PORT NECHES, Texas — From watching on the sidelines to dawning the name, Cole Crippen is living out his childhood dream leading his hometown team through playoffs.
"Everyone and everything around here means a lot to me," Crippen said. "I mean I've been around since since I was I think 4 years old, coming to games, dreaming about being an Indian, so there's a lot on the line, but I love Port Neches."
Crippen and the Indians were humbled early in the season with their loss to Port Arthur Memorial but he says it forced the offense to find its rhythm.
"We obviously started out rough with PA-Memorial and then we just took practice with a different attitude, and that, of course, got me close to them," Crippen said.
Crippen's accuracy and arm caught head coach Jeff Joseph's attention when he took over the program, but the quarterback's competitive nature is what continues to stand out.
"He doesn't get overwhelmed," Coach Joseph said. 'Cole is very competitive and he's very hard on himself, probably too much at times hard on himself, and he's able to handle a lot of situations."
"He's actually risen his level of play when it's mattered the most," Coach Joseph said. 'He makes throws when we need him to make throws and we know we can lean on him when we have to have him."
As for Fridays 5A Division Two State Semifinal game against Liberty Hill, it's just that to the senior.
"It's just another football game," Crippen said. "I mean, it's what? Round five? You just treat it like very other game."
A game that in reality has a little more meaning to a locker room filled with PNG pride