaumont West Brook
7-3 2-3 Port Arthur Memorial
1-9 1-4 Channelview
2-8 0-5 Baytown Sterling
Now it's onto the playoffs! La Porte has a good/favorable matchup in the first round with South Houston. They will need to stay focused this week for success in round 1. I will have a full game preview in the next couple of days.
No matter what the Bulldogs will NOT face Katy this year. They will be playing in the Division 1 Bracket with the rest of the big boys.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
First round playoff matchup set for the Bulldogs
La Porte will face the South Houston Trojans in round one of the division 2 playoffs. The game will be next Friday the 12th at 7pm at Galena Park ISD stadium.
The Trojans come into the game with a 5-5 record and were defeated by Pasadena Memorial 33-7 in their season finale. I will have more info on their team in my preview next week.
The Trojans come into the game with a 5-5 record and were defeated by Pasadena Memorial 33-7 in their season finale. I will have more info on their team in my preview next week.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Week 10 La Porte vs Beaumont West Brook Preview
The La Porte Bulldogs (7-2, 3-1) come home this week for the regular season finale against the Beaumont West Brook Bruins (7-2, 3-1). This is the final tuneup for the Bulldogs for the playoffs that start next week.
La Porte has clinched the #1 seed from 21-5A in the division 2 bracket. They will play the loser of the 22-5A season finale between South Houston and Pasadena Memorial in round 1 of the playoffs.
This week against the Bruins is for bragging rights and to determine who will be the district runner-up. It will also provide the chance for La Porte to face an elite high school QB in Senior Bruce Reyes. This will be a good challenge for La Porte and the spread offenses they will see in the playoffs.
West Brook comes into the game off of a 35-3 home victory over Channelview last week in Beaumont. Their two losses this season were to Katy and North Shore, state powers. The Bruins had a similar victory over Port Arthur Memorial 42-15.
On offense Reyes is the key to the Bruins' engine. He has completed almost 70% of his passes for almost 1500 yards and 14tds. Reyes missed most of the Katy game and all of the next week's game and still put up very impressive stats. La Porte will need to put pressure on Reyes and make him uncomfortable. If he has time to throw he doesn't miss much. Senior receivers Reggie Begelton and Jacolby Cunigan lead the way as Reyes' favorite targets combining for almost 1000 yards and 11tds. On the ground the Bruins spread the ball between small backs Junior Percy Johnson (610 yards and 7tds) and Senior Dylan Harvey (543 yards and 11tds).
West Brook's front 7 leads their defense. Although they have shown some vulnerability against the run game vs some of the better teams they have faced. La Porte will challenge them to stop the run all night.
On offense the Bulldogs have Seniors QB Jeremy McNeal and RB Anthony Webb peaking at the right time. Webb turned in his best performance of the season last week against Memorial with almost 200 yards and 4tds on the ground. McNeal has seen success with the play-action pass and is a lightning bolt carrying the ball. Last week he even got in on some defensive action intercepting a pass for a touchdown.
On defense the La Porte 3-4 turned in a great performance last week against Port Arthur Memorial and will need a similar performance this week. The secondary has been a strength, this will be a great test, and the best passing team they will see all season. The linebackers will have to mix up their looks and try to confuse the Bruins o-line. Pressure on the QB will be the key. I know West Brook will have a tough time getting yards on the ground against the stout La Porte front 7.
Keys to a Bulldog victory:
-Time of possession should be a big advantage for La Porte and will keep the defense fresh chasing around the passing game of West Brook. They must keep the West Brook offense off the field as much as possible.
-Defense will need to get pressure and force Reyes into bad decisions, if possible.
-If La Porte wants to work on something for the playoffs I would say throwing a couple of deep balls would be on that list to see if they can open up some quick strikes come playoff time.
I think these teams are relatively even matched, although West Brook carries a higher pedigree into this game. La Porte should be able to stay with them and if they impose their will they will pull out a close victory. Penalties and turnovers must be minimized for the Bulldogs.
I'm going out on a limb here and thinking La Porte will face South Houston in round 1 of the playoffs, probably in Deer Park next weekend. Lets hope we get out of this week injury free and ready for another long playoff run.
If you can't make it out tune in online at http://www.legacysportsnetwork.com/.
Follow along with me at www.twitter.com/lpbulldogblog as I will be updating throughout the game. Those who can't make it especially from Beaumont you can tune in online or follow me on Twitter.
For those coming from Beaumont, the easiest way to get here is I-10 to the Grand Parkway/Hwy 99 exit. Take a left on Grand Parkway and drive until it dead ends into Business 146 in Baytown. Take a left at the stop sign and follow that road until you reach the exit for La Porte/146 south. You go over the bridge and take the Fairmont Parkway exit and take a left on Fairmont. The stadium will be on that road on the left side. Park on the other side of the gym for the visitor side of the stadium.
Hope to see a good crowd!
La Porte has clinched the #1 seed from 21-5A in the division 2 bracket. They will play the loser of the 22-5A season finale between South Houston and Pasadena Memorial in round 1 of the playoffs.
This week against the Bruins is for bragging rights and to determine who will be the district runner-up. It will also provide the chance for La Porte to face an elite high school QB in Senior Bruce Reyes. This will be a good challenge for La Porte and the spread offenses they will see in the playoffs.
West Brook comes into the game off of a 35-3 home victory over Channelview last week in Beaumont. Their two losses this season were to Katy and North Shore, state powers. The Bruins had a similar victory over Port Arthur Memorial 42-15.
On offense Reyes is the key to the Bruins' engine. He has completed almost 70% of his passes for almost 1500 yards and 14tds. Reyes missed most of the Katy game and all of the next week's game and still put up very impressive stats. La Porte will need to put pressure on Reyes and make him uncomfortable. If he has time to throw he doesn't miss much. Senior receivers Reggie Begelton and Jacolby Cunigan lead the way as Reyes' favorite targets combining for almost 1000 yards and 11tds. On the ground the Bruins spread the ball between small backs Junior Percy Johnson (610 yards and 7tds) and Senior Dylan Harvey (543 yards and 11tds).
West Brook's front 7 leads their defense. Although they have shown some vulnerability against the run game vs some of the better teams they have faced. La Porte will challenge them to stop the run all night.
On offense the Bulldogs have Seniors QB Jeremy McNeal and RB Anthony Webb peaking at the right time. Webb turned in his best performance of the season last week against Memorial with almost 200 yards and 4tds on the ground. McNeal has seen success with the play-action pass and is a lightning bolt carrying the ball. Last week he even got in on some defensive action intercepting a pass for a touchdown.
On defense the La Porte 3-4 turned in a great performance last week against Port Arthur Memorial and will need a similar performance this week. The secondary has been a strength, this will be a great test, and the best passing team they will see all season. The linebackers will have to mix up their looks and try to confuse the Bruins o-line. Pressure on the QB will be the key. I know West Brook will have a tough time getting yards on the ground against the stout La Porte front 7.
Keys to a Bulldog victory:
-Time of possession should be a big advantage for La Porte and will keep the defense fresh chasing around the passing game of West Brook. They must keep the West Brook offense off the field as much as possible.
-Defense will need to get pressure and force Reyes into bad decisions, if possible.
-If La Porte wants to work on something for the playoffs I would say throwing a couple of deep balls would be on that list to see if they can open up some quick strikes come playoff time.
I think these teams are relatively even matched, although West Brook carries a higher pedigree into this game. La Porte should be able to stay with them and if they impose their will they will pull out a close victory. Penalties and turnovers must be minimized for the Bulldogs.
I'm going out on a limb here and thinking La Porte will face South Houston in round 1 of the playoffs, probably in Deer Park next weekend. Lets hope we get out of this week injury free and ready for another long playoff run.
If you can't make it out tune in online at http://www.legacysportsnetwork.com/.
Follow along with me at www.twitter.com/lpbulldogblog as I will be updating throughout the game. Those who can't make it especially from Beaumont you can tune in online or follow me on Twitter.
For those coming from Beaumont, the easiest way to get here is I-10 to the Grand Parkway/Hwy 99 exit. Take a left on Grand Parkway and drive until it dead ends into Business 146 in Baytown. Take a left at the stop sign and follow that road until you reach the exit for La Porte/146 south. You go over the bridge and take the Fairmont Parkway exit and take a left on Fairmont. The stadium will be on that road on the left side. Park on the other side of the gym for the visitor side of the stadium.
Hope to see a good crowd!
La Porte vs Port Arthur Memorial Highlight Video
Chad Sutherland was fired up!
Don't let Jeremy McNeal have open field to run in #itsovah
Anthony Webb was running all over them
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Final La Porte 37 Port Arthur Memorial 13
The Bulldogs got back on track with a dominating effort over Port Arthur Memorial Friday night in Port Arthur. A good crowd showed up for La Porte and the team showed up this week as well.
The defense really dominated Port Arthur Memorial; holding them to 3 yards per carry and shutting down the passing game. It was a great performance against a high-powered offense. Memorial Junior QB Terrance Singleton was spied all night and held to 69 yards rushing on 20 carries and 102 yards passing on only 40% completions. Two big interceptions turned the tide with one going for a score from Senior QB Jeremy McNeal. La Porte was back to their big hitting ways Friday night and really shut down a good offense.
On offense La Porte was clicking on all cylinders. The game started with Sophomore RB Keith Whitely in the FB position in the pistol formation. He took the surprise inside hand-off and scampered 44 yards into Memorial territory. McNeal used play action passing to drive the team and Senior Running Back Anthony Webb capped off the impressive opening drive with a 10 yard touchdown run. This was a sign of things to come.
La Porte had the Titans off balance for the rest of the night. Webb torched the Titan defense for almost 200 yards and 4 touchdowns to add to the rout. He looked better this week; like he did the first couple of games this season. The O-line opened huge holes including a 60 yard dash for a touchdown for Webb in the 3rd quarter. McNeal was able to just hand the ball off the rest of the night, giving him a well needed rest after some grueling weeks.
This looked like a La Porte team ready for playoff football. Port Arthur Memorial did not look so good and they have been struggling in district play. La Porte's physicality on both sides of the ball gave the Titans problems all night. The Bulldogs did struggle with some penalties (personal fouls) again. Although some were questionable calls, the players cannot put themselves in these situations.
I have not heard anything about Titan Senior WR K'Sean Wesley who was taken away in an ambulance after a big hit. If anyone has any information, please let us know. Thoughts and prayers are with him and his family. Wesley is being heavily recruited by some powerhouse D-1 programs.
Game ball goes to Anthony Webb who ran with a purpose and will be counted on over the rest of the season. Also the La Porte secondary had a great game covering up the Titans passing game and letting the linebackers stop the run.
This week La Porte faces a stiff challenge with Beaumont West Brook coming to La Porte. The Bruins feature Senior QB Bruce Reyes who is one of the more prolific passers in the Houston/Beaumont area. I will have a preview in the next few days.
This week will be important as we need to carry this momentum into the playoffs.
Way to go Bulldogs! The effort this week was outstanding.
The defense really dominated Port Arthur Memorial; holding them to 3 yards per carry and shutting down the passing game. It was a great performance against a high-powered offense. Memorial Junior QB Terrance Singleton was spied all night and held to 69 yards rushing on 20 carries and 102 yards passing on only 40% completions. Two big interceptions turned the tide with one going for a score from Senior QB Jeremy McNeal. La Porte was back to their big hitting ways Friday night and really shut down a good offense.
On offense La Porte was clicking on all cylinders. The game started with Sophomore RB Keith Whitely in the FB position in the pistol formation. He took the surprise inside hand-off and scampered 44 yards into Memorial territory. McNeal used play action passing to drive the team and Senior Running Back Anthony Webb capped off the impressive opening drive with a 10 yard touchdown run. This was a sign of things to come.
La Porte had the Titans off balance for the rest of the night. Webb torched the Titan defense for almost 200 yards and 4 touchdowns to add to the rout. He looked better this week; like he did the first couple of games this season. The O-line opened huge holes including a 60 yard dash for a touchdown for Webb in the 3rd quarter. McNeal was able to just hand the ball off the rest of the night, giving him a well needed rest after some grueling weeks.
This looked like a La Porte team ready for playoff football. Port Arthur Memorial did not look so good and they have been struggling in district play. La Porte's physicality on both sides of the ball gave the Titans problems all night. The Bulldogs did struggle with some penalties (personal fouls) again. Although some were questionable calls, the players cannot put themselves in these situations.
I have not heard anything about Titan Senior WR K'Sean Wesley who was taken away in an ambulance after a big hit. If anyone has any information, please let us know. Thoughts and prayers are with him and his family. Wesley is being heavily recruited by some powerhouse D-1 programs.
Game ball goes to Anthony Webb who ran with a purpose and will be counted on over the rest of the season. Also the La Porte secondary had a great game covering up the Titans passing game and letting the linebackers stop the run.
This week La Porte faces a stiff challenge with Beaumont West Brook coming to La Porte. The Bruins feature Senior QB Bruce Reyes who is one of the more prolific passers in the Houston/Beaumont area. I will have a preview in the next few days.
This week will be important as we need to carry this momentum into the playoffs.
Way to go Bulldogs! The effort this week was outstanding.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Week 9 La Porte at Port Arthur Memorial Preview
This week the Bulldogs travel to Port Arthur for a very important game against the Port Arthur Memorial Titans. If La Porte can pull out this weeks game they will have the number 1 seed in the division 2 bracket out of 21-5a. Basically this means that the Bulldogs would get the weakest team out of the Pasadena/Deer Park district in the first round of the playoffs. Currently the number 4 team of that district is projected to be South Houston. La Porte and Port Arthur Memorial should be the two teams going to the division 2 bracket.
The Titans come into week 9 with a 6-2 record. They swept through their non-district schedule easily, but have struggled losing to North Shore and Beaumont West Brook (La Porte's week 10 opponent. La Porte has knocked Memorial out of the playoffs three out of the last four years. The Titans will be looking for revenge as all three games were played in the Houston area.
On offense the Titans are all about Junior QB Terrance Singleton (1216 yards and 12 td's passing and 450 yards and 9 td's on the ground). La Porte will be spying him all game as Memorial doesn't have a go to back, they spread carries around. They have a pair of big play Senior receivers that La Porte will have to lock down.
On defense the Titans have been very inconsistent and will be looking to rebound after giving up 42 points to Beaumont West Brook last week. In previous years the Bulldogs have had no trouble scoring at will on the Titans.
Keys to the game for La Porte:
- Must hang onto the ball this week, turnovers are killing this team
- Smashmouth football this week on both sides of the ball. The Titans do not like to be hit in the mouth, if past performances are any indication.
Some good news I picked up on the chron.com blog from Jeremy McNeal's uncle: Air Force has offered him a scholarship. No word on what side of the ball they want him on, maybe his family will fill us in. I'm a big fan of Jeremy and I have promoted him everywhere I can this season. Looks like his hard work is paying off and I look forward to seeing him on Saturdays.
Looks like it might be a little chilly Friday night all the better for La Porte to come out and lay some big hits on the Titans. Not sure if I'm going to make it out there as work is interfering. The game will be online at http://www.legacysportsnetwork.com/ as usual.
La Porte fans usually travel well, but this week will test that.
Memorial stadium is very easy (although a little over an hour drive) to get to. From La Porte take 10 east and get off in Winnie on Hwy 73. Take that south until you get to the 347/Twin City Highway exit SOUTH. The stadium be a couple miles down on the left.
The Titans come into week 9 with a 6-2 record. They swept through their non-district schedule easily, but have struggled losing to North Shore and Beaumont West Brook (La Porte's week 10 opponent. La Porte has knocked Memorial out of the playoffs three out of the last four years. The Titans will be looking for revenge as all three games were played in the Houston area.
On offense the Titans are all about Junior QB Terrance Singleton (1216 yards and 12 td's passing and 450 yards and 9 td's on the ground). La Porte will be spying him all game as Memorial doesn't have a go to back, they spread carries around. They have a pair of big play Senior receivers that La Porte will have to lock down.
On defense the Titans have been very inconsistent and will be looking to rebound after giving up 42 points to Beaumont West Brook last week. In previous years the Bulldogs have had no trouble scoring at will on the Titans.
Keys to the game for La Porte:
- Must hang onto the ball this week, turnovers are killing this team
- Smashmouth football this week on both sides of the ball. The Titans do not like to be hit in the mouth, if past performances are any indication.
Some good news I picked up on the chron.com blog from Jeremy McNeal's uncle: Air Force has offered him a scholarship. No word on what side of the ball they want him on, maybe his family will fill us in. I'm a big fan of Jeremy and I have promoted him everywhere I can this season. Looks like his hard work is paying off and I look forward to seeing him on Saturdays.
Looks like it might be a little chilly Friday night all the better for La Porte to come out and lay some big hits on the Titans. Not sure if I'm going to make it out there as work is interfering. The game will be online at http://www.legacysportsnetwork.com/ as usual.
La Porte fans usually travel well, but this week will test that.
Memorial stadium is very easy (although a little over an hour drive) to get to. From La Porte take 10 east and get off in Winnie on Hwy 73. Take that south until you get to the 347/Twin City Highway exit SOUTH. The stadium be a couple miles down on the left.
Monday, October 25, 2010
La Porte 7 North Shore 37 Postgame Report
This one did not start or finish well for the Bulldogs. I believe the middle two quarters provided some big time optimism for this team going into the last two games of the season and the playoffs. The Bulldogs actually won the 2nd and 3rd quarters 7-6.
La Porte had 4 turnovers on the night including the opening kickoff. The turnover battle was something the Bulldogs HAD to win and it just wasn't meant to be Friday Night. North Shore did have three fumbles, but La Porte could not recover a fumble all night.
On offense La Porte had a lot of success running to the outside. I knew Seniors QB Jeremy McNeal and RB Anthony Webb were fast, but being able to hit the corner on the North Shore defense impressed me. That being said, the Bulldogs had no success running up the middle. They became very predictable in my opinion on first down. I know they were trying to shorten the game by running and imposing their will, but they ran a few too many straight runs up the middle on first down... (did they run a play that wasn't up the middle on first down?) Also I believe the deep passing game could have worked with North Shore crowding the line of scrimmage. The Bulldogs stuck to what they do best and were beat at it by the Mustangs.
On defense it appeared Junior MLB Chad Sutherland got hurt on the second or third play of the game and missed a quarter and a half on the sideline. The D didn't really get going until he returned to the game and the Bulldogs stopped them on a few 4th down attempts. Overall the defense played well, but could not make up for the turnovers and a punt return. The North Shore miss-direction offense was very good. Their Seniors QB Keenon Gibson and RB Reggie Bryant ran it to perfection. Each time they would run a play Gibson would wait until the last possible second. The Bulldogs would hit either Gibson or Bryant in the backfield, but Gibson always kept it when they hit Bryant and handed it off when they hit him. This usually opened up the running game for the Mustangs. La Porte did a good job stopping Gibson through the air and had good coverage even on his few completions.
Overall this should cement North Shore as district champions as their third string could probably pull out wins over Sterling and Channelview.
Here are the stats: http://www.chron.com/sports/highschoolsports/results.html?site=default&mkt=&Season=2010&tpl=Boxscore&Sport=1&ID=75969&TeamID=70&SearchType=Teams
Also here is season highlight videos for Anthony Webb and Jeremy McNeal on the Chron.com blog http://blogs.chron.com/prepsports/2010/10/football_player_gamefilm_highl.html
This week will be a big one and determine playoff positioning with the other district 21-5a division 2 playoff representative Port Arthur Memorial. It is in Port Arthur, so it will be quite a trek for us here in La Porte. If I can make it (depending on how work schedule looks this weekend) we could make a car pool out of it if anyone is interested. I know my way around Port Arthur pretty well.
I will have a preview for Port Arthur Memorial tomorrow or Wednesday.
La Porte had 4 turnovers on the night including the opening kickoff. The turnover battle was something the Bulldogs HAD to win and it just wasn't meant to be Friday Night. North Shore did have three fumbles, but La Porte could not recover a fumble all night.
On offense La Porte had a lot of success running to the outside. I knew Seniors QB Jeremy McNeal and RB Anthony Webb were fast, but being able to hit the corner on the North Shore defense impressed me. That being said, the Bulldogs had no success running up the middle. They became very predictable in my opinion on first down. I know they were trying to shorten the game by running and imposing their will, but they ran a few too many straight runs up the middle on first down... (did they run a play that wasn't up the middle on first down?) Also I believe the deep passing game could have worked with North Shore crowding the line of scrimmage. The Bulldogs stuck to what they do best and were beat at it by the Mustangs.
On defense it appeared Junior MLB Chad Sutherland got hurt on the second or third play of the game and missed a quarter and a half on the sideline. The D didn't really get going until he returned to the game and the Bulldogs stopped them on a few 4th down attempts. Overall the defense played well, but could not make up for the turnovers and a punt return. The North Shore miss-direction offense was very good. Their Seniors QB Keenon Gibson and RB Reggie Bryant ran it to perfection. Each time they would run a play Gibson would wait until the last possible second. The Bulldogs would hit either Gibson or Bryant in the backfield, but Gibson always kept it when they hit Bryant and handed it off when they hit him. This usually opened up the running game for the Mustangs. La Porte did a good job stopping Gibson through the air and had good coverage even on his few completions.
Overall this should cement North Shore as district champions as their third string could probably pull out wins over Sterling and Channelview.
Here are the stats: http://www.chron.com/sports/highschoolsports/results.html?site=default&mkt=&Season=2010&tpl=Boxscore&Sport=1&ID=75969&TeamID=70&SearchType=Teams
Also here is season highlight videos for Anthony Webb and Jeremy McNeal on the Chron.com blog http://blogs.chron.com/prepsports/2010/10/football_player_gamefilm_highl.html
This week will be a big one and determine playoff positioning with the other district 21-5a division 2 playoff representative Port Arthur Memorial. It is in Port Arthur, so it will be quite a trek for us here in La Porte. If I can make it (depending on how work schedule looks this weekend) we could make a car pool out of it if anyone is interested. I know my way around Port Arthur pretty well.
I will have a preview for Port Arthur Memorial tomorrow or Wednesday.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Week 8 La Porte vs North Shore Preview
This is the big one!
North Shore is coming to La Porte Friday night! Both teams come into the game with 6-1 records and both are 2-0 in district and the last standing undefeated teams in 21-5A play. The Bulldogs will be able to see how far they have come this week and the way they play may be a barometer for how they will do when playoff time rolls around in three weeks.
North Shore comes into the clash on a 6 game winning streak after losing big to Katy in week 1. La Porte enters the game with a 2 game winning streak after dropping a close contest to Deer Park.
North Shore on offense is led by Senior dual-threat QB Keenon Gibson who has passed for 725 yards and 8tds and also ran for 691 yards and 8tds. The key to stopping the North Shore offense is slowing down Gibson. Senior RB Reggie Bryant (752yards, 11tds) also provides another option for the Mustangs offense. The big and strong offensive line is led by Senior and UT commitment Guard Sedrick Flowers. North Shore is full of speed and size and La Porte will have their hands full this week.
La Porte's strategy on defense will consist of trying to make North Shore pass the ball. The front 7 for La Porte must have their best game of the season this week. Turnovers will be key, especially early in the game. They must keep the North Shore offense off the field much like the first half of the Klein Forest game. The defensive line for La Porte must hold their ground and allow the linebackers freedom to run to the ball. If the Bulldogs defense can be their dominant selves that they have been except for one half of play against Deer Park they have a chance to knock off the perennial powerhouse. La Porte has caused 21 turnovers through 7 games and this will also be very important to continue this trend.
North Shore's defense has athletes all over the field, however they have shown some vulnerability this season. They have only held one team under 10 points to this point. Not saying they aren't great, because they are, but if La Porte can generate some offense and their defense steps up they can beat North Shore. The Mustangs have also caused 15 turnovers through 7 games.
La Porte on offense is led by Seniors QB Jeremy McNeal and RB Anthony Webb. The important thing this week will be to hold on to the ball, both with ball control and not turning it over. One thing about the Bulldogs is they are tough. This will help against a bigger and faster team. McNeal again will have to dazzle through the air and on the ground, maybe even some on defense. Webb will have to be tough and not get discouraged with the tough North Shore D. I would like to see Junior WR Aaron Nance-Garrett get the ball in his hands more this week, he has been very impressive when he is on the field.
Keys to the Game:
- The Bulldogs must win the turnover battle.
- An early lead would help out immensely.
- Hit them in the mouth and don't let up. It's going to take a full effort the entire game.
The game is the Houston Chronicle game of the week and will be on 790am radio as well as online at http://www.legacysportsnetwork.com/
The community needs to come out and be LOUD this week!
I will have more thoughts on this game as the week goes on.
North Shore is coming to La Porte Friday night! Both teams come into the game with 6-1 records and both are 2-0 in district and the last standing undefeated teams in 21-5A play. The Bulldogs will be able to see how far they have come this week and the way they play may be a barometer for how they will do when playoff time rolls around in three weeks.
North Shore comes into the clash on a 6 game winning streak after losing big to Katy in week 1. La Porte enters the game with a 2 game winning streak after dropping a close contest to Deer Park.
North Shore on offense is led by Senior dual-threat QB Keenon Gibson who has passed for 725 yards and 8tds and also ran for 691 yards and 8tds. The key to stopping the North Shore offense is slowing down Gibson. Senior RB Reggie Bryant (752yards, 11tds) also provides another option for the Mustangs offense. The big and strong offensive line is led by Senior and UT commitment Guard Sedrick Flowers. North Shore is full of speed and size and La Porte will have their hands full this week.
La Porte's strategy on defense will consist of trying to make North Shore pass the ball. The front 7 for La Porte must have their best game of the season this week. Turnovers will be key, especially early in the game. They must keep the North Shore offense off the field much like the first half of the Klein Forest game. The defensive line for La Porte must hold their ground and allow the linebackers freedom to run to the ball. If the Bulldogs defense can be their dominant selves that they have been except for one half of play against Deer Park they have a chance to knock off the perennial powerhouse. La Porte has caused 21 turnovers through 7 games and this will also be very important to continue this trend.
North Shore's defense has athletes all over the field, however they have shown some vulnerability this season. They have only held one team under 10 points to this point. Not saying they aren't great, because they are, but if La Porte can generate some offense and their defense steps up they can beat North Shore. The Mustangs have also caused 15 turnovers through 7 games.
La Porte on offense is led by Seniors QB Jeremy McNeal and RB Anthony Webb. The important thing this week will be to hold on to the ball, both with ball control and not turning it over. One thing about the Bulldogs is they are tough. This will help against a bigger and faster team. McNeal again will have to dazzle through the air and on the ground, maybe even some on defense. Webb will have to be tough and not get discouraged with the tough North Shore D. I would like to see Junior WR Aaron Nance-Garrett get the ball in his hands more this week, he has been very impressive when he is on the field.
Keys to the Game:
- The Bulldogs must win the turnover battle.
- An early lead would help out immensely.
- Hit them in the mouth and don't let up. It's going to take a full effort the entire game.
The game is the Houston Chronicle game of the week and will be on 790am radio as well as online at http://www.legacysportsnetwork.com/
The community needs to come out and be LOUD this week!
I will have more thoughts on this game as the week goes on.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Final La Porte 56 Baytown Sterling 21 Postgame Analysis
That looked much better as La Porte gashed Baytown Sterling early and often for a big district victory.
La Porte moves to 6-1 on the season and 2-0 in district. They will meet North Shore in La Porte this week. North Shore has a identical record and the winner will be in the drivers seat for the district title.
Baytown Sterling moved to 2-5 and 0-2 in district. Barring a miracle upset by Sterling over Port Arthur Memorial or North Shore, they are eliminated from post season contention.
This pretty much assures a La Porte playoff spot. They will have their toughest three games of the season the next three weeks.
On to the analysis of the 56-21 blowout.
La Porte came out having no problem moving the ball on the ground. After the defense forced a 3 and out on the Rangers first possession; La Porte took the ball and moved it down the field steadily eating clock. The drive was capped by a Senior RB Anthony Webb 8 yard touchdown run.
Sterling came out the next drive and hit their only real offensive output of the game with a 54 yard touchdown pass from Senior QB Chance Nelson to Sophomore WR Jamar Gibson. Nelson looked very quick on the night, but La Porte's defense was all over the running game and the only real chance for the Rangers was through the air.
La Porte took the ball and again drove down the field this time for Sophomore RB Keith Whitely to run it in from 6 yards out.
This is when a interesting part of the game began. Baytown Sterling had obvious holes throughout their kickoff return formation. This was the absolute worst formation I've ever seen. The Bulldogs decided to kick it in these holes and recovered easily on the short onside type kick. La Porte did not even have to line up like an onside kick to recover it.
La Porte again made it look easy and drove down the field capped off by a Whitely 8 yard TD run. This made the score 21-7 with 3:35 left in the half.
Baytown Sterling made absolutely no adjustments to their kickoff return team. At this point the Bulldogs kicked another easily recovered onside kick. However this one was called back due to offsides on La Porte. La Porte then lined up to kick again and AGAIN the Rangers made no adjustments and the Bulldogs recovered easily AGAIN! This blew my mind. La Porte Senior QB Jeremy McNeal wasted no time running it from 36 yards out for the score.
Now Sterling put an extra guy up front on the ensuing kickoff, still with the same formation, though La Porte seemingly could have onside kicked it again if they wanted. They decided to kick it deep and Chance Nelson returned it for a touchdown to make the score 28-14 Bulldogs.
Just before halftime McNeal broke another big touchdown run to make it 35-14 and the Bulldogs were in complete control. Sterling only had the ball on offense 3 times the whole first half, with two 3 and outs.
La Porte controlled the second half putting up 3 touchdowns and Sterling score late against the second string Bulldog defense to make the final score 56-21 La Porte.
Jeremy McNeal was once again the player of the game. He supplied electrifying runs, even almost returning a punt for a touchdown. He also started the game at safety on defense. McNeal ended up with 145 yards and a touchdown through the air as well as 131 yards and 2tds rushing.
Anthony Webb also turned in a good performance despite injuring his shoulder and missing the second quarter. He ended up with 113 yards and 2tds.
La Porte's defense looked very good stopping the Nelson-Cletus Mixon 1-2 combo (28 total rushing yards) in the Baytown Sterling backfield. Besides the early big touchdown pass, the Bulldogs defense gave up little until the backups got some field time.
La Porte still had some issues with fumbles and penalites and will have to be better against North Shore this week.
What an exciting week, should be a packed house for La Porte-North Shore with the district lead up for grabs. I will have a preview this week.
La Porte moves to 6-1 on the season and 2-0 in district. They will meet North Shore in La Porte this week. North Shore has a identical record and the winner will be in the drivers seat for the district title.
Baytown Sterling moved to 2-5 and 0-2 in district. Barring a miracle upset by Sterling over Port Arthur Memorial or North Shore, they are eliminated from post season contention.
This pretty much assures a La Porte playoff spot. They will have their toughest three games of the season the next three weeks.
On to the analysis of the 56-21 blowout.
La Porte came out having no problem moving the ball on the ground. After the defense forced a 3 and out on the Rangers first possession; La Porte took the ball and moved it down the field steadily eating clock. The drive was capped by a Senior RB Anthony Webb 8 yard touchdown run.
Sterling came out the next drive and hit their only real offensive output of the game with a 54 yard touchdown pass from Senior QB Chance Nelson to Sophomore WR Jamar Gibson. Nelson looked very quick on the night, but La Porte's defense was all over the running game and the only real chance for the Rangers was through the air.
La Porte took the ball and again drove down the field this time for Sophomore RB Keith Whitely to run it in from 6 yards out.
This is when a interesting part of the game began. Baytown Sterling had obvious holes throughout their kickoff return formation. This was the absolute worst formation I've ever seen. The Bulldogs decided to kick it in these holes and recovered easily on the short onside type kick. La Porte did not even have to line up like an onside kick to recover it.
La Porte again made it look easy and drove down the field capped off by a Whitely 8 yard TD run. This made the score 21-7 with 3:35 left in the half.
Baytown Sterling made absolutely no adjustments to their kickoff return team. At this point the Bulldogs kicked another easily recovered onside kick. However this one was called back due to offsides on La Porte. La Porte then lined up to kick again and AGAIN the Rangers made no adjustments and the Bulldogs recovered easily AGAIN! This blew my mind. La Porte Senior QB Jeremy McNeal wasted no time running it from 36 yards out for the score.
Now Sterling put an extra guy up front on the ensuing kickoff, still with the same formation, though La Porte seemingly could have onside kicked it again if they wanted. They decided to kick it deep and Chance Nelson returned it for a touchdown to make the score 28-14 Bulldogs.
Just before halftime McNeal broke another big touchdown run to make it 35-14 and the Bulldogs were in complete control. Sterling only had the ball on offense 3 times the whole first half, with two 3 and outs.
La Porte controlled the second half putting up 3 touchdowns and Sterling score late against the second string Bulldog defense to make the final score 56-21 La Porte.
Jeremy McNeal was once again the player of the game. He supplied electrifying runs, even almost returning a punt for a touchdown. He also started the game at safety on defense. McNeal ended up with 145 yards and a touchdown through the air as well as 131 yards and 2tds rushing.
Anthony Webb also turned in a good performance despite injuring his shoulder and missing the second quarter. He ended up with 113 yards and 2tds.
La Porte's defense looked very good stopping the Nelson-Cletus Mixon 1-2 combo (28 total rushing yards) in the Baytown Sterling backfield. Besides the early big touchdown pass, the Bulldogs defense gave up little until the backups got some field time.
La Porte still had some issues with fumbles and penalites and will have to be better against North Shore this week.
What an exciting week, should be a packed house for La Porte-North Shore with the district lead up for grabs. I will have a preview this week.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Week 7 La Porte at Baytown Sterling Preview
This week the 5-1 La Porte Bulldogs take on the 2-4 Baytown Sterling Rangers in Week 2 of District 21-5A action. This is a very important game for La Porte as their playoff hopes hinge largely on this game.
Baytown Sterling comes off of a 50-13 defeat against Beaumont West Brook. Their two victories this year have come against Baytown Lee (28-20) and Pasadena (61-13). Their four losses were to South Houston (50-51), Humble (13-42), Conroe Oak Ridge (21-51) and the aforementioned West Brook.
Baytown Sterling features a very explosive offense led by Senior QB/RB/WR Chance Nelson. He has had a very productive season with 492 yards and 5tds through the air as well as 713 yards and 12tds on the ground. La Porte will be focusing most of their attention on him during this game. Senior RB Cletus Mixon has also been a big part of the Sterling offense this season and has totaled 564 yards and 3tds on the ground. Sterling will have to score lots of points to keep up in this one.
The Ranger's defense has struggled mightily this season, giving up over 40 points in all of their losses. The key to their two victories was the defense holding the opposition to 20 points or under. I expect they will need to hold the Bulldogs under 20 points in this one.
La Porte is coming off a 21-0 victory over Channelview. The Bulldogs struggled with two turnovers and 11 penalties in their victory. I'm sure Coach LaReau lit a fire under his team this week as they can not afford to have another performance like this.
La Porte on offense is led by Seniors QB Jeremy McNeal and RB Anthony Webb. They will be the key to the rest of the season and they must carry this offense. La Porte will mix up the run and pass as they try to keep the Baytown Sterling offense off the field.
On defense the Bulldogs are coming off another great performance, forcing 5 turnovers against Channelview as they have been able to do all season. Channelview had 57 total yards on the game. They will be focusing on stopping Nelson and Mixon.
Keys to the game:
-Keep the Baytown Sterling offense off the field by sustaining long drives.
-Cut back on the penalties. These will kill the team the last three games against the big boys.
This should be a exciting game and hopefully everyone will come out to Baytown for this one.
Once again the game will be online at http://www.legacysportsnetwork.com/
I will be tweeting live at http://twitter.com/lpbulldogblog
I may have to leave the game a little early for work.
Baytown Sterling comes off of a 50-13 defeat against Beaumont West Brook. Their two victories this year have come against Baytown Lee (28-20) and Pasadena (61-13). Their four losses were to South Houston (50-51), Humble (13-42), Conroe Oak Ridge (21-51) and the aforementioned West Brook.
Baytown Sterling features a very explosive offense led by Senior QB/RB/WR Chance Nelson. He has had a very productive season with 492 yards and 5tds through the air as well as 713 yards and 12tds on the ground. La Porte will be focusing most of their attention on him during this game. Senior RB Cletus Mixon has also been a big part of the Sterling offense this season and has totaled 564 yards and 3tds on the ground. Sterling will have to score lots of points to keep up in this one.
The Ranger's defense has struggled mightily this season, giving up over 40 points in all of their losses. The key to their two victories was the defense holding the opposition to 20 points or under. I expect they will need to hold the Bulldogs under 20 points in this one.
La Porte is coming off a 21-0 victory over Channelview. The Bulldogs struggled with two turnovers and 11 penalties in their victory. I'm sure Coach LaReau lit a fire under his team this week as they can not afford to have another performance like this.
La Porte on offense is led by Seniors QB Jeremy McNeal and RB Anthony Webb. They will be the key to the rest of the season and they must carry this offense. La Porte will mix up the run and pass as they try to keep the Baytown Sterling offense off the field.
On defense the Bulldogs are coming off another great performance, forcing 5 turnovers against Channelview as they have been able to do all season. Channelview had 57 total yards on the game. They will be focusing on stopping Nelson and Mixon.
Keys to the game:
-Keep the Baytown Sterling offense off the field by sustaining long drives.
-Cut back on the penalties. These will kill the team the last three games against the big boys.
This should be a exciting game and hopefully everyone will come out to Baytown for this one.
Once again the game will be online at http://www.legacysportsnetwork.com/
I will be tweeting live at http://twitter.com/lpbulldogblog
I may have to leave the game a little early for work.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Final La Porte 21 Channelview 0
A district win is a district win.
La Porte caused many turnovers in the first half and made stops at key times in the second half to beat Channelview 21-0 in Channelview last Friday.
I listened to this one online because I was out of town.
La Porte jumped all over Channelview 21-0 in the first half. The defense set up a short field for the offense by getting in the backfield continuously. They capitalized with three scores.
However in the second half the offense did not get going at all. Lots of turnovers by both teams led to a sloppy second half performance and especially for the Bulldogs.
On the radio broadcast the announcers gave the most praise to Freshman RB/DB Hoza Scott, who made numerous plays on defense as a safety. They also complimented Sophomore DE Corey Lee for getting into the backfield and making disruptive plays.
The Houston Chronicle doesn't have any stats for the game, so I don't know the final numbers.
La Porte moves to 5-1 on the season and need a impressive performance against Baytown Sterling this week. Channelview is now 0-6 on the season. Hopefully I can get some stats and have a better breakdown of how the total offense and defense broke down.
If anyone attended and had thoughts on the game please share.
La Porte caused many turnovers in the first half and made stops at key times in the second half to beat Channelview 21-0 in Channelview last Friday.
I listened to this one online because I was out of town.
La Porte jumped all over Channelview 21-0 in the first half. The defense set up a short field for the offense by getting in the backfield continuously. They capitalized with three scores.
However in the second half the offense did not get going at all. Lots of turnovers by both teams led to a sloppy second half performance and especially for the Bulldogs.
On the radio broadcast the announcers gave the most praise to Freshman RB/DB Hoza Scott, who made numerous plays on defense as a safety. They also complimented Sophomore DE Corey Lee for getting into the backfield and making disruptive plays.
The Houston Chronicle doesn't have any stats for the game, so I don't know the final numbers.
La Porte moves to 5-1 on the season and need a impressive performance against Baytown Sterling this week. Channelview is now 0-6 on the season. Hopefully I can get some stats and have a better breakdown of how the total offense and defense broke down.
If anyone attended and had thoughts on the game please share.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Week 6 La Porte at Channelview Preview
District play is here! We can put the pre-season behind us now and the La Porte Bulldogs enter district play 4-1 and looking to make noise in a very difficult 21-5A. While Deer Park may have exposed some weaknesses, La Porte is still off to one of their best starts in years.
The Bulldogs start district play with the Channelview Falcons. The Falcons have struggled to a 0-5 record with three of those losses to 4-A teams. This will be an important game for the La Porte running game to work on their blocking schemes with the tough district opponents still to come.
La Porte will have a big size advantage in this game and probably have a speed advantage as well.
Channelview on offense features Senior running back Justin Hicks (452 yards, 3tds) and Junior QB Averion Hurts (629 yards and 4tds). Hicks will try to get yards against a stout La Porte Defense who up until the second half last week had shut down every team they have faced. The Falcons only hope will be through the air with Hurts. He is the coaches son and has a respectable 55% completion percentage.
La Porte on offense will have the three headed running back monster Senior Anthony Webb (614yds, 8tds), Sophomore Keith Whitely and Freshman Hoza Scott featured most of the game. Senior QB Jeremy McNeal (448yds, 9tds passing; 309yds, 4tds rushing) adds the dual threat through the air and on the ground and he has been the team MVP up to this point. With the size advantage of La Porte's offensive line, I expect them to be pushing around the Falcons defense and pretty much doing what they want this week.
Channelview on defense has struggled this season. They have given up an average of 34 points per game through five weeks. They will be trying to put pressure on the Bulldogs offense any way they can.
La Porte's defense will have a chip on their shoulder this week after a lack of tackling in the second half against Deer Park. Statistically the Bulldog defense is still one of the best around. Their opponents have averaged 9.4 points per game even after the 21 point outburst from Deer Park. I expect the defense to get back on track in this one and gain their confidence back. They are going to need it in the coming weeks.
Keys to the Game:
-Establish the run to take the pressure off McNeal. I would like to see McNeal just handing it off this week and not rushing it himself. He will be an important part of the next 5 weeks.
-Get the defense going. Pressure the QB and stop the run like they did the first 18 quarters of the season.
Once again this game will be online at http://www.legacysportsnetwork.com/.
I will not be in attendance at this one. If anyone would like to contribute a post game report of what they saw while in attendance let me know. You can email me at lpbulldogblog@yahoo.com or hit me up on twitter at http://twitter.com/LPBulldogBlog. If not I can come up with a report, although it wont be as detailed. I will try to listen to the game online on my iPhone.
Lets get the real season started!
The Bulldogs start district play with the Channelview Falcons. The Falcons have struggled to a 0-5 record with three of those losses to 4-A teams. This will be an important game for the La Porte running game to work on their blocking schemes with the tough district opponents still to come.
La Porte will have a big size advantage in this game and probably have a speed advantage as well.
Channelview on offense features Senior running back Justin Hicks (452 yards, 3tds) and Junior QB Averion Hurts (629 yards and 4tds). Hicks will try to get yards against a stout La Porte Defense who up until the second half last week had shut down every team they have faced. The Falcons only hope will be through the air with Hurts. He is the coaches son and has a respectable 55% completion percentage.
La Porte on offense will have the three headed running back monster Senior Anthony Webb (614yds, 8tds), Sophomore Keith Whitely and Freshman Hoza Scott featured most of the game. Senior QB Jeremy McNeal (448yds, 9tds passing; 309yds, 4tds rushing) adds the dual threat through the air and on the ground and he has been the team MVP up to this point. With the size advantage of La Porte's offensive line, I expect them to be pushing around the Falcons defense and pretty much doing what they want this week.
Channelview on defense has struggled this season. They have given up an average of 34 points per game through five weeks. They will be trying to put pressure on the Bulldogs offense any way they can.
La Porte's defense will have a chip on their shoulder this week after a lack of tackling in the second half against Deer Park. Statistically the Bulldog defense is still one of the best around. Their opponents have averaged 9.4 points per game even after the 21 point outburst from Deer Park. I expect the defense to get back on track in this one and gain their confidence back. They are going to need it in the coming weeks.
Keys to the Game:
-Establish the run to take the pressure off McNeal. I would like to see McNeal just handing it off this week and not rushing it himself. He will be an important part of the next 5 weeks.
-Get the defense going. Pressure the QB and stop the run like they did the first 18 quarters of the season.
Once again this game will be online at http://www.legacysportsnetwork.com/.
I will not be in attendance at this one. If anyone would like to contribute a post game report of what they saw while in attendance let me know. You can email me at lpbulldogblog@yahoo.com or hit me up on twitter at http://twitter.com/LPBulldogBlog. If not I can come up with a report, although it wont be as detailed. I will try to listen to the game online on my iPhone.
Lets get the real season started!
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
District 21-5A Preview
With the week off it seems like it's been forever between games, the loss to the Deer didn't help things either...
This week La Porte will take on Channelview in the first of 5 district games. I will have a preview of the game tomorrow.
Today I will preview District 21-5a. This is a 6 team district and is shaping up to be one of the best in the Greater Houston area, if not one of the better districts in the state. I will preview each team in the order La Porte will play them.
-Channelview Falcons
This game will be played in Channelview Friday October 8th. The Falcons have had a very difficult start to the season and are 0-5 headed in to facing a tough Bulldog team. Here is their schedule to this point:
Kingwood Park, Humble and Friendswood are all 4-A teams. While a couple of these games were close, they will have a tough time competing with the 21-5A powers. Channelview's offense features a even split on rushing - passing.
Players to Watch: Junior QB Averion Hurts (629 yards, 4tds) Senior RB Justin Hicks (452 yards, 3tds, 5.14 yards per carry) Junior WR Marquis Johnson (11 catches, 142 yards, 1TD)
-Baytown Sterling Rangers
Game #2 of district play will be played in Baytown October 15th. The Rangers are 2-3 on the season. So far this season:
Sterling has an explosive offense at times, but has really struggled on defense. While they run more than they pass, they have been very effective through the air. The Ranger's offense will need to put points on the board early and often to have a shot at the playoffs.
Players to Watch: Senior Athlete Chance Nelson (408 passing yards, 4tds; 614 rushing yards, 12tds) Sophomore Wide Receiver Jamar Gibson (22 catches, 442 yards, 5tds)
-North Shore Mustangs
District Game #3 brings in perennial football powerhouse North Shore High. This game will be October 22nd in La Porte. Expect a full house in that one. North Shore begins district play after a tough opening schedule where they went 4-1 with the only loss being to Katy in their opening game. So far:
The Mustangs are a run-first offense with lots of size and speed. They are again a very good football team and have improved mightily since the opener vs Katy. North Shore will be a playoff team and will be fighting for the district title.
Players to Watch: Senior QB Keenan Gibson (492 yards passing, 5 touchdowns; 530 yards rushing, 6 touchdowns) Senior RB Reggie Bryant (481 yards, 8 touchdowns, 10.46 yards per carry) Senior LB Derrick Mathews
-Port Arthur Memorial Titans
District game #4 will be October 29 in Port Arthur. The Titans come into district play one of the hottest teams in the state. They have started the season 5-0. Here are their results so far:
Memorial has yet to have a close game, but they do start their district play with North Shore this week. The Titans offense mixes the run and pass well and have had lots of success in every game so far. They will also be challenging for the district title.
Players to Watch: Junior QB Terrence Singleton (815 yards passing, 7 passing touchdowns; 7 rushing touchdowns) Junior RB Nathan Holmes (411 yards, 4tds) Senior WR Darius White (16-268-5)
-Beaumont West Brook Bruins
The 5th and final district game will be in La Porte on November 5th. The Bruins come into district play with a 4-1 record and their only loss is to Katy. Their schedule so far:
The Bruins have played well for 5 weeks and lost their QB in the first half against Katy, which affected the outcome of that game. West Brook features a spread offense as well and can throw or run at any time. They too will contend for the district title.
Players to Watch: Senior QB Bruce Reyes (45-60 571yds 5tds 75% completions) Junior RB Percy Johnson (65-451, 5tds) Senior LB Collin Garrett
-La Porte Bulldogs
La Porte enters district play at 4-1 after a tough loss to Deer Park. The pre-district schedule:
The Bulldogs have dominated every game except the second half against Deer Park. La Porte features a run-heavy offense, although they can put the ball in the air. Their defense is rated near the top of the Houston area.
Players to Watch: Senior QB Reggie McNeal (35-56 448 passing yards, 9 touchdowns; 309 rushing yards and 4 tds) Senior RB Anthony Webb (614yds 8tds) Junior LB Chad Sutherland
21-5a should be a very fun and competitive district. It all starts this week!
This week La Porte will take on Channelview in the first of 5 district games. I will have a preview of the game tomorrow.
Today I will preview District 21-5a. This is a 6 team district and is shaping up to be one of the best in the Greater Houston area, if not one of the better districts in the state. I will preview each team in the order La Porte will play them.
-Channelview Falcons
This game will be played in Channelview Friday October 8th. The Falcons have had a very difficult start to the season and are 0-5 headed in to facing a tough Bulldog team. Here is their schedule to this point:
| Date | Away | Home | ||||
| Thu 8/26 7:00 pm | Channelview | 20 | Humble Kingwood Park 33 (Turner Stadium) | |||
| Fri 9/03 7:00 pm | Humble | 14 | Channelview 12 | |||
| Fri 9/10 7:00 pm | Channelview | 20 | Pasadena Memorial 48 (Pasadena Veterans Stadium) | |||
| Fri 9/17 7:00 pm | Channelview | 20 | Friendswood 58 | |||
| Fri 9/24 7:00 pm | Pasadena Dobie | 19 | Channelview 17 |
Kingwood Park, Humble and Friendswood are all 4-A teams. While a couple of these games were close, they will have a tough time competing with the 21-5A powers. Channelview's offense features a even split on rushing - passing.
Players to Watch: Junior QB Averion Hurts (629 yards, 4tds) Senior RB Justin Hicks (452 yards, 3tds, 5.14 yards per carry) Junior WR Marquis Johnson (11 catches, 142 yards, 1TD)
-Baytown Sterling Rangers
Game #2 of district play will be played in Baytown October 15th. The Rangers are 2-3 on the season. So far this season:
| Fri 8/27 7:00 pm | Baytown Sterling | 28 | Baytown Lee 20 (Stallworth Stadium) | |||
| Fri 9/03 7:00 pm | Baytown Sterling | 50 | Pasadena South Houston 51 (Pasadena Veterans Stadium) | |||
| Fri 9/10 7:00 pm | Humble | 42 | Baytown Sterling 13 (Stallworth Stadium) | |||
| Fri 9/17 7:30 pm | Baytown Sterling | 21 | Conroe Oak Ridge 51 (Woodforest Stadium) | |||
| Sat 9/25 6:00 pm | Pasadena | 13 | Baytown Sterling 61 (Stallworth Stadium) |
Sterling has an explosive offense at times, but has really struggled on defense. While they run more than they pass, they have been very effective through the air. The Ranger's offense will need to put points on the board early and often to have a shot at the playoffs.
Players to Watch: Senior Athlete Chance Nelson (408 passing yards, 4tds; 614 rushing yards, 12tds) Sophomore Wide Receiver Jamar Gibson (22 catches, 442 yards, 5tds)
-North Shore Mustangs
District Game #3 brings in perennial football powerhouse North Shore High. This game will be October 22nd in La Porte. Expect a full house in that one. North Shore begins district play after a tough opening schedule where they went 4-1 with the only loss being to Katy in their opening game. So far:
| Fri 8/27 7:00 pm | Katy | 44 | Galena Park North Shore (Galena Park ISD Stadium) | 6 | ||
| Fri 9/03 7:00 pm | Galena Park North Shore | 68 | Houston Eisenhower (Thorne Stadium) | 20 | ||
| Fri 9/10 7:00 pm | Klein Oak | 15 | Galena Park North Shore (Galena Park ISD Stadium) | 34 | ||
| Fri 9/17 7:30 pm | Galena Park North Shore | 48 | Humble Kingwood (Turner Stadium) | 21 | ||
| Fri 9/24 7:00 pm | Pasadena Memorial | 7 | Galena Park North Shore (Galena Park ISD Stadium) | 42 |
The Mustangs are a run-first offense with lots of size and speed. They are again a very good football team and have improved mightily since the opener vs Katy. North Shore will be a playoff team and will be fighting for the district title.
Players to Watch: Senior QB Keenan Gibson (492 yards passing, 5 touchdowns; 530 yards rushing, 6 touchdowns) Senior RB Reggie Bryant (481 yards, 8 touchdowns, 10.46 yards per carry) Senior LB Derrick Mathews
-Port Arthur Memorial Titans
District game #4 will be October 29 in Port Arthur. The Titans come into district play one of the hottest teams in the state. They have started the season 5-0. Here are their results so far:
| Fri 8/27 7:00 pm | Beaumont Central | 0 | Port Arthur Memorial (Memorial Stadium) | 38 | ||
| Sat 9/04 6:00 pm | Port Arthur Memorial | 47 | Beaumont Ozen (Beaumont ISD Thomas Center) | 27 | ||
| Sat 9/11 6:00 pm | Port Arthur Memorial | 48 | Alice | 19 | ||
| Sat 9/18 6:00 pm | Houston Aldine | 7 | Port Arthur Memorial (Memorial Stadium) | 45 | ||
| Fri 9/24 7:00 pm | Port Arthur Memorial | 48 | Pasadena South Houston (Pasadena Veterans Stadium) | 13 |
Memorial has yet to have a close game, but they do start their district play with North Shore this week. The Titans offense mixes the run and pass well and have had lots of success in every game so far. They will also be challenging for the district title.
Players to Watch: Junior QB Terrence Singleton (815 yards passing, 7 passing touchdowns; 7 rushing touchdowns) Junior RB Nathan Holmes (411 yards, 4tds) Senior WR Darius White (16-268-5)
-Beaumont West Brook Bruins
The 5th and final district game will be in La Porte on November 5th. The Bruins come into district play with a 4-1 record and their only loss is to Katy. Their schedule so far:
| Fri 8/27 7:00 pm | Beaumont Ozen | 6 | Beaumont West Brook (Beaumont ISD Thomas Center) | 28 | ||
| Fri 9/03 7:00 pm | Beaumont Central | 7 | Beaumont West Brook (Beaumont ISD Thomas Center) | 55 | ||
| Sat 9/11 6:00 pm | Beaumont West Brook | 42 | Houston Eisenhower (Thorne Stadium) | 21 | ||
| Sat 9/18 6:00 pm | Katy | 45 | Beaumont West Brook (Beaumont ISD Thomas Center) | 21 | ||
| Sat 9/25 6:00 pm | Tyler Lee | 20 | Beaumont West Brook (Beaumont ISD Thomas Center) | 25 |
The Bruins have played well for 5 weeks and lost their QB in the first half against Katy, which affected the outcome of that game. West Brook features a spread offense as well and can throw or run at any time. They too will contend for the district title.
Players to Watch: Senior QB Bruce Reyes (45-60 571yds 5tds 75% completions) Junior RB Percy Johnson (65-451, 5tds) Senior LB Collin Garrett
-La Porte Bulldogs
La Porte enters district play at 4-1 after a tough loss to Deer Park. The pre-district schedule:
| Fri 8/27 7:00 pm | Fort Bend Clements | 7 | La Porte | 37 | ||
| Fri 9/03 7:00 pm | La Porte | 57 | Baytown Lee (Stallworth Stadium) | 6 | ||
| Fri 9/10 7:00 pm | Klein Forest | 13 | La Porte | 26 | ||
| Fri 9/17 7:00 pm | Humble Atascocita | 0 | La Porte | 35 | ||
| Fri 9/24 7:30 pm | La Porte | 19 | Deer Park | 21 |
The Bulldogs have dominated every game except the second half against Deer Park. La Porte features a run-heavy offense, although they can put the ball in the air. Their defense is rated near the top of the Houston area.
Players to Watch: Senior QB Reggie McNeal (35-56 448 passing yards, 9 touchdowns; 309 rushing yards and 4 tds) Senior RB Anthony Webb (614yds 8tds) Junior LB Chad Sutherland
21-5a should be a very fun and competitive district. It all starts this week!
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