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Port Neches Groves Jeff Joseph
PN-G’s Joseph earns Bum Phillips coaching award
By Bob West
Jeff Joseph of Port Neches-Groves, who made an eye-opening statement in his first season with the Indians, has been named winner of the 4th Annual National Football Foundation Bum Phillips Golden Triangle High School Coach of the Year Award.
Joseph, an assistant at Southlake Lake Carroll in 2021, guided PN-G to a 13-3 record and its first appearance in the state finals since 1999. The Indians, after placing second in district, roared through the playoffs before losing to Dallas South Oak Cliff in the 5A Division II title game.
In recognition of the honor, Joseph will be presented a Balfour ring designed in Phillips’ image. The presentation will be made at 2 p.m. Thursday, March 2 in the Museum of the Gulf Coast. The public is encouraged to attend.
Normally Bum’s son Wade Phillips, who played for his dad at PN-G in the mid-1960s, comes in to make the ring presentation. Wade, however, is busy coaching the Houston Roughnecks of the XFL.
Legendary Texas High School coach Todd Dodge, a former Port Arthur Thomas Jefferson All-America quarterback, is going to pinch hit for Phillips. Dodge won seven state championships – four at Southlake Carroll and three at Austin Westlake.
Dodge is a recent Museum of the Gulf Coast inductee and strongly endorsed Joseph for the PN-G job. Joseph was an assistant coach under Dodge’s son Riley at Southlake Carroll before coming to Port Neches.
Also expected to participate in the program is Joseph’s dad Gary who has won five state championships at Katy. There is an outside chance Riley Dodge will attend.
Previous winners of the Phillips award are Silsbee’s Randy Smith, Nederland’s Monte Barrow and Eric Peevey of Little Cypress-Mauriceville.
Katy's Star RB Seth Davis
MAINTAINING MOMENTUM: Davis, Katy returning to the State Semifinals
Katy’s dominant postseason continued following their recent 56-34 victory over C.E. King at NRG Stadium last Friday in the Regional Finals.
With only two wins away from claiming their 10th title, the undefeated Tigers will look to their top playmaker, RB Seth Davis, to maintain his MVP-caliber form and lead Katy to the State Championship.
After falling to Westlake in last year’s State Semifinals game (45-14), Davis and company are determined to flip the script in their matchup against Vandegrift.
“Last year didn’t end how we wanted it to,” said Davis. “It would be awesome to get another ring, so we have been working hard all throughout the offseason in order to make up for that, and win another State Championship.”
Seth Davis and his older brother, Jalen, were key factors in Katy’s 2020 title. The younger Davis’ game has only sky-rocketed since. Since he was a child, it’s been a goal of his to become one of the best running backs to ever play for Katy.
“I knew Katy had a lot of great running backs and I wanted to be part of that list,” Davis said. “It took hard work, even when times were tough. I’d have to thank my parents for that. They took me to all the workouts so that I could get better and perfect my craft. Without them, I wouldn’t be where I am.”
Due to his exceptional high school career, Davis has been given the opportunity to play in college at Mississippi State, following the conclusion of his senior year. Exciting though it may be, the memories the young athlete has amassed during his time as a Tiger, will not soon be forgotten.
“It’s been great playing for Katy,” said Davis. “My most memorable moment is when I scored six TDs in one game (the most single-game scores in Katy history). But, I’ve made several life-long friends, and it’s been great playing for Coach [Gary] Joseph and all the other coaches who have taught me to be unselfish and how to persevere.”
The Katy Tiger standoutsBradley Collier (VYPE)
The future looks bright for No. 23, but the Tigers have their sights set on another 6A State Championship, before anything else. Currently, Vandegrift stands in their way of returning to the Title game. The two powerhouses are set to face off this Saturday at 1 P.M, at the Alamodome in San Antonio.
“We are just going to keep doing what we’ve been doing,” Davis said. “Running the ball and executing the play-action has been our offensive strength. We expect to play a good team, who plays hard on Saturday. So, we’ve gotta be ready to go.”