PORT NECHES, Texas — The Port Neches Groves spirit is in full effect this week as the entire community is cheering on "The Indians" for their upcoming semi final game tomorrow against the Liberty Hill Panthers.
This is the second year in a row that the high school football team has made it to the semi finals hoping to get back to the State Championship game again.
The game kicks off at 7 p.m. Friday, December 8, 2023 at the Cy-Fair FCU Stadium located at the Berry Center which is an outdoor venue in Northwest Houston.
A game the community of PNG has been counting down to see.
Owner of Tribe Nutrition Heather Burton says the whole community is thrilled.
"The daily practices, from Thanksgiving or before Thanksgiving even the energy has been spot on," she said.
"These guys are really good.
Burton's son plays on the football team and at her business, she put her own spin on Purple Pride.
"We have lots of spirits sales and we drink purple on Fridays," she said.
And she isn't the only one.
Three business owners have created special desserts and even a purple drink to drum some of winning vibes. And they say when it comes to PNG Football, you can really see how much the community comes together.
Jessie Garcia has been working at Complete Athlete, which he and his wife Carrie have owned since 1999. It's the same year up until 2022 that the Indians advanced to the State Championships.
"Being able to just go travel with these guys and watch just to experience this on the field with these kids being a football fan it's been amazing. It's great whenever you have a coach come in like that gets those kids back to a level that we as fans and parents know they can be at. from an area like this where we go and play such large schools really goes to show what coaches can really do," he said.
And after you've gotten your purple drink, and all the purple gear you can handle, treat yourself to some PNG Gingerbread Men at Sugar Momma's Confections located at 1512 Nederland Avenue in Nederland.
"Combining the two together just makes it more special, " Angie Cook, Owner of Sugar Momma's Confections said.
Cook is an alumni of PNG and says while the holidays have kept her too busy to go to the game, she'll be cheering from her bakery.
"We'll be ready because when we bring home that next win we gotta get ready for the big game," she said.
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This is a developing story. We will update with more if and when we receive more confirmed information.