Lamar University Press • 01/09/2024

Good, Bad... Ugly?

In a not-so dry and dusty college town, two young men walk into a bar. Both are decked head to toe in the traditional garb of an American pastime, but instead of cowboy hats, chaps and spurs, they sport helmets, shoulder pads and cleats.

This town isn’t big enough for the two of them, though. One becomes a hired gunslinger and takes a fifty-thousand dollar paycheck along with the starting quarterback job. Meanwhile, the other is forced to wander with the tumbleweeds until he finds a new home.

Port Arthur News • 12/17/2023

Port Neches-Groves growth starts with players buying into "toughness side of things," coach says

The Port Neches-Groves faithful has long waited to recapture the glory days of old when state titles could be within reach any given year.

With the program revitalized under direction of second-year head coach Jeff Joseph, it appears the purple-and-white could be entering a new golden age.

Fresh off the heels of two straight 5A-II state title game appearances and the first championship since 1975, it’s clear that PNG football is cementing its place as one of Texas’ most elite programs.

How ha

Port Arthur News • 12/16/2023

PHOTO GALLERY plus keys to Port Neches-Groves High's 2023 football championship

ARLINGTON — For the first time since 1975, a state football championship trophy is coming home with Port Neches-Groves High School.

The PNG Indians defeated the South Oak Cliff Golden Bears, 20-17, in a tightly contested 5A-II state title game at Arlington’s AT&T Stadium. Credit is due to the victors at every position, but one unit played an especially integral role — this win wouldn’t have been possible if it weren’t for superb special teams play.

“I wish we didn’t have to kick so many field

Port Arthur News • 12/01/2023

Indians contribute at all levels during quarterfinals victory over Huntsville

HOUSTON — The Port Neches-Groves Indians topped the Huntsville Hornets, 24-14, in Friday night’s 5A-II State Quarterfinal matchup.

The Indians survived and advanced under the bright lights of Houston’s NRG stadium. The offense totaled 304 yards, and the defense came up with crucial turnovers when it mattered most.

“This was hard,” PNG head coach Jeff Joseph said after the game. “Huntsville has a really good defense and a really good defensive front. They did a good job of trying to slow down o

Port Arthur News • 11/11/2023

5A-II District 10 champion Lake Creek Lions top Nederland in playoffs

The Nederland Bulldogs’ season ended Friday night with an opening-round playoff loss to the Lake Creek Lions, 53-6, on the road in Montgomery.

Nederland entered as clear underdogs against the undefeated 5A-II District 10 champion Lions.

Outside of an early score, though, there were few bright spots to be found for the Bulldogs as starting quarterback Ayden Sunday and backup Slade Sheppard went down with injuries and the game quickly got out of hand.

“Our team never stopped playing,” Nederland

Orange Leader • 11/04/2023

West Orange-Stark defeats Hardin-Jefferson; details released for playoff against Belleville

SOUR LAKE — The West Orange-Stark Mustangs wrapped up the regular season Friday night with a dominant 61-7 win over the Hardin-Jefferson Hawks in Sour Lake.

The Mustangs excelled on both sides of the ball, scoring a staggering nine touchdowns while holding the Hawks to just one score and forcing six turnovers.

“We just came out here and played,” Mustangs head coach Hiawatha Hickman said after the win. “We had an extra week to get healed up. You go through a lot during the season, so I think we

Lamar University Press • 11/02/2023

Confident Cards head to Homecoming

Homecoming week has arrived in Beaumont and there’s no better way to conclude the week’s festivities than with Lamar Cardinal football as they take on the Texas A&M-Commerce Lions this weekend.

The Cardinals look like a rejuvenated program having won four of their last five games, including three wins in Southland Conference play. The lone loss in that span came last week when Lamar fell to nationally-ranked SLC rival Incarnate Word, 17-7.

If there’s one lesson to be learned from the season th

Orange Leader • 10/28/2023

Little Cypress-Mauriceville, Lumberton face off in battle of district leaders

The Little Cypress-Mauriceville Bears lost a crucial matchup to the Lumberton Raiders, 24-7, at Battlin’ Bear Stadium in Little Cypress on Friday night.

Both teams entered the contest unbeaten in district play, making it a must-win game to lock down what is likely be the top playoff spot in 4A-I District 10. Unfortunately for the Bears, Lumberton’s talented offensive attack proved to be too much.

“The story tonight was a lot of self-inflicted wounds,” LC-M head coach Eric Peevey said after the

Orange Leader • 10/21/2023

Late rally by Jasper does in West Orange-Stark

The West Orange-Stark Mustangs lost a heartbreaker to the Jasper Bulldogs, 41-38, in a district matchup at Dan R. Hooks Stadium on Friday night.

While WO-S held a 17-point lead at one point, it wasn’t enough as the Bulldogs made a late comeback with three unanswered touchdowns.

“My kids fought and fought,” Mustangs head coach Hiawatha Hickman said following the game. “We made some errors, probably on my side, that hurt us as well. We got the big lead and could have probably managed it a little

Lamar University Press • 10/18/2023

Lamar football downs SELA for fourth straight win

Lamar University football picked up their fourth straight victory with a 30-24 win over Southeastern Louisiana at Strawberry Stadium in Hammond, Louisiana, Oct. 14. The Cardinals, fueled by a 30-point outburst in the first half, crashed the Lions’ homecoming festivities and remained a perfect 3-0 in Southland Conference play. It was another efficient outing for quarterback Robert Coleman, who completed 17 of 22 passes for 257 yards and two touchdowns. He added an additional 34 rushing yards on s

Port Arthur News • 10/14/2023

Bulldogs display grit during 2nd half comeback bid against Fort Bend Marshall

NEDERLAND — The Nederland Bulldogs lost to the Fort Bend Marshall Buffalos, 21-19, in Friday night’s district matchup at Bulldog Stadium.

Despite having a better record than their opponent, Nederland entered the contest as an underdog against a talented Marshall team. While the Bulldogs fell behind early, they showed plenty of heart in the second half and fell just short of completing a comeback.

“Things didn’t go the way we wanted to in the first half,” said Nederland head coach Monte Barrow.

Orange Leader • 10/07/2023

Hard fought West Orange-Stark homecoming game ends in overtime

The West Orange-Stark Mustangs fell to the Hamshire-Fannett Longhorns, 21-14, Friday night at Dan R. Hooks Stadium in West Orange.

It was a disappointing loss on homecoming night for the Mustangs. A disjointed offense and difficult matchup led to a scoreless first half, and while WO-S survived to force OT, the home team couldn’t quite hold on to secure a district win.

“My kids are fighting their butts off,” Mustangs head coach Hiawatha Hickman said following the loss. “We’re getting better and

Lamar University Press • 10/04/2023

Cardinal football wins conference opener

Lamar University football opened Southland Conference play with a 21-19 win over Houston Christian University at Husky Stadium in Houston, Sept. 30.

It was a hard-fought victory for the Cardinals, who begin the conference slate in the win column for the first time since 2015.

“The kids have been resilient all year,” head coach Pete Rossomando said. “We played a good football team, so proud of these guys for continuing to battle. That’s two in a row now, so hopefully we get some momentum.”

The

Orange Leader • 09/30/2023

Orangefield battle turns into special accomplishment for coach Josh Smalley

ORANGEFIELD — The Orangefield Bobcats improved to 2-0 in 3A District 10 following Friday night’s 32-20 win over the Anahuac Panthers at McClain Stadium in Orangefield.

The comeback victory is sure to be in the record books — Bobcats head coach Josh Smalley became the winningest coach in program history as he tallied his 68th career win.

“Our motto for the year has been to keep swinging the axe,” Smalley said postgame. “Sometimes it takes until midway through the fourth quarter for that tree to

Port Arthur News • 09/23/2023

Here’s how Memorial-Sterling game went from close to one-sided in 2nd half

The Port Arthur Memorial Titans won Friday night’s district matchup against the Sterling Rangers, 52-10, at Memorial Stadium.

The Titans excelled on both sides of the ball during the homecoming win.

The defense forced multiple turnovers to create extra possessions. Memorial’s high-powered offense took advantage and never looked back after halftime.

“Our kids play really, really hard,” Memorial head coach Brian Morgan said after the game. “Over time, our guys just wear other teams down. They d

Lamar University Press • 09/18/2023

Taylor, others ring in Lamar's 100th at Centennial Fest

Lamar University President Jaime Taylor commemorated the school’s 100th anniversary with a speech at the Centennial Fest celebration, Sept. 17, in the Quad.

“Our founders understood the significance of higher education and envisioned an educational institution where innovation could thrive, paving the way for generations of leaders to find their footing in Texas,” Taylor said. “Today, as we celebrate 100 years, I think we can declare with confidence that we've not only fulfilled, but surpassed

Orange Leader • 09/16/2023

West Orange, Newton combine for 866 total yards of offense and 112 points

It was an offensive showcase for the ages in West Orange Friday night as the Mustangs fell to the Newton Eagles, 58-54, at Dan R. Hooks Stadium.

Defense was hard to come by in the non-district contest as the teams combined for 866 total yards of offense and 112 points.

“We didn’t hold up my hand on defense at all,” Mustangs head coach Hiawatha Hickman said. “Newton had a good plan. They executed well. That’s part of the game, and we just fell short tonight.”

WO-S made a statement on the openi

Lamar University Press • 09/13/2023

Building a future

Throughout the 100 years since Lamar University’s founding in 1923, sports have played an integral part of the college’s story.

Whether it’s baseball’s dominant run under legendary manager Jim Gilligan, men’s basketball making national waves in the late ’70s and early ’80s, or cross-country and golf ripping off dynastic runs across the 2000s, there’s plenty of history in the Cardinal record books.

“There’s certainly a long history of traditions and success here,” LU athletic director Jeff O’Ma

Lamar University Press • 09/13/2023

Centennial Fest set for Sunday

Are you ready for a party, Beaumont?

Lamar University will celebrate its 100th anniversary with Centennial Fest, a community-wide event taking place from 4-8 p.m. in the Quad on Lamar’s campus, Sept. 17.

“We have a ton of success with the things that we do, but we don't often have an opportunity to celebrate the successes,” Golden Wright, Dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communication, who was on. the festival planning committee, said. “This is an opportunity for faculty, staff, students,

Orange Leader • 09/09/2023

Numerous 4th quarter lead changes highlight Little Cypress-Mauriceville, Bridge City showdown

The Little Cypress-Mauriceville Bears survived a nail-biter Friday night, defeating the Bridge City Cardinals, 30-23, at Battlin’ Bear Stadium in Little Cypress.

The Bears may have entered the night as the favorites, but they couldn’t take anything for granted against a scrappy Bridge City team.

“That coaching staff has done an amazing job with that team,” LC-M head coach Eric Peevey said. “Hats off to those guys and hats off to our own players. We just overcame, and I’m really proud of them t

Lamar University Press • 09/06/2023

Lamar gearing up for week two matchup with Warhawks

Lamar University football has another tough opponent lined up for week two — the Cardinals travel four hours eastward to face the University of Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks.

Louisiana-Monroe is fresh off a 17-13 win against Army, albeit an ugly one. While the Warhawks scored twice in the fourth quarter to complete the comeback, their offense didn’t exactly have a stellar performance.

Lamar’s number-one priority will be stopping the run. The task is easier said than done, but the Warhawks don’t sp

Orange Leader • 09/02/2023

Mustangs battle Bears in 2023 Orange Bowl

The West Orange-Stark Mustangs improved to 2-0 following Friday night’s 33-6 win over the Little Cypress-Mauriceville Bears in the annual Orange Bowl, held at Dan R. Hooks Stadium in West Orange.

“This is a local rivalry with a lot of time and a lot of people invested in it,” Mustangs head coach Hiawatha Hickman said following the game. “It’s always good to come out on top.”

It was a strong night on the ground for the Mustangs. The team racked more than 300 rushing yards, punishing a soft LC-M

Lamar University Press • 09/02/2023

Lamar drops season opener to Vandals

The Lamar University Cardinals opened the 2023 football season with a 42-17 loss to the No. 8 Idaho Vandals, Aug. 31, at Provost Umphrey Stadium.

While the odds of upsetting a nationally-ranked opponent were slim heading into Thursday night’s action, the game’s result remains a disappointing start to head coach Pete Rossomando’s time at Lamar.

“The kids battled,” Rossomando said at his postgame press conference. “They got to the end and kept trying to score, kept trying to play. So, I’m proud

Lamar University Press • 08/28/2023

Cardinals fired up to face nationally-ranked Idaho

The wait is over — college football is back in Beaumont.

The Lamar Cardinals kick off the 2023 campaign at Provost Umphrey Stadium vs. the Idaho Vandals, Aug. 31. The contest represents more than just the start of a new season, though.

It’s the dawn of a new era for Cardinal football.

The season opener marks the official debut of Lamar head coach Pete Rossomando, who took over the program last December.

Rossomando garnered national recognition for turning multiple Football Championship Subdi