By Dr. David Davis
Pearland posted a 6-5 record last year under first-year head coach B.J. Gotte.
Gotte indicated the first year would be tough as the Oilers, as a team, had fallen behind in their strength and conditioning over the previous four years, but he was confident that Pearland fans would see a different team this year, and he was right.
The Oilers will come into their final game of the regular season against Alief Hastings with a 7-2 mark. With the odds in their favor, they could finish with an 8-2 record entering the playoffs for the 24th consecutive year.
Pearland owned the Crusaders from the start of the game as they built a 21-0 lead from the opening kickoff in the first quarter as they scored the first three possessions of the game.
The first touchdown came on a 2-yard run by LaDamion McDowell to complete a 54-yard, 7-play scoring drive for a 7-0 lead with 8:03 remaining in the first quarter. Jackson Stagg hit the PAT.
The Oilers scored next on a 74-yard, 5-play drive capped off by a 2-yard scoring dash by McDowell for a 14-0 advantage with 4:34 left in the opening period.
With 11:55 left in the second quarter, Pearland scored again, completing a 74-yard, six-play drive when senior QB Cole Morkovsky gave a 2-yard scoring toss to TD Logan Johnson to make the score 21-0 following the PAT by Stagg.
Strake Jesuit took the ensuing kickoff 94-yards to the Oilers one-yard line before punching the ball across the goal line with 11:34 left in the second period to cut the margin to 21-7.
However, that would be all the scoring for the Crusaders as the Oilers went on a 35-0 scoring barrage for the remainder of the game.
The Oilers would score three more times in the first half as McDowell scored the third touchdown of the game and 24th TD of the season on a crowd-pleasing 55-yard scoring jaunt to give the Oilers a 28-7 lead at the 6:42 mark of the second quarter.
The rest of the quarter saw Morkovsky throw two scoring passes to WR Luke Allen, covering 24 yards, and one to senior WR Patrick Bridges for 25 yards to make the halftime score 42-7.
Pearland wrapped up the game in the second half as Morkovsky hit Bridges on a beautiful 38-yard scoring strike in the third period, and the final score came on a 5-yard scoring toss to Bradley Grych from QB Jake Westmoreland to post the 56-7 final score.
Morkovsky completed 14-of-21 passing for 179 yards and four touchdowns.
McDowell had 13 carries for 156 yards and four scores, while Juan Marines had seven carries for 27 yards, Tate Chisolm had three totes for 13 yards, and Josiah Davis had two carries for 12 yards.
Bridges had eight grabs for 119 yards and two scores, while Allen had three catches for 48 yards and a TD.
Pearland finishes the regular season on Thursday, November 2, at Alief Hastings (Crump Stadium) at 7:00 p.m.
