The News
Weekend, December 23-24, 2023
STATE CHAMPS
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panews.com
Brian Quijada/Special to The News
Port Neches-Groves High School football players celebrate with the state championship trophy following their victory over South Oak Cliff in AT&T Stadium in Arlington.
PATH TO GLORY: Indians run through gauntlet of opponents to capture crown
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Brian Quijada/Special to The News
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Sophomore Connor Bailey gets ready to drill a pass during state championship play.
ations l u t ra g on to the PNG Indians 2023 Class 5A DII State Champs!!!
The game-winning scoring drive started in Bears territory at the 48 yard line after the Indians secured an onside kick that saw Maxwell Scroggs make the recovery with 7:37 left in the game. Scroggs was later named Defensive MVP of the game. Gio Oceguera was named offensive MVP after connecting on four field goals. “I wish we didn’t have to kick so many field goals,” head coach Jeff Joseph said after the game. “The fact that we were able to go out there and snap the ball consistently with Kale Cropper, Kade Schexnaider holding, and Gio (Oceguera) being able to knock down those field goals is huge. It means everything.” SEMIFINALS Port Neches-Groves faced Liberty Hill for the second straight year in the Class 5A-Division 2 state semifinals and for the second straight year it was the Indians who punched their ticket to the state championship game. The Indians used a balanced offensive attack to turn aside the Pansee PATH page C16
Indians are our champions!!!
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UNFINISHED BUSINESS
he Port Neches-Groves High School football team put the bow on an amazing 2023 season with a come-from-behind 20-17 victory over the South Oak Cliff Bears at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. In securing the win Dec. 16, the 15-1 Indians capped an amazing stretch of playoff football where PNG defeated and often dominated the state’s best 5A Division 2 competition. The championship game was sealed when the Bears’ hook-and-lateral attempt was snuffed out on a fourth-and-26 prayer with just 36 seconds remaining. That was all set up after a huge third down sack from Andres Fuentes. It was with only 3:32 left in the fourth quarter that PNG took its first lead of the second half. Shea Adams delivered the winning play from 2 yards out on a quarterback keeper on third down. Isaiah Nguyen (19 rushes for 111 yards in the game) added a twopoint conversion run to put the Indians up 20-17.
HONOR • PRIDE • TRADITION
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