Titans crush Sterling, clinch playoff berth
Published 9:33 am Monday, November 4, 2024
Titans running back Alex Eugene (3) tries to hold off a Rangers defender as Semaj Pierre (14) tries to get an angle to block for his teammate. (Tommy Mann/Special to the Orange Leader)
Port Arthur Memorial defensive tackle Taveon Chatman (90) chases down Sterling running back Gerald Atkins (4) for a tackle for a loss during Saturday’s game in Baytown. (Tommy Mann/Special to the Orange Leader)
Memorial quarterback Amante Martin (2) finds an open lane to the end zone for a 7-yard touchdown run to put the Titans ahead of the Rangers 7-0 early in the first quarter. (Tommy Mann/Special to the Orange Leader)
Titans linebacker Quarmaine Garlington (15) makes a big return deep into Rangers territory following an interception of the Baytown Sterling quarterback in the first quarter on Saturday. (Tommy Mann/Special to the Orange Leader)
The Port Arthur Memorial Titans enter the field at Stallworth Stadium in Baytown on Saturday afternoon, prior to the start of the game against the Sterling Rangers. (Tommy Mann/Special to the Orange Leader)
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By Tommy Mann Jr.
Port Arthur News
BAYTOWN – The Port Arthur Memorial Titans cruised to a 41-0 victory over the Baytown Sterling Rangers on Saturday afternoon and now wait for the playoffs.
The Titans jumped on top of the Rangers early and scored often and scored quickly to make short work of the Sterling team in a game which saw numerous penalties, and two weather delays before being called in the second half.
Sterling received the opening kickoff and managed to run two plays before the Titans struck. Memorial linebacker Quarmaine Garlington jumped in front of a pass by Rangers quarterback Jackson Favors and roared 34 yards on the return to the Sterling 7-yard line.
On the Titans first offensive play, quarterback Amante Martin ran to his right, found and open lane and dashed into the end zone untouched to give Memorial a 7-0 lead following the Oscar Salgado extra point kick with 11:22 remaining in the opening quarter.
The Sterling quarterback was harassed by the Titans defense the entire first half and faired no better on the next possession. As Favors ran to his left, he was being chased by Memorial defender Tai’yion King who caught Favors near the sideline and punched the ball out. The ball was picked up by Titans defender Amir Young and returned 8-yards for the scoop-and-score touchdown to give Memorial a 14-0 lead with 10:38 to play in the first quarter.
The Titans defense forced the Rangers to punt on its next possession, so the offense began its next drive at its own 44-yard line. Memorial marched the ball 56 yards in eight plays chewing up four minutes of the clock as running back Jacoryn Baker capped off the drive with a 5-yard run and a 21-0 lead with 5:28 to play in the quarter.
After another Rangers punt, Memorial started its next drive at midfield. Five plays later Martin scored his second touchdown of the game, this time on a 2-yard run to make the score 28-0.
The Memorial defense continued its dominance of the Rangers offense on the next Sterling possession as Young, who scored on a fumble return earlier, intercepted Favors at the Rangers 40-yard line to give the Titans the ball in Sterling territory again.
A few plays later, facing third and 10 from the Rangers 15 yard line, Martin connected with receiver Semaj Pierre in the end zone for a 15-yard touchdown pass to make the score 34-0.
Following a brief suspension of play due to a lightning delay, the game resumed and the Titans forced yet another Rangers punt and took over in its worst field position of the half, at its own 41-yard line. Six plays later running back Alex Eugene punched the ball in for a touchdown on a 6-yard run to make the score 41-0 at half.
The second half started with the Titans receiving the kickoff and starting at its own 20-yard line in a downpour as the weather worsened during halftime. The Memorial offense had just moved the ball to midfield when another lightning delay was called. A few minutes later the game was called giving the Titans the 41-0 win over the Sterling Rangers.
The Titans (7-3, 4-2) have completed its regular season schedule and are on a bye in Week 11. Port Arthur has clinched a playoff spot but is now waiting on the results from the games on Nov. 8 to figure out seeding in the district and its opponent from District 10-5A Division 1 for the first week of the playoffs. Sterling (3-6, 0-5) travels to Beaumont next Friday to take on the United Timberwolves.
