By Brian Besch
[email protected]
After a week of competitive football versus a Class 6A school, the Livingston Lions will try their luck with a consistent playoff team from 4A. The Needville Blue Jays will travel to Polk County Friday for the Lion home opener.
Livingston coach Finis Vanover was complimentary of his squad, saying the coaching staff has been able to learn a considerable amount in just one contest.
“What we told them is that for two and a half quarters, we won,” Vanover said. “We played winning football, and (the game) was even for a half. They won one quarter of total time, where they took advantage of just terrible blunders that we made. Other than that, we had a good contest. We saw a bunch of good things from a bunch of young guys, and I was proud of the effort. I am disappointed in the final result, but we saw some really positive things.”
Vanover said eight plays – five on offense and three on defense – were the difference Saturday. Otherwise, he feels his team can handle anyone on the schedule if a similar effort continues.
“We all feel like we lost to a lesser team. Even with who they are and the size and all of that, we were a better team and let them off the hook because of our own mistakes that they took advantage of. Hats off to (Austin).”
The head coach praised his young and inexperienced offensive line, but a few blocks missed later in the game proved to be costly. A quarterback-center snap exchange cost the team a turnover, and there were four fumbled exchanges total.
The passing game was also improved, connecting with seven different receivers overall. The Lions averaged 10.6 yards per catch.
“That was a welcomed sign right there,” the coach said. “If we can get a first down every time we catch the ball, we’ve got things going pretty good. We are throwing it to four different positions. We gave them a little bit of everything. We completed two from the pocket, we completed three from play action, and two rolling out. The incompletions were almost identical. We wanted to come in and throw from all three. We did a great job of protecting.”
Damorian Hill took the majority of snaps behind center, but that could change in the coming weeks. He has proved himself to be valuable on defense, and coaches are excited about the possibility of Tyler Soza and Brayden Carr at quarterback.
Austin was held to 103 yards rushing and 150 yards passing, with much of that on a few long plays.
“We gave them some gifts and shouldn’t have. We cannot let people make a living off our mistakes. We couldn’t get our feet untangled a few times. I think it is going to be a good growing period for us and help us a bunch. We are going to need it, because this week it is the same Needville that they have put on film for four years.”
Last year, the Blue Jays held on for a five-point win over Livingston in Needville. They were 10-3 on the season and area champions, defeating Lumberton for that title. The ‘Jays would eventually lose to the same Kilgore squad that knocked the Lions from the postseason. Last week, they defeated Columbia 21-7.
“The quarterback loves to drop back deep and throw it deep, because he can, down the sidelines,” Vanover said of Needville’s offense. “On first down or fourth down, or from their one-yard line, it doesn’t matter. They have those big boys up front and they will power run you with a counter trey. They will pull a guard and that slot back will come in and block on a power lead play, kind of like Lumberton always did.”
Needville will mostly align with three wide receivers, with a running back and slot back.
The Livingston defensive backs will once again be tested. Vanover said other than a few busted assignments, he liked the way his secondary reacted to a spread offense in the first week of the season.
“(Needville) will play in a 50 defense that they have always played. They will jump slide to try to mess up blocking assignments or (cause Lion linemen to) jump offsides. They play a four-spoke umbrella defense in the secondary. We have never had trouble scoring points on them, so it ought to be fun and physical.”
While the recent non-district series has been competitive, the Lions are looking for their first victory over the Blue Jays. In 2020, Needville came from behind for a 36-35 win. The 2022 contest in Livingston was decisive at 44-19. Yet, much of the current roster will recall last season’s chance, a 33-28 final.
Comment
Comments