The Wildcats out-scored Vidor 32-6 in the third quarter
Galena Park – Many things have changed since 1964, which brings to mind, the Vidor Pirates who hadn’t advanced passed the second of the playoffs since that year.
Though the Pirates dropped a disappointing 55-30 defeat to the Angleton Wildcats on Friday night at Galena Park ISD Stadium, all wasn’t lost, as Vidor Fans enjoyed its best season since 1964.
A couple of seasons ago the Pirates knocked at the door, reaching the playoffs before falling. More importantly, this season will be remembered for years to come. The Pirates end its season at (10-3) while Angleton (13-0) moves one-step closer to a title shot.
Vidor matched the Wildcats point for point in the first half as it executed a 73-yard drive, using four minutes and one second to get on the board first, as fullback Brentyn Clark brushed aside defenders for a 3-yard TD run, to put the Pirates up 7-0 after Brandon Clayton’s extra point kick.
Later, as Angleton trailed 7-0, LB Tanner Peavy recovered a fumble at the Pirates 4-yard line when RB David Smallwood lost control of the ball. Then, one play later, RB Ryan Jackson eluded a couple of would be tacklers, slicing to the end zone, to trim the deficit 7-6 after the PAT sailed wide left.
“I’m not as happy as I would be,” said Ryan Jackson, Angleton’s RB, because I felt like I should have done more, but its good because they are keying on me so that allows Richard Cooper to do well.”
The second quarter watched four lead changes. The first when Clayton booted a 27-yard field goal to push Vidor’s lead 10-6. Angleton answered with T.J. Austin’s 1-yard sneak to give the Wildcats the lead for the first time on the evening, 13-10 with 4:35 to go.
DB Zach Smith’s interception at the 38 of Angleton with 1:37 left, sparked the Pirate’s offense as they put together a 4-play, 62-yard drive that watched Clark bulled his way up the middle to the end zone from 8-yards, to regain the lead, 17-13 with 50.1 seconds left in the second quarter. Nevertheless, before the clock struck zero for intermission, the Wildcats put together a drive of its own, marching 55-yards, to draw within one, on Sammy Rodriguez 19-yard field goal, 17-16.
“The first half was a wakeup call. We came out a little slow. We were down by one. Therefore, we came back in the second half and really starting going at it. Yes, the turnovers helped a lot. Defense stepped it up; they’ve been doing it a lot lately. They told me that I was going to have to come on with it in the second half,” Richard Cooper said, Angleton RB.
Angleton poured it on in the third quarter, out-scoring the Pirates 32-6. Cooper’s 59-yard TD run got things going and Jackson followed with a 9-yard TD run before Vidor drew within five points, when Montana Quirante called his number as he scampered 6-yards around the left side and after a failed two-point try, the Pirates trailed 28-23.
Angleton’s Coach, Ryan Roark said, “Vidor has been good on defense all year long. We scored 32-points in the third quarter. Big plays, it was all setup by defensive plays. A big turnover, a big interception by BJ Randolph and a big-time kickoff return by Marque Elder. We made big play after big play. We were down by one at halftime, but responded in the second half.”
The Wildcats scratched out three more TDs before the quarter ended.
Mistake prone Vidor suffered from an interception and special team’s mishaps. Allowing a 90-yard kick return and fail to cover a kick return, both resulting in Wildcat points. Jimmy Lewis added the exclamation point with a 15-yard TD run to conclude Angleton’s huge night. It also was the end of Vidor’s best season in recent memory.
“The key to the game is not turning the ball over and prevent big plays,” Jeff Matthews, Vidor’s coach said. We had turnovers on special teams and they just took it to us. They had a big play, we turned the ball over, and they had another big play. Everything went bad after that. They played well. We just didn’t do the things we had to do, right. We’ve had a big year, but we didn’t want to go out like this. Only one team is going to leave the state tournament happy and it’s not us.”
