Last Friday night the La Porte Bulldogs matched up with the Bellaire Cardinals for their first home game of 2015. The Bulldogs put together a big second half to put the Cardinals away 30-9.
La Porte's offense had a slow start adjusting to the size and speed of the Bellaire defenders. The defense also needed some time for adjustment. The Cardinals had their best drive of the night on their first possession featuring TCU commit Courtney Lark getting three catches including the 8 yard touchdown reception. The play of the drive was Lark's one handed over the shoulder catch for 25 yards with a defender glued to him. The Bulldogs defense would tighten up only allowing him 7 catches for 82 yards on the game including a couple interceptions on balls thrown his way, 45 of those yards were on the first drive. Bellaire lead 6-0 after the first quarter.
La Porte's defense made a statement the way they adjusted and held Bellaire to 3 points the rest of the game. The Bulldogs took the lead going into halftime after a good drive in the second half. Junior running back Cobra Jones (15 carries 136 yards) put the Bulldogs into Bellaire territory with a 20 yard run. The drive would be capped with almost a replay of last weeks Austin Upshaw to Jacob Edwards pass touchdown. This time a 17 yard score on a pass to the flat with Junior Receiver Damian Phillips leading the way taking out two Bellaire defenders with a block. La Porte lead 7-6 going into the locker room at the half.
The second half would provide some big momentum for La Porte. Punting from the Bulldogs own 37 yard line, Junior Punter Sergio Calvillo knocked a punt over everyone landing at the 10 and rolling to a stop at the 1 yard line. On the next play Bellaire would have a errant snap and La Porte picked up a safety. The Bellaire kickoff put La Porte in great field position near midfield. The Bulldogs wasted little time going 53 yards on 4 plays. Austin Upshaw got almost all of it on the ground with a 32 yard run and a 17 yard touchdown run. Just like that, La Porte lead 16-6 with 7:12 left in the third quarter.
The defense was feeling it now. Senior Cornerback Vincent Chachere got his second interception of the season and the big offensive line of La Porte started to wear on the Bellaire defense. Upshaw again peeled off a 40 yard run and capped another drive with a three yard plunge and a 23-6 LP lead.
Things got sloppy for La Porte. Two personal fouls after the touchdown and extra point moved the kickoff back to the 10 yard line. Another big kick on the kickoff to the Bellaire 20 would keep the Cardinals from getting great field position. La Porte defense lead by a big play in the backfield from Senior Zech Bowen would force another three and out from Bellaire. La Porte would fumble the next play after the punt giving the Cardinals the ball at the La Porte 10 yard line. No problem for the Bulldog defense as they held again. This time Senior Defensive End Eric Kendzior popped the running back for a three yard loss, and good coverage for the Bulldogs caused two incomplete passes. Bellaire would cash in on the field position with a 29 yard field goal. La Porte lead 23-9 with 47 seconds left in the third.
The fourth quarter featured more sloppiness for La Porte on offense with the defense picking up the pace. A big sack for Junior Linebacker Terrel Bernard, a fumble recover from Kendzior and a interception from Sophomore Safety Jalen Metz would all stop Bellaire drives after La Porte turnovers.
Upshaw had a huge night running for 222 yards and 3 touchdowns while passing for another touchdown behind a offensive line that was dominant lead by Seniors Logan Jackson, Casey Motley, Luis Atilano, Tristan Lozano and Junior Ryder Rae. Upshaw scored the last touchdown of the game with 3:26 left to preserve a La Porte 30-9 win.
The Bulldogs are now 2-0 to start the season with a much more difficult stretch coming up. Saturday La Porte faces Clear Springs in Clear Lake. If the defense can continue to show such improvement over last season it will be an exciting year in La Porte!
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