KFDM COOP Posted October 25, 2008 Report Posted October 25, 2008 50 points not enough for Nederland By DAUCY CRIZER The Port Arthur News NEDERLAND - It didn’t long to realize that Friday night’s game between Nederland and Livingston was going to come down to which team could make a key defensive stop, special teams play or maybe even who had the ball for the last possession. Neither defense did much to slow down the other team, but Livingston was the beneficiary of two critical plays in the kicking game. That was just enough for the Lions to escape Bulldog Stadium with a wild, 55-50 win to spoil Nederland’s Homecoming. “Both teams put on an offensive display and there was some defense played tonight, although you may not believe it by looking at the scoreboard,†said Nederland coach Larry Neumann. “The difference was the kicking game was kinder to them than it was to us. “Both defenses had problems with both offenses. We didn’t see anything we didn’t expect from them (Livingston). We knew they would be tough to stop. We thought they would have trouble with us. “The game really did come down to those two plays in the kicking game. If we recover the fumble instead of them scoring on the play and if we recover the onsides kick, the outcome could have been different because everything else in the game was pretty even.†The two key plays were a kickoff return for a touchdown by Dustin Harris and an offsides call against Nederland after the Bulldogs recovered an on-sides kick. Kirby Bellow hit Brent Salenga for a 13-yard scoring strike to put the Bulldogs up 35-28 with 5:56 remaining in the third quarter. On the ensuing kickoff, Nederland stripped the ball from the returner only to have Harris scoop it up like he was playing shortstop on the baseball field at his own 43 and race untouched for a 57-yard score. After Wareall Grogan scored on a 24-yard touchdown run that tied the game at 42-42, the Bulldogs surprised the Lions with an onside kick. Nederland came out of the pile with the ball, but an offsides penalty negated the recovery. Livingston then used a 12-play drive that took 6:31 off the clock to regain the lead at 49-42. The Lions coverted a big fourth-and-four from the Nederland 34 when Harris hit Brandon Prescott for a 10-yard completion, which was his first pass attempt of the game. Three plays later, Harris eluded two tackles and scrambled for 23 yards to the 9. Brandon McGowen capped the drive with a 3-yard TD plunge. After the Bulldogs turned the ball over on downs, Livingston took advantage of the short field and scored to make it a two possession game with just 1:02 left. Harris hit Keaton Parker for a 32-yard scoring strike and a missed extra point made the score 55-42. The Bulldogs didn’t go down without a fight. Bellow marched Nederland down the field and hit Asa Cardenas for a 13-yard scoring play with :10 left. The same two hooked up on a two-point conversion for the final margin. Nederland jumped out to a quick 14-0 lead, scoring on its first two possessions of the game. Grogan scored from 21 yards out and Bellow hit Cardenas for an 11-yard scoring strike. Parker put the Lions on the board with a 44-yard run. Grogan put the Bulldogs up 21-7 with a 1-yard plunge. The Lions struck twice to tie the game at 21-21 on a Jordan Nixon 21-yard TD run and a Harris 89-yard keeper around left end. Jude Vidrine scored on a 13-yard pass from Bellow to give Nederland a 28-21 halftime lead. Grogan led all rushers with 184 yards on 27 carries. Bellow completed 19-of-35 passes for 255 yards and four touchdowns, but did throw one interception. Cardenas caught nine passes for 104 yards. “Grogan is a powerful runner. He’s been running the ball better and the offensive line has been blocking better,†Neumann said. “He’s going to be tough to stop against anybody.†Harris turned on a terrific all-around game for the Lions. He completed his only two pass attempts for 42 yards and a touchdown. He rushed for 100 yards on seven carries. He returned a kickoff for a touchdown and intercepted a pass while playing cornerback. Nixon added 135 yards on 20 carries and Parker had 110 yards on nine totes. Nederland outgained Livingston 439 to 357. The Bulldogs had 255 yards passing and 184 rushing compared to 315 on the ground by the Lions and 42 passing. “I told the guys after the game that I was tremendously proud of them tonight,†commented Neumann. “It was a hard-fought game. But if I accept and they accept that’s the best we can play than we cease to get better. We can be proud of our effort, but we can’t be satisfied with it and accept that’s the best we can play. We have to work on getting better.â€
24 over par Posted October 25, 2008 Report Posted October 25, 2008 i wonder how often any body has lost when scoring 50
shermdog Posted October 25, 2008 Report Posted October 25, 2008 I thought I was looking at a basketball score!
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