Port Neches-Groves vs. Little Cypress-Mauriceville Boys Match Thread/PNG wins!

[WOSgrad]

38-4A finale for both teams from Orange at 7:00 p.m.

[hsusoccermom]

Just heard that PNG beat LCM 3-0. Not confirmed though.

[Islander]

In the ultra-competitive District 38-4A, the Little Cypress-Mauriceville Bears entered the final game of the season in a three-way tie for third place.  With the three third-place teams contending for two available playoff spots, the Bears faced the tough task hosting the 2nd place Port Neches-Groves Indians on Friday night.  When the dust settled, the Bears ended up on the short end of a painful 3-0 loss and eliminated from the playoffs.

    Owning a tie-break advantage over both Vidor and Central, the Bears could secure a playoff spot by winning their game or getting help from a loss by either Vidor or Central.  Unfortunately, the Bears' loss coupled with wins from Vidor and Central ended their season.

    Coach Jeremy Watzlavik focused on the positives from a tough night. "The boys gave it all they had from the beginning to the end", said Watzlavik.  "They are my boys, and though it may be a dissappointment that we missed the playoffs, the thing that saddens me the most is that our journey together this season is over."

    The Bears came out strong in the opening moments of the game.  The Bears offensive attack controlled the action during a crisp first half.  The Bears attacked the Indians goal on a consistent basis.  The Indian defense was successful in keeping the Bears from scoring.  The first half tied at 0-0.

    At halftime, the Bears learned that Vidor won in overtime and that Central was on its way to a suprising 4-1 victory the first place Nederland Bulldogs.

    The bad news continued into what turned out to be a very long second half for the Bears.  The Indians' halftime adjustments began paying immediate dividends in the second half.  The Indians scored at the 43-minute mark.  Then, the Indians scored two minutes later.  And, midway through the second half, the Indians added a third goal.

    The Bears made a valiant effort to generate a score, but were unsuccessful.  The Bears never gave up and played hard during the entire game.

    In the end, the physical season took a toll on the Bears.  During the season, the Bears lost 6 of their top 13 players due to injuries and adversity.  Although Coach Watzlavik's enjoyed success with a constant juggling of his lineup, playing without a fully healthy team finally caught up with the Bears against a strong Indian team.

    The game was Senior Night for the Bears.  Seniors Zack Blanchard, Garhett Bonneaux, Harley Cobb, Tanner Crow, Adam Garza, Christian Harley, Mitchell Heil, Tommy Jones, and Jordan King were recognized prior to their final home game for LC-M.  The seniors performed well during their last game.  Watzlavik stated that "I will miss our senior players.  I will begin a new journey with the other players next year.  But, these seniors were a special group of players." 

    Coach Watzlavik and his players worked hard to maximize their performance on the field.  It was truly a pleasure to cover a team that played with skill, sportmanship, and class for every game during this long season.  The team's accomplishments were made in spite of several obstacles and adversity.  Many thanks to Coach Watzlavik and the players for including me in their journey.  Though they fell one step short of their goal, this Bears team was definitely a winner.