By Tom Halliburton
PORT NECHES -- Klete LeBlanc's world as a Port Neches-Groves football player completely changed from his very first moments around Brandon Faircloth.
The Indians' newly hired head football coach addressed his players for the first time early in February. The impressions, the resolve, the words all sunk very deeply into the 18-year-old candidate for an offensive line position.
The 6-1, 230-pound LeBlanc recalled those special moments on Wednesday afternoon.
"He said to us, 'We're expecting great things here'," LeBlanc recalled. "He said, 'We're going to push you to your limits and if you give it your all, you will see the results.
"That man made me and our teammates much improved. Our team is three times better from the way he's come in here and set forth his program. We've had a great work ethic. And we've done everything we could to be at our best right now."
From the start of February through the end of May, PN-G's 2009 football candidates blossomed that much.
This reporter gave his opinion to PN-G principal Marc Keith in the final moments of the spring game in late May.
"Marc, I don't see any reason why this team is not capable of going 10-0," this Port Arthur News reporter said.
Now the Indians are 9-0, eighth in the Class 4A state rankings for the third straight week and at least District 20-4A co-champions. Their center all season has been so flawless that Klete LeBlanc has made very few errant deliveries to his taller or shorter quarterback five yards deep in the shotgun.
Whether it's 6-2 starter Brennan Doty or 5-10 backup Matt Desmond, LeBlanc's portion of the play almost always goes unnoticed. Yes, an occasional snap has misfired but very few. The average PN-G fan has to feel as if each Indians' play begins with the quarterback. That's how automatic Klete's work has been.
"Overall I think I've done as good as I should have," LeBlanc said.
LeBlanc has not tried to suggest he's been perfect. The Barbers Hill outing contained first-game jitters. The Nederland night was filled with hype. The Livingston trip contained plenty of rain, mud, and mushy footballs. Besides Faircloth, offensive line coach Joe Dale Cary and the Port Neches-Groves constituency has made a champion's contribution to this championship season, too.
The PN-G constituency? Yes. Absolutely. PN-G's tax payers and fan base voted for a bond to approve numerous upgrades in the PNGISD. They included field turf and renovations for Indian Stadium. LeBlanc has loved to snap the ball in the shotgun on field turf. PN-G had not won any of three 3-0 home games on The Reservation in 2008. They produced a perfect 7-0 ledger there in 2009 and LeBlanc's snaps offered precious few imperfections.
"The field turf has been great," the son of Kenward and Denise LeBlanc said. "It gives us a great practice facility. Especially when it rains, it drains really well. Snapping the ball can be tough when the grass is wet but the turf makes it a million times better."
Faircloth's off-season was tough and rigorous. Klete has no problem realizing his personal sacrifice-reward ratio. It's sort of like that plus 21 turnover ratio on the Tribe's ledger through nine games.
Look at what Faircloth and Cary and PN-G football dedication has done for LeBlanc in the past year?
"It's made me the player I am right now," he said. "I played a little on defense and weighed more like 250 a year ago. I ran about a 5.6. Now I'm down to 230 and I run about a 5.3."
It may be a mistake for LeBlanc to have said that. Faircloth and Cary may want Klete to work harder for the rest of the year, and do even more to help PN-G make a lengthy Class 4A playoff run.
But Klete tell the public that he's grateful for these new coaches and their impact on PN-G's program.
"They have made me the player I am today," he said.
The more modest Indians' brain trust reserved the right to disagree.
"He's handled every challenge all season," Cary said. "He's identifying the defensive front for us on every play. He sets the protection for us when we're throwing. He's had quite a bit to do with (tailback Caleb) Harmon's numbers. He's blocked against some good ones."
Klete's biggest challenge of the regular season likely comes this Friday against Beaumont Central's front seven. The Indians seek the outright 20-4A crown against the Jaguars in Beaumont's Babe Zaharias Stadium at 7:30.
Indian Inklings
The Port Arthur News Friday Night Experience will televise the PN-G at Central game on Time Warner Cable 15 Saturday at noon. The game also will be launched approximately at that time on panews.com, pngindians.com, and SETXsports.com with Francis Schroeder and Bob West on the telecast. KCOL-FM (92.5) will carry the live broadcast from Babe Zaharias Stadium with Joe Arnold and Paul Brown. KFDM-TV Channel 6's Friday Night Tailgate Party also will feature the PN-G at Central matchup on Friday at 10:35 p.m..... Senior offensive right guard Brant Boudoin will return to the starting lineup this week after not starting last week.... Indians pep rally will be Friday in the gym at 2:30 p.m.... Coach Ryan Cox's undefeated Indians junior varsity goes for a perfect 10-0 season tonight in Indian Stadium at 6:30 against Beaumont Central. A mighty good young coach in his own right, Cox has coached PN-G's inside linebackers. Plus the JV has won each of its nine games so far by 10 points or more.... One of Central's bigger weapons, tailback-kick returner Damon Heard, was ruled out of the PN-G game on Wednesday afternoon due to a broken collar bone.... An A-B student, Klete LeBlanc has been interested in physical therapy, training and coaching futures as college pursuits.... Indians are 9-0 for the first time since 1989, but they are 10-0 for the first time since 1977 if they are victorious this week. Coach Doug Ethridge's Class 5A finalists of '77 went 14-1, losing 13-10 to Plano in the state title game.
