Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

STORY BY CHRIS MOORE

For the first time in seven years, a new head coach will lead the Bulldogs onto the field opening day of the 2024 football season. In February, former Katy High School assistant coach Scott Rich took over the program that went 4-7 last year and 4-3 in district play.

A week into camp, Rich acknowledged that his team still has a way to go before they are where they want to be before the season starts against Lumberton Aug. 30. The Bulldogs also play West Orange-Stark and Silsbee in non-district competition and will open up district play against Splendora at home Sept. 27.

“From Day 1, we talked about being at a certain level,” Rich said. “It is a daily process to get better. I am never going to be satisfied with where we are. That was the way I was mentored and brought up. Even when we are looking good and everyone thinks we are looking good, I am not going to think it is good enough. That is just the way it is.”

Rich said he wants his team to be able to react while they are on the field.

“We always say we want to do a thousand reps,” he said. “It seems like we run things a bunch of times. You don’t have to run a bunch of stuff. You just have to run the stuff you do well.”

The Bulldogs will not overlook any opponent, Rich said, when asked about any potential added motivation with the rival and state champion Port Neches-Groves in the same district.

“Everyone wants to win,” Rich said. The reality is everyone wants to have the will to prepare to win.”

While the coaching staff might look a little different, many players from last year’s squad will take the field for the black and gold.

“We have a lot of guys that have played a lot of plays,” Rich said. “We have a lot of seniors leadership guys that have been in the grind for a while. Some of these guys played as sophomores and were thrown into the mix fast and probably weren’t ready. They have taken some lumps and are hungry for something new. I am excited to for them to show that they are winners.”

Quarterback Ayden Sunday will return under center for Nederland along with running back Hubert Thomas, who has been a strong back for Nederland since taking over the job his sophomore season. KJ Tezeno returns as the Bulldog’s utility player. He will line up at receiver, running back and defensive back for Nederland. 

“We want to win them all,” Rich said. “We want to win a district championship and go undefeated. We have to have that belief that we can. Right now, we are just trying to get better.”

Nederland linebacker Ellis Walker said he uses PNG’s championship as fuel.

“You grew up playing with them and we were on the same field playing each other,” he said. “You see them accomplish that and it makes you feel like you can do it, too. You just have to go take it.”

Walker who is one of the team’s captains, along with Sunday, returns to the Nederland defense after missing much of last year with various injuries. 

Nederland will play PNG Oct. 25 at The Reservation in the 101stgame between the two programs over the past 99 years.

The Bulldogs district looks a bit different this year after realignment shook up the new lines.

Nederland will play Splendora, Lake Creek, and Hunstville at home and will go on the road to Dayton, West Fork, PNG and Montgomery. 

Lake Creek went 12-1 last year (6-0 in their district). Lake Creek ended Nederland’s season in the first round of the playoffs with a 53-6 decision. They went on to lose to PNG 30-27 in the third round.