PN-G has much to be proud of this year....

[PN-G bamatex]

[color=purple][b]Way to go, Indian Soccer![/b][/color]

[quote]Tom Halliburton
The Port Arthur News

[b]BEAUMONT[/b] -- Just as it amazingly unfolded in football, Port Neches-Groves authored an identical script in soccer.

  The Indians remarkably won another double-overtime game, 2-1, Friday night at Zaharias Stadium over Beaumont Central, ending the regular season with the top spot in their district by the narrowest of margins.

  Coach Don Sandell's Tribe (21-1-3 and 13-1) duplicated the finish of Brandon Faircloth's gridiron Indians. Both needed to beat Central at Zaharias on the final regular-season night. Both needed two overtimes to pull it off.

  PN-G will play Liberty in the 4A state playoff bidistrict round next weekend. The coaches will meet today to finalize the arrangements.

  "It took a lot of hard work but it paid off," the fourth-year Indians chief said. "It's very rewarding. I had a feeling back in August that, with the way we worked, we had a chance to be a special team. I'm happy for the seniors."

  Ninety minutes (eighty regulation and 10 in the first overtime) failed to produce any goal. Then the teams exploded for the three goals during the second 10-minute overtime. If the teams had been tied after two overtimes, Nederland would have been the district champion instead of PN-G. The double OT win enabled PN-G and Nederland to be tied 39-39 in the district's point system. PN-G owned the next tiebreaker by owning a one-goal head-to-head advantage in goal differential.

  "It was a heck of a game," Central coach Tony Cox said, praising both sides. "PN-G deserves the top spot because they never gave up. I thought that big No. 10 (Greg Flores) was the difference for them."

  Flores unlocked a 1-1 tie with 6:50 left in the second overtime. The Indians senior chipped in the winner from the mouth of the net after taking a long free kick from fellow senior Elver Uriostegui.

  A midfield foul against Central enabled Uriostegui to restart play with a free kick.

  Uriostegui had delivered a similar free kick just 30 seconds into the second overtime. That free kick set up sophomore Edwin Guerrero for the game's first goal.

  Central responded two minutes later at the 7:30 mark when Servando Vizcaino ripped home a shot from the far right corner of the penalty box.

  Both teams attempted 13 shots and a sensational perfomance by Jaguars' reserve keeper Sammy Lavador kept rejecting PN-G's bids to take the lead during the middle of the game.

  "That's how even the game was and you have to give Tony (Cox) credit," Sandell said. "He had them ready to play."

[b]PORT NECHES[/b] -- Seven seniors played their final regular-season home game on The Reservation Friday night as 38-4A district champion Port Neches-Groves blanked Beaumont Central 9-0.

  The Lady Indians completed the regular campaign at 19-5 and a perfect 12-0 under ninth-year head coach Aimee Bates.

  PN-G will meet Vidor next Friday night in the Class 4A girls bidistrict round. The game will start on Lamar University's new soccer complex at 6 p.m.

  PN-G permitted 16 goals in 24 games but only one against district competition. The Lady Indians commanded a 4-0 halftime advantage.

  One of those seniors, goalkeeper Tatum Crochet, delivered her team's 17th shutout.

  Chloe Chiasson and Hayley Gerald scored three goals apiece, Natalie Hager added two and senior Katherine Hardy had one.[/quote]

http://panews.com/sports/x1745493104/Indians-rescue-38-4A-top-spot-in-2-OTs