PREP ROUNDUP: Titans capture eighth straight

Published 10:42 pm Friday, January 5, 2018

Editor’s note: The Prep Roundup from Friday’s edition was inadvertently cut off. The briefs from that edition appear in their entirety along with today’s prep briefs. The News apologizes for the inconvenience.

 

The News staff reports

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Almost a month ago, Port Arthur Memorial was trying to endure the rigors of early-season tournament in the Houston area.

Their stay in the Cypress-Fairbanks tournament ended in back-to-back losses. Since then, the Titans have treated their faithful to eight straight victories, seven of them at home.

The eighth win in a row came Friday night in the form of a 78-53 win over Lumberton. Memorial (16-5, 3-0 in 22-5A) left no doubt the Titans, ranked fourth in 5A, are playing like a championship contender and led Lumberton (7-10, 0-3) by double digits after each quarter.

Thailan Wesley had 21 points, Darion Chatman scored 12 and Jaric Butler netted 11 for the Titans, who visit Ozen on Tuesday in a first-place battle. Ozen defeated Nederland 49-35.

 

Ozen 49, Nederland 35

NEDERLAND — Hayden Hefner carried much of Nederland’s scoring Friday night, but Ozen had a pair of double-digit scorers and remained tied for first place in District 22-5A with a 14-point victory.

Hefner scored 20 points for the Bulldogs (18-8, 1-2 in 22-5A), but it wasn’t enough to slow down a Panthers team (7-7, 3-0) that got 18 points from Jakia Oliver and 17 from Tajh Mason.

Nederland will visit Port Neches-Groves in their latest installation of the Mid-County Madness rivalry Tuesday night.

 

Vidor 53, PNG 49

VIDOR — The Pirates outscored the Indians 23-12 in the second quarter, and that set Vidor’s sails to a four-point win.

Drake Rojas scored 17 points as PNG (11-12, 1-2 in 22-5A) tried to climb back from a 44-34 hole through three quarters. Edsel Damo added 10 for the Indians.

William Fawcett led a balanced scoring effort from the Pirates with 10 points. Gavin Jarrell added nine.

Also in boys action Friday: Buna 75, Bob Hope 45.

 

GIRLS HOOPS

PNG 46, Vidor 39

PORT NECHES — Mollee Priddy has been playing unstoppable lately, her coach said.

Priddy scored 17 points for the second game in a row, and this time it gave the Indians (14-16, 1-4 in 22-5A) their first district win. Harlee Barnwell added 10 points in the win.

PNG coach Kara Skinner said her team played well, especially on the defensive end. “Things are coming together,” she said. “Hoping to put together a little run here for a strong finish in district play.”

PNG will visit Nederland on Tuesday.

 

BOYS SOCCER

PNG 1, West Brook 0

PORT NECHES — PNG has yet to allow a goal this season.

The Indians recorded their third straight clean sheet to open the season in their Kickoff Classic, this time holding off West Brook 1-0. Preston Riggs, who scored PNG’s first goal of the season in a win over Liberty on Thursday, scored the decisive goal in this match.

The Indians will wrap up their run in the Classic with games against Hamshire-Fannett at 10:15 a.m. and Kelly at 5:15 p.m.

Also in the tournament Friday, it was:

Crosby 4, Nederland 0; Silsbee 3, Bridge City 1; Kempner 4, Dayton 2; Liberty 1, Little Cypress-Mauriceville 0; Barbers Hill 2, Vidor 1; Galena Park 4, Kempner 2; Galena Park 5, Hamshire-Fannett 1; Crosby 6, Ozen 0; East Chambers 1, Hardin-Jefferson 0; and Liberty 2, Bridge City 1.

PNG 7, Liberty 0 (Thu.)

PORT NECHES — To ring in the new year, Port Neches-Groves shut out Liberty 7-0 in the first of the three-day PNG Kickoff Classic on Thursday.

The Indians proceeded to blank Barbers Hill 5-0 in the evening.

Five of the goals against Liberty came in the second half. In the end, Preston Riggs, Kellon Hoyte and Jason Lovejoy each had two goals, and Landon Sandell added one.

Riggs and Lovejoy each connected on two assists. Marlon Sandoval and Hoyte each made an assist.

Hoyte had two goals in the win over Barbers Hill. Mario Oceguera, Sergio Aguilar and Riggs also scored, while Jason Lovejo, Keaton Havard, Riggs and Ocegera made assists.

 

Nederland 3, West Brook 1 (Thu.)

PORT NECHES — Nederland began the Keith Barrow era in boys soccer and got goals from Jace Mattingly, Carsen Arline and Rafael Lopez in a two-goal win over West Brook. Jaden Castille and Jace Mattingly each had an assist.

Barrow was hired as the boys coach after spending a number of years as the girls coach.

Other Classic scores from Thursday: Kelly 2, Dayton 1; Ozen 3, Little Cypress-Mauriceville 2; Vidor 2, Silsbee 0; and Hamshire-Fannett 3, Hardin-Jefferson 2.

 

GIRLS SOCCER

PNG 5, Houston Westside 0 (Thu.)

WALLER — Kelsey Comeaux made an impressive high school soccer debut.

The freshman scored PNG’s first goal of the season, and the Indians blanked Houston Westside in the Waller tournament.

Breeana Riggs scored two goals, and Jillian Flores and Mia Delgadillo each chalked up one. Izzy Volk assisted on two goals, Mackenzie Tindel had one assist and Flores had another.

PNG has outscored opponents 16-0 in three scrimmages and Thursday’s season opener.

“They’re just solid,” coach Aimee Bates said. “It’s a mixture of experience, speed and tenacious defending. I have four defenders back there who are tough solid, and then I have Libbie LeJeune defending the net.”

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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