PORT NECHES — Hunter Hranicky has learned a lot from playing with his older brother Josh at Port Neches-Groves.

“This season has taught me a lot,” Hunter Hranicky said. “We’ve really got a good brotherhood together, a good family going on. I learned a lot from my brother, especially, and the coaches have taught me a lot.”

Josh Hranicky, who starts at left tackle, is part of a senior class that can earn its place in Indians history Friday night. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. at The Reservation.

The group has an opportunity to do what no senior class in the program has done since 1977 — win three straight district championships.

What Josh didn’t know was when that feat was last accomplished, but he values standing on the verge of more history.

“I’ve been a part of all three teams,” he said. “Seeing everybody play with all the kids in my grade, it’s amazing.”

PNG won four straight district crowns from 1952-55 and 1974-77, with three state titles from those runs (1953, 1955, 1975) to boast. Today’s Indians have strung an outstanding district record since 2015, going 19-2 in District 22-5A and sharing the 2015 league title with Nederland and 2016 crown with Port Arthur Memorial and Vidor.

The Indians (7-0, 6-0 in 22-5A) can earn a least a third straight share with a win on senior night Friday against Ozen, with a shot to clinch it outright next Friday in the Bum Phillips Bowl at Nederland. PNG last won an outright district title in 2009 —Brandon Faircloth’s first season at the helm — going unbeaten in the regular season.

“Every year, they’ve been at this high school, they’ve been in the playoffs,” Faircloth said, his teams having made every postseason except in 2012. “How many senior classes can say, ‘We’ve made the playoffs all four years they’ve been here in high school?’ Last year, they were able to say that.”

Hunter Hranicky, who also plays left tackle, said the Indians have been careful not to overlook the Panthers (1-5, 1-5). PNG, he said, has taken the mentality of a team that’s 1-0 instead of 7-0.

“We don’t want to act like we’re undefeated because it just brings our mentality down,” he said. “We want to keep a good mentality through the whole year. We just really want to focus on every game and make it like our last.”

Faircloth has been happy with the Indians’ focus on the Panthers, who haven’t won since their season opener at Baytown Lee on Sept. 20.

“We have plenty to play for,” he said. “[Friday] night is our last game at home, so we have a lot to play for. Obviously, the Bum Phillips Bowl will be a lot to play for that night as well, and there will be the playoffs after that. So, every week from here on out — actually we talk about it every week — there’s plenty to play for … so we better be focused.”

The idea of going into his final game at The Reservation has Josh Hranicky feeling like he’s in a dream.

“You’re always sitting there as a freshman and sophomore when the coaches say this day is going to come,” Josh Hranicky said. “I speak for all the seniors when we say we’re going to give it our all and play our best. We ain’t stopping.”

Hunter isn’t expecting anything less.

“We’re going to go out and play our hardest,” he said. “It’s going to be a good game that I get to share with my brother.”
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I.C. Murrell: 549-8541. Twitter: @ICMurrellPANews