After a strong start to the game the La Porte Bulldogs could not hold on to the lead last Saturday, falling 27-16 to the Baytown Sterling Rangers. The Bulldogs move to 3-3 on the season and 1-1 in district 21-6A. Sterling moved to 5-0 and 1-0.
La Porte had many key injuries to Seniors Britt Grant, Clayton Calhoun, Tyler Boudreaux and Bryson Rogers coming into the game all of them occurring during the Deer Park game.
The Bulldogs would get on the board first. After the teams traded punts to start the game La Porte would have great field position after a penalty on Sterling interfering with the punt catch. Sophomore Terrel Bernard ran the ball in from three yards out to put LP ahead 7-0 with 6:03 remaining in the first.
The Bulldogs defense was smothering in the first quarter. La Porte Senior Safety Kevin Busby came up with a interception on Sterling's next possession, again providing La Porte with great field position. Three plays later Senior Kicker Cesar Silva connected on a 40 yard field goal to put La Porte ahead 10-0 with 2:47 left in the first.
The Bulldog defense continued to push the Rangers back forcing another punt. This time the Bulldogs fortunes changed for the worse. La Porte threw an interception on first down which Sterling returned to the LP 12 yard line. The next play Sterling Running back Elijah Chenier scored his first of three touchdowns on the day. It was La Porte 10 Baytown Sterling 7 at the end of the 1st quarter. The Bulldogs momentum was gone in an instant.
A La Porte fumble gave the ball back to Sterling again. The Rangers drove all the way down to the Bulldogs one yard line on a 14 play drive. La Porte stopped Sterling on 4th and 1 to keep hope alive.
The Bulldogs were forced to punt again handing Sterling good field position at the LP 35. The Rangers offense had found their footing at this point and had no trouble moving down the field for a touchdown, again from Chenier. Sterling took a 14-10 lead with :42 left in the half and they would never look back.
After a blocked La Porte field goal attempt in the 3rd quarter Baytown would start to pull away. Running back Dajuan Hill took the handoff and ran 84 yards for a touchdown pushing Sterling's lead to 21-10 with 4:48 left in the third.
La Porte would get a answer early in the 4th. The Bulldogs moved down the field on the legs of Sophomore Quarterback Austin Upshaw, with him capping the drive with a four yard touchdown run to cut the Baytown lead to 21-16 with 9:15 left in the game.
Sterling would answer three plays later, Chenier scored his third, this one from 63 yards out to seal the game 27-16 with 7:55 left.
La Porte was in catch up mode and that is not their game. The Bulldogs were forced into two interceptions late and a tough loss to a rejuvenated Baytown Sterling program.
La Porte has a bye this week and will have a huge game in two weeks at Bulldog Stadium against Port Arthur Memorial. It will be a must win game for playoff positioning.
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