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Fact or fiction: Vidor is huge

KFDM COOP

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KFDM COOP

KFDM COOP

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Fact or fiction: Vidor is huge

THE NEWS GAME OF THE WEEK: VIDOR AT PORT NECHES-GROVES

By Tom Halliburton

The Port Arthur News

PORT NECHES -- Forty-eight hours from game-time, these fiesty Port Neches-Groves and Vidor head coaches already were getting into it.

In the white corner, a taller fighter with much more hair on his head, in his 11th season, as Pirates mentor, the visiting boxer Jeff Mathews. In the purple corner, the shorter fighter with much less hair on his head, in his first season, as Indians chief, the host boxer Brandon Faircloth. Touch gloves, men, and come out disagreeing.... ding.

One would never guess what area of disagreement existed Wednesday between the head coaches of these very successful District 20-4A programs.

Fact or fiction? Vidor is huge. Right? That's the perception. Everyone knows Vidor is huge.

Before the teams meet on Indians homecoming night at 7:30, it's safe to guess which coach feels which way about Vidor's size.

Dan Hooks raved at how over-sized the Pirates seemed against his West Orange-Stark team in a scrimmage.

"This is the biggest team we've played all season," Faircloth said of Vidor (5-1, 2-1), as the Indians coach gazed toward the playing field from his desk on Wednesday.

Faircloth obviously joined Hooks in pushing the 'fact' button. His Indians (6-0, 3-0) may be on the verge of entering the Associated Press Top 10 with another win. While notoriety certainly sits within PN-G's reach, tonight's test is... well .... huge.

How in the world could the 42-year-old Mathews push the 'fiction' button on Vidor being huge? Yeh, it required an explanation and a quote or two after practice from the fine head coach in Pirate Land.

Mathews thought Vidor began the season as huge. Evidently the Pirates' coach has observed a significant loss in their size.

"I think we're average size, or maybe a little above average," the Vidor coach said. "Everybody thinks we're so big. We've been smaller than this but when you compare us against PN-G, they're a lot bigger than we are.

"You look at PN-G's offensive and defensive lines on film and they are just humongous. They're as big as I've seen in awhile... At the beginning of the year, we had four 300-pound guys. You were reading about that in the pre-season. Now maybe we have a couple of 280-pounders."

Mathews referred to the broken foot which sidelined senior Matt Newby (6-5, 320) and the herniated discs which have limited senior Scott Utterback (6-1, 285).

Vidor actually is more concerned about their shrinking supply of quarterbacks than any one portion of their team this week.

Regular quarterback Nick Dozhier lasted one series a week ago with a thigh bruise and departed in favor of senior backup Jace Green. Dozhier played through the leg injury during the previous week at Lumberton. Green received all the repetitions in practice for the past two weeks.

If Dozhier can play, he will. Mathews can only wait until tonight and see whether Nick's leg can respond.

"Dozhier originally was not supposed to be released until next Tuesday but it will be a game-time decision," the Vidor coach said.

PN-G has been tapping on the door into the state's Top 10 Class 4A teams during the last few Associated Press rankings. That's familiar stuff with Faircloth who annually dealt with Top 10 attention at Odessa Permian, Austin Westlake and Dallas Highland Park.

The Indians chief borrowed a quote he learned at Highland Park from Scots' 11-year head coach Randy Allen.

"Allen said, 'Rankings are like perfume -- they smell nice but if you drink 'em, they'll kill ya," Faircloth said.

Faircloth never sounded in fear of Vidor whatsoever, but he definitely respected their ability level.

"We're ready to be tested," he said. "Vidor is the pick of Texas Football magazine and many of the pre-season polls. They know exactly what they're doing on offense. They do a great job of coaching and they have their kids believing in what they're doing. Jeff Mathews does a great job and they have a lot more experience than we do."

Oh yeah, and one last time, Brandon thinks Vidor is huge.

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Matthews is funny.  Who do he think he is bluffing?  Obviously Faircloth is not buying it either.  ;D . That Pirate line is huge.  No way those kids can lost all that weight within a few weeks.  Unless he is trying to be sarcastic... 

Vidor lost one to Central, no more free food.  ;D

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