KFDM COOP Posted January 28, 2009 Report Posted January 28, 2009 PN-G tourney set to preview area soccer powers By Tom Halliburton The Port Arthur News PORT NECHES -- Don Sandell's best-laid plans failed to develop quite as he wanted but Port Neches-Groves still has planned an interesting weekend for soccer fans. The Indians will host an eight-team, three-day tournament featuring Port Arthur Memorial, Hamshire-Fannett and six Class 4A Golden Triangle teams. A month into the season, it should offer every program an opportunity to size up strengths, weaknesses and tweak their lineups. Sandell had planned to show off the New Reservation and have all 12 tournament games on Indian Stadium's shiny new fieldturf. Workers, however, are still in the process of trying to lay the new artificial track over the asphalt. The construction efforts forced Sandell to seek an alternate venue. Therefore, the three-day event will be played at the Gulf Coast Youth Soccer Fields located at Twin City Highway and Hogaboom. "The idea was to show off the new stadium and get in some games," Sandell said. "We really wanted everyone to be able to play on the turf and see our new facility. No one is more disgusted that we couldn't do it than I am but I have a lot of thank you notes to write. “I really owe the Gulf Coast officials a big 'thank you' for helping us out." Four regulation-length games will start with PN-G and Hamshire-Fannett today at 9 a.m., followed by Lumberton and Beaumont Central at 11 a.m., Port Arthur Memorial and Little Cypress-Mauriceville at 1 p.m., and Nederland and Vidor at 3 p.m. Friday's schedule has Vidor and H-F at 9, Nederland and Lumberton at 11, Port Arthur Memorial and Beaumont Central at 1 p.m. and PN-G against LC-M at 3 p.m. The Saturday finales start with Nederland and Port Arthur Memorial at 9, LC-M and Vidor at 11, Lumberton and H-F at 1 and PN-G vs. Central at 3 p.m. Sandell said the start times were altered because the need to get all the games completed in sunlight. "I think even the weather is supposed to cooperate," the Indians chief said. "I don't see a real clear-cut favorite when I look at these teams. We're anxious to see how Port Arthur is coming along, because (Titans head coach) Brian Morgan has really turned around that program in the last couple of years."
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