Corley's Game Notes

Coogs Squeak By in Week 0

        Friday night’s game at Reliant Stadium in Houston may not have been the upset of the season, but it certainly raised some eyebrows. As Nederland entered Week Zero a huge underdog against La Marque, Larry Neumann and his staff had other plans. The heart and soul that the Bulldogs put into this game is unrivaled.

        The 6’1 200 pound running back, also known as Micah Mosley, showed up with his A game Friday night. On the second play from scrimmage, Mosley broke a 68-yard touchdown run, which undoubtedly sparked some fear on the opposing side. After the Bulldogs jumped on top with a quick 7-0 score, La Marque got its chance. Due to the Dogs’ lack of a solid kicking game, Nederland was forced to pooch kick the ball most of the night, handing the ball over to the powerhouse Cougars on about the 40 yard line. Play after play, La Marque consistently drove down the field with its typical counter plays and bootleg passes. The Cougars scored, but missed the extra point making the score 7-6 with 6:26 left in the first quarter. Nederland again came back with another Mosley sprint to the tune of 57 yards and another Bulldog touchdown making it 14-6 with 3:23 left in the first quarter.

        From this point it became a huge defensive struggle for both teams. Nederland’s slower and smaller defense played with enough heart to equal the Cougar’s immense speed and strength. La Marque was able, however, to drive down and score in the second quarter with literally no time remaining on the clock. This drive, plagued with uncalled holding and illegal blocks culminated with a bogus facemask call on Nederland during a 4^th down. Replays on the end zone screens clearly showed that the Dogs defender has both hands on the Cougar jersey. If it had not been for this call, Nederland would’ve regained possession late in the first half. La Marque capitalized on this and scored including a two-point conversion tying it to 14-14 at the half.

        The second half proved again to be a defensive battle after La Marque’s quick drive early in the 3^rd ending with a 54 yard run by Marcus Frank with 11:03 left in the quarter.  With the score 21-14 and time ticking away in the 3^rd quarter, Nederland knew that scoring was a necessity. Senior QB Alex Moshier (3-9 on the night) successfully completed a 27-yard touchdown pass to Josh Cabra with under a minute remaining in the 3^rd. The extra point was missed however and the score was 21-20 going into the 4^th. The Cougars were able to score early in the 4^th quarter via a 31-yard pass to Shane Cams. Nederland was unable to retaliate and the final score remained 28-20.

        This year’s Bulldog team has a lot to look forward to. Nederland will not play a team like La Marque all season, at least until about round 2 or 3 of the playoffs, where Nederland could get another shot at a team that will be just as good then, as it is now. Depth is an early concern, but Neumann and his staff will be able to develop more depth as the season progresses. The Bulldogs will be a strong powerhouse to contend with in the newly aligned District 22-4A. Nederland will take on Forest Brook next week at Bulldog Stadium.

Brandon Corley