Elijah Hines set a high bar for homecoming night, and it wasn’t four touchdowns.

“Really more than that” is what the Port Arthur Memorial senior running back envisioned. “Like, five, six.”

Hines only scored four, but the Titans had nine Friday night in a 61-20 rout of Livingston.

“We’ve been waiting for him to have breakout games,” Memorial coach Kenny Harrison said. “He’s healthy at this point in the season, so our goal is to keep him healthy and let him carry this football team.”

Hines, an SMU verbal commit, scored four touchdowns for the second week in a row, following his 210-yard effort against Port Neches-Groves. He needed only 10 carries to net 182 yards, scoring from 41, 1, 20 and 8 yards.

“In practice, we started off with a quick start, not loafing but going hard,” Hines said. “Today, we showed out and did what we had to do.”

Memorial (5-1, 5-1 in 22-5A) was never in trouble against Livingston (0-6, 0-5), leading by as much as 61-14. James Francis helped the Titans off to a great start with two 10-yard touchdown receptions, the first coming on a jet sweep.

The Lions went three-and-out on their first drive and fumbled on the next before quarterback Christian Mitchell willed them into the end zone. He broke two tackles and weaved 73 yards down the Titans’ 1, but needed a push from the backfield on third down to punch the ball in the end zone.

Mitchell finished with 198 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries. The 5A Region III triple jump champion ended the first half hurdling over a defender on a 19-yard carry just past midfield.

“He can pretty much do anything,” Lions coach Brian Brossard said. “He’s like Hines from Port Arthur. He can be quarterback, running back, receiver and play free safety. Pregame, he was kicking field goals and hit a 47-yarder. He can do a lot, and he’s a good athlete as well.”

Memorial quarterback Keitha Jones helped open up the lead finding tight end Jamal Dorsey for a 23-yard touchdown pass. That was part of an 8-for-13 passing game for 123 yards.

Hines tacked on two more rushing touchdowns and Kenneth Washington had a 14-yard scoring reception, all before halftime.

“Even if we do what we’re supposed to do, there’s a chance he can outrun us,” Broussard said. “And he did.”

Livingston melted the first 9 minutes of the second half off the clock with a 15-play, 76-yard series to pull within 48-14, but Memorial needed just the next 51 seconds to score on a 51-yard series with Hines’ 8-yard run. Stephfan Lorthridge rushed from 7 yards out to give the Titans their biggest lead.

“What I liked in the second half — and, of course, it’s not the score — is that our kids didn’t quit,” Broussard said. “They continued to fight. If we do that for four quarters, that’ll put us over the hump.”

The Titans, after playing four games in 18 days, having six days to prepare for PNG and seven for Livingston, will get an extra day to gear for Baytown Lee next Saturday.

“With the guys that we have banged up, that will give them an extra day to get back. Hopefully we can have some of our defensive starters back who didn’t have a chance to play tonight.”
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I.C. Murrell: 549-8541. Twitter: @ICMurrellPANews