Jump to content

Sterling aims to spoil Titans’ season

KFDM COOP

By KFDM COOP
in SETXsports Archived Threads

 Share

Recommended Posts

KFDM COOP

KFDM COOP

Posted
Posted

http://baytownsun.com/sports.lasso

Sterling aims to spoil Titans’ season

By Dave Rogers

 

Published November 2, 2007

Great expectations often yield big disappointments and Port Arthur Memorial’s so-far disappointing season qualifies as one of the biggest surprises in District 21-5A this season.

With two games remaining to play, the Titans are on the outside hoping to get into the playoff picture.

Heading into tonight’s 7:30 game against Sterling in Port Arthur’s Memorial Stadium, Memorial needs to win its final two games and get a lot of help to reach the playoffs.

“Up and down,†was the short description of his team’s season offered Thursday by Port Arthur coach Ronnie Thompson, the passing game pioneer who led the Titans to a tie for the league title in his first year at Memorial.

“We’ve been in games this year,†he said. “We won several. We lost more.â€

Folks expected more from Thompson’s team this year, what with his players having more time to learn the nuances of his yardage-gobbling, no-huddle spread offense.

But the Titans have stumbled, dropping three in a row to Kingwood, Lee and West Brook. Memorial’s record is now 2-3 in district, good for a three-way tie for fourth with Kingwood and Channelview.

“Every year is a brand new year; you start off with a new group,†said the fellow who led Port Arthur Jefferson to the 1980 state championship game before departing his hometown to coach at the University of Texas and South Garland High.

“I think we’ve played better in some areas this year, but worse in others. We lost that (control of their playoff) ‘destiny’ last week. We’re in the ‘need help department’ now.â€

Sterling could end all the uncertainty for the Titans by becoming the second team in four weeks to earn its first win of the season in Port Arthur. Kingwood did it Oct. 5.

Could Memorial get caught looking past Sterling to next week’s game at Humble?

“I don’t think so,†Thompson said. “I don’t think that’s a possibility.â€

The Rangers will be locked and loaded for Memorial.

“They’re very athletic and we’ll have to play extremely well to win,†Rangers coach Herb Minyard said.

“So far this year we seem to play better on the road. Hopefully, we’ll perform to our expectations.â€

The Rangers are coming off a 34-14 loss to Atascocita, a game in which the Eagles picked up their first district win in two years of varsity competition.

Sterling quarterback Jerrod Doucet passed for 148 yards and ran for 88 more against Atascocita, but four interceptions by Doucet and backup Keagan Kogut, a couple of fumbles and some untimely penalties figured in the Rangers’ demise.

The Titans have also been guilty of some untimely mistakes, which was the case when they blew leads and lost to Kingwood and Lee. But their offense, ranked third in 21-5A with 339 yards per game, has allowed them to compensate.

With quarterback Harry Brown and receiver Freddie King leading the way, the Titans are passing for 243 yards per game, tops in the league.

“They’re going to throw the football 70 percent of the time and the other 30 percent, they’ll hand it to No. 3 (running back Patterson Clay),†Minyard said.

Sterling’s offense ranks sixth in 21-5A offense, with just under 250 yards per game.

“When you look at that West Brook film, they played their tails off,†Thompson said of Sterling’s game against the Bruins, in which the Rangers led most of the first half before losing 47-21.

“They were throwing and moving the football. You can’t take that lightly.â€

Sterling’s defense has been better than the Titans, according to league stats that have the Rangers ranked fifth, allowing 241 yards per game, and Memorial seventh, yielding 318 per outing.

“We’ve played some explosive teams who have happened to explode the night we played them,†said the Memorial coach.

The Rangers would love to pop Port Arthur’s balloon.

Directions to Memorial Stadium: Take I-10 east approximately 25 miles to Winnie, take Texas 73/Port Arthur exit southeast approximately 30 miles to FM 347 (Twin City Highway/Jefferson Drive). Turn right (south) on FM 347 and go approximately 1.5 miles; stadium is on the left.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Member Statistics

    46,202
    Total Members
    1,837
    Most Online
    CHSFalcon
    Newest Member
    CHSFalcon
    Joined


×
×
  • Create New...