Photo made on November 5, 2020. Fran Ruchalski/The Enterprise
Fran Ruchalski/The EnterpriseBAYTOWN – A city always thirsting for football success, Port Arthur celebrated its first undisputed district championship in 27 years Friday night, defeating Baytown Sterling 39-8 and improving to 8-0 for the first time since 2011.
The Titans endured quite a few anxious moments in this lopsided verdict, but Memorial scored in the first 75 seconds and never allowed the outcome to remain in doubt. Port Arthur’s anxiety concerned injuries to several key players but none appeared serious. Besides, the Titans have an open date to recuperate for their regular-season finale against Friendswood.
Branden Chaney arguably was the Titans’ biggest star who did not leave the game at one point with a bump or a bruise. The workhorse senior tailback rushed 23 times for 189 yards and added 18 receiving yards. Chaney and his fellow 2021 classmates led a loud and rowdy post-game celebration in the winner’s locker room.
“It’s fun,” third-year head coach and Port Arthur native Brian Morgan said. “I was proud of the guys. We didn’t talk about it (the championship) any before the game… And you never know how your team is going to come out early.”
One definite Titans motivation involved defensive coordinator Korey Mangum’s desire to see his unit play much sharper than in last week’s 48-28 win over Baytown Lee. Led by fearsome Thomas tandem of Jordan and Christian, the Titans kept Sterling (2-7) out of the end zone all night.
“We didn’t feel our defense played up to its standards last week,” Morgan continued. “But that’s called complementary football.”
Quarterback Jah’Mar Sanders, running back Adrian Hayward, and UT pledges Jaylon Guilbeaux and Jordan Thomas were among the Titans to exit the game with injuries at various junctures. Only Guilbeaux did not return after he twisted an ankle when he leaped for an interception on the final play of the first half.
The Titans led 26-3 by then, largely due to the fact that they produced five first-half plays of more than 15 yards.
Sanders completed 10 of 13 for 167 yards, throwing for three touchdowns and running for another. He missed Port Arthur's last five snaps in the opening half after he sustained a late hit from Sterling’s Omar Huntington. Sanders returned for every second-half play.
“Jah’Mar is a tough kid,” Morgan said. “I’m real proud of him. Everything we do revolves around him.”
Sanders connected with blossoming junior Ilijah Williams for touchdowns of 59 and 35 yards. The 59-yarder came on the game’s third play. Chaney added a one-yard scoring run after senior Tony Brooks snagged a 43-yard reception on the opening snap of the second quarter. Brooks ran a go route and caught the ball between two Sterling defenders at the Rangers 3 yard line.
Chaney’s longest run of the game set up Port Arthur's third touchdown. He ran the blast play 50 yards straight ahead before Sterling’s secondary caught him at the 9. Sanders faked to Chaney and trotted the final four yards and on 4th and goal with 7:12 left in the half. That gave the Titans a 20-3 lead.
Reserve Kendrick Sam took his turn with 2:26 left in the half with a cutback dash of 19 yards to Sterling’s end zone. Three Sterling penalties helped the Titans to complete that drive. The Titans dominated the final yardage count, 251-22, on the ground and 167-148, in the air.
Tom Halliburton is a freelance writer.