FOOTBALL: PNG gives up 16-point lead, then beats Dayton in clutch
Published 12:02 am Saturday, October 20, 2018
By Jerry Michalsky
Baytown Sun
DAYTON — The Dayton Broncos scored 16 points in a span of 10 seconds in the fourth quarter to tie the score with 3:17 left in the game.
That was before Port Neches-Groves quarterback Roschon Johnson led the Indians on a 67-yard, four-play drive and hooked up with Jaylan Williams on a 54-yard score for the winning touchdown to lead PNG to a thrilling 44-37 win over Dayton on Friday night at Houston Methodist Field at Bronco Stadium.
It was a huge night for the senior University of Texas commit as he finished with 506 yards of total offense and all six touchdowns. Johnson passed for 382 yards on 26 of 44 attempts and three scores while adding 124 yards on the ground and three more touchdowns.
Down 37-21 heading into the fourth quarter, the Broncos made things very interesting. After getting a Deon Robinson 52-yard interception return down to the Indians 34-yard line, Dayton scored eight plays later on a Tyres Brooks 2-yard touchdown run ,and after the two-point conversion was good the Broncos were within 37-29 with 3:27 left in the game.
On the ensuing kickoff, Colby Vauter recovered the pooch kick to give Dayton the ball back at the PNG 25-yard line. On the next play, it was A.J. Nail finding Brent Monceaux for the score, and then the duo hooked up for the two-point conversion to tie the game at 37 apiece.
After the Johnson to Williams score gave the Indians the lead, the Broncos drove down the Indians 15-yard line before failing on fourth down with 11 seconds left to give PNG the win.
In the first half it was a back-and-forth affair as the two teams combined for 49 first half points. It was Dayton getting the first points of the night as they marched 67 yards on nine-plays with A.J. Nail hooking up with Zach Pike on a 18-yard score to move in front 7-0 with 9:33 left. Back would come the Indians as Johnson kept for a 6-yard score to tie things up at 7 apiece midway through the first quarter.
After a Hedil Cuatianquiz interception and return back to the PNG 7-yard line for the Broncos, the offense scored on the next play with Justin Santee scoring on a rush to put Dayton back in front at 14-7.
The Indians answered on the first play of the second quarter with a Johnson to Jose Ceja 17-yard pass play to tie the score at 14-apiece. The pass capped off a PNG 68-yard, eight-play drive.
The Indians then took their first lead of the night with 7:09 left in the second quarter as Johnson called his own number again, this time on a 3-yard run to cap off a 67-yard drive and the lead was 21-14. The Broncos then responded by moving 67 yards on six plays as Nail connected with Monceaux from 9 yards out to tie things up again at 21. Johnson then guided PNG 65 yards on eight plays to give his team the lead just before the first half by finding Ceja on a nice 35-yard pass play to make it a 28-21 advantage at the half. The Indians made it a 31-21 game with 6:15 left in the third quarter as Mario Oceguera booted a 23-yard field. Johnson then scored on a 1-yard run late in the third quarter increase the lead to 37-21 heading into the fourth quarter.
Ceja finished with eight receptions for 163 yards while Nail led Dayton with 246 yards on 26-of-37 passing. Jermond Lovely caught nine passes for 46 yards. Monceaux had four receptions on 68 yards and two scores.
Dayton will face Baytown Lee next Thursday night at Stallworth Stadium.
