Sports

   The Van Vleck Leopards celebrated Homecoming in a big way with a convincing 54-29 victory over the Danbury Panthers last Friday night.
   With the win, Van Vleck goes to 1-3 on the season, but more importantly, 1-0 in District play.
   The Leopard offense came out hot to begin the game, as Van Vleck would score on their first offensive possession of the night.
   Senior running back Sam Bree led the charge, popping off runs of 17, 16, and 6 yards to move the Leopards down to the Danbury 9-yard line. 
   Two plays later, Van Vleck quarterback Payton Brown connected with Bryson Blackmon in the left flat for the touchdown. 
   Hayden Pena booted the extra point through giving the Leopards the 7-0 lead with 8:39 left in the first quarter.
   After a Danbury punt, the Leopards found the end zone once again. 
   On first down from their own 29-yard line, Sam Bree took the handoff and busted up the middle for the 71-yard score. 

    The Vidor Pirates came into Memorial Stadium and ran their way to a 28-21 win over the Blackcats Friday night, Sept. 18.
   Vidor ran for 382 yards on the evening and never threw a pass. The Pirates were led by quarterback Quentin Root, who led all rushers with 178 yards on 25 carries. 
   He scored all 4 of the Pirate touchdowns. 
   The Blackcats started the night with a good 7-play drive, capped off with a 4-yard touchdown run by Davieyon Curtis. 
   Declan O’Neal hit the extra point putting the Cats up 7-0. 
   On the Pirates first possession of the evening, quarterback, Root ran off the right side of his offensive line and then cut back across the field and headed up the left sideline, outrunning the Blackcats to the end zone for a 75-yard touchdown run for the Pirates. 
   They tied the game at seven with 8:57 left in the first quarter. 

   Wellness Matagorda guided representatives of BCISD, MRMC and Matagorda County through the feasibility study for the proposed aquatics Center project last week.
   The feasibility study putting the design, building, and financing components together in a request for Qualifications (RFQ), WM co-chairman Loy Sneary told those attending the project preview at Schulman’s MBG Wednesday, Sept. 9.
   The gathering from the three entities last week followed a presentation in August for City Council and Bay City Community Development Corporation.
   “We saved all of our time in getting one price,” City Councilman Bill Cornman told the group.
   “That’s the price contractors have to live with, unless there is a change order,” Cornman added.
   “We’ve got that amount tonight. This is a much more streamlined way to do a public project,” he said.
   The project’s total estimate is about $17 million.

   Bay City Blackcats had trouble pulling free of Wharton – and shaking off 121 penalty yards - but prevailed in a 42-31 victory over the Tigers there Friday night, Sept. 11.   
   “It was a great game for the fans but hard on the coaches and players but I tip my hat to Wharton,” said Head Coach Robert Jones.   
   Bay City had 450 total yards of offense to the Tigers’ 490 and 16 first downs to Wharton’s 20 first downs.  
   Bay City’s offensive stats included 218 yards rushing and 232 yards in the air.  
   “Those guys keep fighting back, but I’m still happy for the coaches and kids to be setting at 3-0.    
   “Our pass coverage was not on point,” Jones said of Wharton’s 19 of 34 for 341 aerial yards and five touchdowns – including one 80-yard scoring throw.   
   “We had our eyes in the backfield and we will get that fixed this week in practice,” the coach added.    

   VAN VLECK – The Van Vleck Leopards and Industrial Cobra football game looked more like a track meet, as both team’s offenses wore out the grass at Burl McKinney Stadium last Friday night. 
   With both teams trading leads, it was the Cobras coming out on top 60-52 when the time expired.
   Van Vleck started off much better than they did a week ago, taking the opening drive and scoring their first touchdown of the night. 
   The Leopards started from their own 33-yard line and went quickly down the field. Running back Sam Bree got the first three carries down to the Cobra 49-yard line, and then a quick strike from Payton Brown to Slade Huerta set Van Vleck up at the Industrial 6-yard line. 
   Bree took it in one play later, and with a Hayden Pena extra point, the Leopards were up 7-0.

   Bay City got its passing game going to complement its potent running attack in an offensive effort that produced 496 total yards and a lopsided 41-11 score against Edna last Friday.
   This week the Blackcats turn their attention to longtime rival Wharton who Bay City Head Coach Robert Jones said is capable of dealing out problems despite the Tigers (4A-2) two-loss season start.  
   “Edna was determined to stop the run so that’s what opened up the passing game and we preach to the offense every week we are going to take what the defense gives us,” Jones said of the matchup that showcased the opening of the new Memorial Stadium.
   Whatever the Cowboys had intended, Bay City’s rushing game rolled up 324 yards – with 232 running yards and a touchdown generated by senior quarterback Avery Smith – and 172 yards passing.
   Smith was 7 of 13 for 134 yards passing, with three aerial TDs. 

   Tidehaven Head Coach said his Tigers need to build on their 2-0 start this week when they face district foe and cross-Matagorda County opponent Palacios this Friday.
   “It was a great win against Ganado, one I felt we did just about everything to give it away,” Lucio said about the Tigers 28-21 victory over Ganado last Friday. 
   “Our offense has not played horrible, but we can be a lot better then what we’ve shown,” Lucio remarked.  
   “We still make too many mistakes, and have not proven to overcome most of them.  
   “I’d say one thing that I liked about our offense was when it was crunch time everybody seemed to play up to their abilities,” he said.  
   “The last drive had multiple kids making plays for us.  
   “Our defense had a great night also.”  
   Lucio noted that Ganado has a good offense, and to hold them to the amount of yards and points they did is a huge accomplishment.  

   VAN VLECK – The Van Vleck Leopards were looking to celebrate Parent’s Night in a good way, but the Boling Bulldogs had other things in mind. 
   Boling ripped off 35 first-half points and then stopped a Van Vleck second-half comeback in a 35-20 win.
   Things started rough for the Leopards, with a miscue leading to the first Boling touchdown. After a quick three and out, Leopard punter Hayden Pena was forced to punt from his own end zone. The snap went over Pena’s head and was recovered by Cody Schindler in the end zone for a touchdown. 
   The extra point by Jaxson Urbanek was good, and the Bulldogs were up quickly at 7-0 with 10:32 left in the first quarter.
   Boling increased their lead later in the first period. After taking over at the Van Vleck 40-yard line, the Bulldogs quickly moved down the field with four different running backs getting carries. The drive ended with a 15-yard touchdown run by Blaise Hubenak to push the Boling lead to 14-0.

   Matagorda Harbor had a record-breaking summer, a fishing and pleasure boat builder plans to expand in Palacios and a planned propane pipeline is causing property owner concern near Midfield.
   Those topics and more were discussed at the Matagorda County Economic Development Corporation (EDC) teleconference meeting Friday, Aug. 28.
   Port of Bay City Authority Commissioner Joey Sliva told the board about the harbor’s busy summer. The harbor is part of the Port of Bay City Authority.
   In other port developments, Sliva said the Air Liquide plant is under way at the port near the OQ Chemicals (old Oxea) campus toward a mid-2021 completion.
   In addition, the Jetty Walkway at Matagorda Beach remains in the discussion phase, Sliva remarked, with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to do the walkway repairs.

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