BAYTOWN — When its pain and sting departs, Port Neches-Groves figures to reflect on Saturday much as it reflects on its entire 2007 football season.

The 22-4A co-champion and 4A Division 1 bidistrict champion Indians (8-4) gave everything they could at this regional round affair.

If there was any way that the Indians could erase the work of Jacquizz Rodgers, Lamar Consolidated might not be advancing to next week’s quarterfinal round.

Yet Jacquizz simply glided his way through 200 yards and four touchdowns on 37 carries in sparking the Mustangs to a 26-7 victory at chilly Stallworth Stadium.

The Rosenberg Lamar team (10-2) advanced to meet Austin LBJ next Saturday in College Station’s Kyle Field at 4 p.m.

There have been Indians squads which ventured deeper into the playoffs than this one but the PN-G head coach, Matt Burnett, never will be more fond of any group to ever wear the purple and white than this one.

They put it to Nederland at Bulldog Stadium and won a memorable knockdown, dragout against Lumberton before they thoroughly blanketed Galena Park last week.

“We gave it every thing we had,” the winningest coach in PN-G’s grand history said. “We were bidistrict champs and I thought we played real well tonight. That team was just better than us. We didn’t have enough firepower. We got beat by a real good team.”

To Rodgers’ credit, the 5-7, 180-pound stick of dynamite just continues to collect his yards and points even though the opposition awaits his every carry. Jacquizz moved from 11th to 9th among the state’s career rushers by lifting his sum to 7,732 yards. He’s six yards away from former Oklahoma University and Detroit Lions star Billy Sims of Hooks (7,738).

Then there’s Rodgers’ 126 career touchdowns, just two shy of the all-time state record owned by Cuero’s Robert Strait (128). Jacquizz credited both his line and PN-G’s defense for playing at a high level.

“I had a good group of guys up front who helped me to get free,” Rodgers said. “PN-G was a big, well-coached physical team. They tried to make me earn it.”

PN-G defensive coordinator Carl Broussard indicated his unit hoped to keep Rodgers to less than half of his Saturday night output.

“We tried to hold him under 100 yards, but that didn’t work,” Broussard said. “He’s pretty phenomenal. He stops and makes you miss. He’s the best running back I’ve ever seen. He reminds me of Barry Sanders. He’s been doing that to everybody.”

Rodgers scored on runs of 9, 1, 8 and 22 yards. That 22-yard gainer — with 1:50 to play — tied Jacquizz’s longest gain of the night. The Mustangs tailback also opened the second half with a 22-yarder after gaining 114 in the first-half on 16 carries.

“We came out a little sluggish in the beginning,” Rodgers said as PN-G stayed within a score (13-6) at halftime. “We tried to get everybody pumped up at halftime.”

Each team basically had the ball three times before the bands played. Mainly, Lamar Consolidated coach Lydell Wilson tried to make sure Rodgers carried the ball plenty in the second half.

“We just made sure after that to get the ball to our money maker,” Wilson said.

Rodgers often found PN-G’s would-be tacklers in ideal position to stop him. He just applied the brakes and stayed under control, allowing them to pass by him and miss him.

On his first of four scores — a 9-yard run — Jacquizz slashed toward the Indians on a counter, only to cut in an opposite angle after he advanced to PN-G’s 5. He slipped through an arm tackle later in the second quarter to break a 7-7 tie with 3:22 left in the half.

The Indians had scored first with a patient, 7:25 drive, covering 53 yards in 15 plays. PN-G’s rushing leader Josh Wright (16 carries for 80 yards) took a pitch around the right side for a three-yard run as PN-G ran out of a two tight-end set.

But in order to enter the second half on equal terms, the Tribe needed a touchdown right before the half. They surged from their 25 to Lamar Consolidated’s 12 before disaster arrived.

A high snap sailed over Harrison Tatum’s head. The PN-G passer secured the ball but tossed it away, receiving a penalty for intentional grounding. Two more sacks later, and PN-G’s offense had retreated to its 41 as the half ended.

PN-G’s offense never returned to the red zone after that until major penalties advanced the Indians to the Mustangs’ 14 in the game’s final minute.

Lamar Consolidated’s defense was paced by linebacker Sule Osagiede and tackle Clarence Ward. They limited Indians’ fullback Jake Hemmings to 54 yards on 12 carries. Hemmings finished his career as PN-G’s fifth all-time career rushing standout but he never managed a gain of longer than 10 yards against the Mustangs.

As for that other No. 33, Jacquizz had five gains to exceed 15 yards apiece. Even though PN-G’s defense performed admirably.

“I don’t know how you could prepare for him,” Indians safety Brett Doty said. “He’s a quick one. He moves real good. We gave it our all though. We gave it the best we could.”

It hurts for awhile. It always does for a group of dedicated seniors. The Indians simply encountered one superior runner. That tends to happen deep into a playoff quest.