The La Porte Bulldogs protected their home field for the final time this season in a huge 27-10 win against the previously undefeated North Shore Mustangs. La Porte now controls the district lead and a win Friday against Port Arthur Memorial will give them the crown for a second year in a row.
The first half was a defensive slug-fest Friday night as both teams traded punts to start the game. The Bulldog defense got a huge sack on North Shore's second possession from Junior Linebacker Hoza Scott to force the Mustangs to punt from their own end zone. The Bulldogs used their good field position starting at the Mustang 34 yard line and gained 20 yards before being stopped at the North Shore 14. La Porte got on the board first when Senior Kicker Eric Medina booted through the 31 yard field goal attempt to put the Bulldogs up 3-0 with 1:32 left in the first.
The game continued to grind with defense and both teams running the ball. North Shore would answer with a field goal of their own after a big pass and a big run got them down to the La Porte 16. Carlos Perez made the 34 yard attempt to knot the game 3-3 with 9:21 left in the half.
The Bulldogs would close the half with a 16 play drive that ate up 9:19 off the clock. Senior running back Keith Whitely ran the ball 10 times on the drive. Unfortunately the 40 yard field goal attempt into the wind would go just wide and the score would remain 3-3 going into halftime.
The second half began with La Porte receiving. After a couple good runs, Whitely fumbled and North Shore recovered. What could have been a game changing play was thwarted by the Bulldogs defense as two plays later Junior Cornerback John Nelson laid a huge hit on the Mustang's Senior Quarterback Micah Thomas which knocked the ball loose and Senior Linebacker Alex Jones pounced on it to give possession back to the Bulldogs. This turned the tide for La Porte and they never looked back.
The very next play Whitely would not be denied as he took the hand-off to the right side, broke two tackles and sprinted free for a 62 yard touchdown run, diving over the goal line. La Porte lead 10-3 with 9:22 left in the 3rd quarter.
The La Porte defense kept the momentum going strong forcing a big three and out. The intensity by the defense could not be matched by the North Shore offense. Junior Quarterback Jordan Jackson completed a big pass to Junior Running Back Jonathan Lewis down the right side for 28 yards. Lewis again would find a hole and break an 18 yard run. La Porte pounded the ball into the middle of the North Shore defense finally getting down to the one yard line where Jackson would keep it up the middle for a one yard touchdown. La Porte lead 17-3 with 3:34 left in the third.
North Shore would have another three and out, but this time the Mustang defense rose to the occasion forcing La Porte to punt and Medina made it a good one pinning North Shore to the La Porte 12. Two plays later Alex Jones would again come up with a big play, intercepting a pass, hurdling a defender and returning the interception to the North Shore 10 yard line. Three plays later and Whitely would again put the Bulldogs on the board with a one yard touchdown run. Now La Porte lead 24-3 and never looked back.
North Shore would get some yards from their passing game on the next drive, but the Bulldogs defense came up big on 4th down at the Bulldogs 31 yard line forcing a turnover on downs. The Bulldogs running backs made use of the big offensive line opening up huge holes for big runs by Lewis and Whitely getting inside the North Shore 10 yard line before being forced to kick another Medina field goal, this one a 25 yard attempt. La Porte lead 27-3 with 3:55 left in the game.
The Mustangs would finally get a touchdown on the board with only 1:13 left in the game on a short run and the Bulldogs were victorious.
North Shore had averaged 50 points per game going into the contest. It was a great game plan by the La Porte coaches and a even better job by the players carrying it out.
The offensive and defensive lines controlled the game for La Porte in a dominating 2nd half effort. The run game was so good that Jackson only had to attempt four passes the whole game.
The Bulldogs clinched a share of the district championship with the win and will go for the outright district 21-5a championship this Friday against Port Arthur Memorial in what will be a grudge match from last season's regional finals. The game will be played in Port Arthur at 7pm Friday. It is also very important for playoff positioning as it will determine the number one and number two seeds in the division two playoff bracket.
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