Revenge of the Titans? Memorial gets second shot at state finalist

Published 7:54 pm Thursday, November 30, 2017

What does a state championship contender look like?

Ask Port Arthur Memorial coach Kenny Harrison, and he’ll tell you Temple.

“The same team, a quality football team, quality football program,” he said, asked how different the Wildcats (9-3) look from 2016. “They’ve been there. They’re state finalists. What else can you say?”

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Temple’s 39-7 win over Memorial in Cypress last year was just a step in the Wildcats’ path to the 5A Division I state championship game, where they fell to Highland Park. Harrison said shortly after last Friday’s victory over Galveston Ball that he had a rematch with Temple circled on his calendar.

For sure, Harrison and the Titans (9-1) will have their rematch.

“The one good thing about playing Temple was that our guys got to see what a state finalist looks like and the caliber they must play at if you are going to make it to the state championship game,” Harrison said earlier this week. “Temple made it there last year, so it gives our guys an opportunity to see what it takes to get there.”

Temple has many of its weapons from 2016, including wide receivers Xavier Johnson and D’Yonte Heckstall. The seniors have hauled in more than 1,600 yards and 22 touchdowns (Johnson has 14) from classmate T.J. Rumfeld, who has gone for 2,749 yards and 29 scored on 188 of 309 passing with nine interceptions.

On the ground, there’s sophomore Anthony Jackson, whose 897 yards and seven TDs lead a balanced Wildcat rushing attack.

The playmakers weren’t the first Wildcats that came to Harrison’s mind, though.

“Real good defensive front,” Harrison said. “ Last year, their defensive front was one of the best defensive fronts I’ve seen. … They lost three of those guys, but they replaced them with some real quality guys. We just have to make sure we’re doing our assignment and come out physical.”

It’s one of Harrison’s keys to the game that Memorial controls the line of scrimmage on both sides of the football.

“They’re a really good defensive front, so I expect them to make plays, but I expect us to make some plays, too,” Memorial quarterback Keitha Jones said.

Jones is poised to make plenty of them after an outstanding two games under the weather. He’s run for 160 yards and two touchdowns combined against Kingwood Park and Ball to go with 722 yards and 10 touchdowns in the regular season.

Jones has a deep stable of receivers to work with, including seniors James Francis and Xavier Hull, the latter playing in only his fifth game with the Titans after beginning the season at The Woodlands due to displacement from Tropical Storm Harvey.

“He gives us another vertical threat, another weapon from an offensive standpoint,” Harrison said. “With Keitha, Elijah [Hines], James Francis and Teajawon Mack coming along, he gives us another threat with a tremendous amount of speed. He’s able to stretch the field and do some things we weren’t able to do before he got here just because of his speed and athleticism.”

Jones also has Elijah Hines behind him, as the senior running back is coming off a four-touchdown, 145-yard game against Ball. Hines has 23 touchdowns, six of them in the playoffs, and 1,298 yards rushing this season.

All the Titans look to do right after kickoff is to throw the first punch and take down a top contender.

“I think if we come out and throw the first punch, it would give our offensive line a little confidence as well and let them understand, yes, we also deserve to be here,” Memorial co-offensive coordinator Cornelius Harmon said. “If we can block and hold them up front, it’s going to be a great game.”

I.C. Murrell: 549-8541. Twitter: @ICMurrellPANews

About I.C. Murrell

I.C. Murrell was promoted to editor of The News, effective Oct. 14, 2019. He previously served as sports editor since August 2015 and has won or shared eight first-place awards from state newspaper associations and corporations. He was born in Memphis, Tennessee, grew up mostly in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and graduated from the University of Arkansas at Monticello.

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