By Caleb Adams

Leader Correspondent

 

LITTLE CYPRESS –Behind a punishing ground arsenal the Vidor Pirates beat the Little Cypress-Mauriceville Battlin’ Bears 44-7 in non-district action at LC-M’s Homecoming Friday night at Battlin’ Bear Stadium.

The running game for the Pirates took over, rushing for over 400 yards on the night.

The long drives the Pirates (3-0) could generate and score on, is what really beat the Bears (0-4) in this game. The Pirates run game was dominating all night long, aside from the fumbles from all the rain, that’s to be expected. Early in the game the Bears had momentum but the talent of the Pirates backfield won the day.

The Bears attempted to get the passing game going throughout the game, but rushed throws and batted passes prevented that. The Vidor defense really tightened up when they needed to on drives, forcing the Bears to run the ball into a wall.

Vidor started the scoring with a three-play drive that ended with a long 74-yard run. After breaking through a linebacker, Brad Nunez, who had 133 yards on 11 carries, broke free for a very long run to the house. The Pirates went for two but fumble the snap but led 6-0 with 5:42 in the first quarter left.

In what was a crazy catch, Bear receiver Brendon Pollock broke free for a long 75-reception from quarterback Adam Pope and scored carrying a Pirate into the end zone with him. After the almost blocked PAT the Bears took a one-point lead at 7-6 with just under five minutes in the first quarter left.

Vidor would take back the lead with a one play drive. Zach Dahlenburg, who had four carries for 66 yards, took a receiver sweep for points with a 45 yard touchdown. Nunez would punch in the two-point conversion to make it 14-7 Pirates with 5:52 left in the first half.

Kelby Odom would break away for a long touchdown run to extend the lead for the Pirates to two scores. A long 67-yard touchdown put the game in danger of running away from the Bears. After the PAT the Pirates went up 21-7. Odom finished with 97 yards on four carries.

Vidor would settle for a buzzer-beating field goal from 37 yards from Jackson Lapray to go up 24-7 heading into the locker room. With this wet and grimy weather a strong lead before the half meant that much more for the Pirates.

At the end of the third quarter the Pirates put together a very long and grueling drive to extend the lead even further. Bryce Bowman would end the drive with a one yard QB sneak, but the whole drive was centered around the run game from multiple different backs. The Pirates made the PAT to go up 31-7 with 0:48 left in the third quarter.

The Pirates put more points on the Bears after a muffed snap on a punt by the Bears, allowing the Pirates got to start inside the Bear 10-yard line. With just a few plays Cree Simmons punched it in from five yards out for the touchdown. After the PAT the Pirates went up 38-7 with 9:49 left in the game.

The Pirates would put the game way out of reach with another touchdown, this time from Jackson Lapray from 25 yards out. The PAT was off, but the Pirates held a comfortable 44-7 lead with six minutes left in the game.

Vidor would tie up the game with a bow, the Bears unable to score anything after the first touchdown they found.

The Bears had a total of 145 yards in the game, but only had minus 1 yard rushing. Pope finished 6-of-20 for 146 yards with Pollock hauling in two receptions for 122 yards. Christian Ickes was the Bears’ leading ground gainer with 17 yards on 10 carries.

Zach Seigrist added 64 yards on 13 carries for the Pirates.

The Pirates will crank up their District 12-5A Division II play next week at home against the Crosby Cougars while the Bears will make a non-district trip to Sour Lake to face Hardin-Jefferson.