La Porte Stakes Claim to 22-6A Crown
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Updated: October 22, 2016
La Porte Bulldog Stadium- These two communities wait 365 or so days a year for this night. It’s the La Porte Bulldogs vs the Deer Park Deer. Two communities sandwiched between Galveston Bay, Houston, the ship channel, and Pasadena, have one thing in common... an absolute driving fire to win the district championship.
Its LP vs DP
IT’S THE BORDER WAR!!!
This year it is again for the lead in the District 22-6A championship race and an easier first round playoff matchup against their 21-6A opponent. That is looking like it will be the Kingwood Mustangs. There was a lot riding on this game in La Porte Friday night.
Both teams scored in 14 point increments in the first half. Then the Bulldogs came out in the second half and just wanted it more, scoring 21 unanswered points.
The first half spurts were surrounded by adventures in punting for both teams. La Porte’s Foster Hilborn kicked off to start the game. The tough Bulldog defense forced a quick 3 and out. The Bulldogs were in the end zone under a minute and a half. Cobra Jones scored his 7th TD of the year from 4 yards out to open the scoring 7-0.
Terel Bernard (UH commit) then blocked a Deer Park kick and returned it himself to the 19 yard line. In three plays Bulldog Quarterback Austin Upshaw found Kevrin Busby on a 15 yard bubble screen for pay dirt and the 14-0 edge.
Deer Park countered... well Angel Vargas countered. He seemingly carried the ball and the Deer offense for their next two whole drives on his own. He carried 37 times for some serious tough sledding on the way to 131 total yards on the night.
Deer QB Hunter Becton got his team on the scoreboard with his first rushing touchdown of the season from 1 yard out to cut the deficit to 14-7.
After being the workhorse for most of the drives, Vargas got payment for his hard work with a 4 yard touchdown run of his own to tie it up 14-14. The next Deer Park drive was all Vargas and it looked like they would punch it in for the halftime lead. They should have stuck with him. Instead they tried a play action on 4th down and the Bulldog defense held and regained some momentum heading into half.
The second half started off with a bang for La Porte. The Bulldogs scored on their first drive within 2 and a half minutes as Austin Upshaw carried the rock from 2 yards out to stretch the lead 21-7
After the teams traded possessions the Bulldog defense forced another 3 and out. Four plays later La Porte scored. Cobra Jones ran off the right side running over a Deer Park defender and easing in after that from 14 yards out. The score was then 28-14 La Porte.
Upshaw who struggled all night passing was a major pain in the Deer defense with his running. He proved to be so tough to tackle they pulled off his #5 jersey and he was forced to play the rest of the game in a #81. His last TD run of 23 yards essentially salted the game away, 35-14.
A Becton to Elijah Frost touchdown with 2:19 was too little too late for the Deer. After a failed on sides kick and a Daveion Crawford interception the Bulldog faithful celebrated with their heroes long after the game had ended milling around the field and in the stands. Three years in a row the Bulldogs have been winners now. The all time record against Deer Park now sits at 30-25-1.
By Glenn McCarthy
@GlennMcCarthy44
Interviews with Jason McDaniel @jasonrmcdaniel
Players of the Game
Offense- QB Austin Upshaw
Defense- LB Terel Bernard & DE Isaac McNight
Scoring 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
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La Porte 14 0 14 7 35
Deer Park 0 14 0 7 21
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