By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports
It’s the nature of high school sports that statistics are almost always kept by hand, and that some interpretations of rules and plays differ from press box to press box. There’s no NCAA to monitor, no statisticians’ handbook distributed to each school in any sport, not even football.
But as coaches say, game tape doesn’t lie.
Friday, a happy truth was confirmed that way. Evangel sophomore quarterback Pop Houston’s passing production in Thursday night’s epic 77-76 overtime loss at Captain Shreve is the best ever by a prep quarterback anywhere.
Houston’s passing total was initially reported overnight as 767 yards, but it has been updated to an official accumulation of 817 yards in the air.
That is 30 yards more than the nine-year-old national record of 787 by Pennsylvanian Matt Miller in 2015.
Houston completed 53 of 68 throws, with eight going for touchdowns, and no interceptions. Additionally, he ran for 102 yards on 16 carries, including a pair of TDs.
The stats were revised following a thorough review of the HUDL game tape by longtime local sports journalist Roy Lang III, with consultation with other scribes confirming National Federation of State High School Athletic Associations statistics guidelines.
Houston’s yardage total tapped the city record of 588 set in 2021 by Huntington’s Kamron Evans in a game against Bastrop.
Captain Shreve’s first-year head coach, Jeremy Wilburn, was the offensive coordinator at Huntington then.
“He’s slippery. He gets in and out of the pocket really fluidly. When you don’t tackle well on him, and he extends plays, it’s hard to cover guys for 4-5 seconds,” said Wilburn postgame Thursday.
And it was only Houston’s sixth start. He transferred to Evangel earlier this year.
“It was amazing,” said Houston. “It was a high-energy game. It was just fun.
“It’s a blessing. Guys got open. I was able to put it on them. My linemen did a great job today,” he said. “Receivers caught every pass that was thrown to them. That’s all I can ask for as a quarterback.”
Did he get the feeling of “I can’t miss?”
“At some point I did,” said Houston, chuckling. “But it was all God-given. I continue to glorify him.”
Of all the 53 completions, he cited one that didn’t wind up where it was intended at the one that was going to stick in his memory banks.
On the final snap of the first half, at the Shreve 27, Houston was flushed out of the pocket toward the Eagles’ sideline. He threw toward the middle of the end zone looking for Charley Abraham, but a Gators’ defender arrived when the ball did and dislodged it a few feet away. Before it hit the ground, another ECA receiver scooped it just before it fell incomplete, scoring a TD that lifted Evangel up 35-22.
“I’d say the one before the half, Johnny Casey catching the tip,” said Houston. “That’s probably my favorite one.”
Demarkus Evans led the Eagles with 14 catches and had 163 yards. Casey collected 266 on 13 receptions, including five touchdowns, and Abraham was close behind with 12 grabs for 215 yards and a score.
Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com
SCORING SUMMARY
Evangel 14 21 21 14 6 – 76
Capt. Shreve 7 15 34 14 7 – 77
E – Johnny Casey 13 pass from Peyton Houston (Kaegan Kent kick), 4:51 1st, Evangel 7-0
CS – Jamarcea Plater 1 run (Zane Wyss kick), 3:27 1st, tied 7-7
E – Casey 41 pass from Houston (Kent kick), 2:09 1st, Evangel 14-7
E – Damari Drake 10 run (Kent kick), 11:12 2nd, Evangel 21-7
CS – Plater 59 run (Wyss kick), 9:58 2nd, Evangel 21-14
E – Nate Green 15 pass from Houston (Kent kick), 9:17 2nd, Evangel 28-14
CS – DJ Waldon 11 run (Plater run), 0:59 2nd, Evangel 28-22
E – Casey 27 pass from Houston (Kent kick), 0:00 2nd, Evangel 35-22
CS – Waldon 10 pass from Savage (Wyss kick), 9:10 3rd, Evangel 35-29
E – Casey 38 pass from Houston (Kent kick), 7:43 3rd, Evangel 42-29
CS – Devers 53 pass from Savage (Wyss kick), 7:31 3rd, Evangel 42-35
E – Charley Abraham 10 pass from Houston (Kent kick), 5:08 3rd, Evangel 49-36
CS – Plater 63 run (run failed), 3:54 3rd, Evangel 49-42
E – Casey 31 pass from Houston (Kent kick), 3:01 3rd, Evangel 55-42
CS – Plater 73 run (Wyss kick), 1:45 3rd, Evangel 56-49
CS – Waldon 41 pass from Savage (Wyss kick), 0:14 3rd, tied 56-56
E – Houston 7 run (kick blocked), 10:09 4th, Evangel 62-56
CS – Lionel Prudhomme 16 run (Wyss kick), 7:44 4th, CS 63-62
CS – Plater 56 pass from Savage (Wyss kick), 2:15 4th, CS 70-62
E – Houston 2 run (Casey pass from Houston), 0:59 4th, tied 70-70
E – Green 10 pass from Houston (pass failed), OT, Evangel 76-70
CS – Justin Hall 10 pass from Savage (Wyss kick), OT, CS 77-76
Individual statistics (corrected Friday)
RUSHING – Evangel, Houston 16-102, 2 TDs, Josh Isaac 5-25; Drake 2-25, TD; Demarkus Evans 1-(-5); Kionti Mims 4-7. Team 1-(-14). Shreve, Plater 19-352-4; Lionel Prudhomme 1-16-1; DJ Waldon 2-12-1; Hall 3-13.
PASSING – Evangel, Houston 53-65-0-817-8. Shreve, Savage 24-35-1-462-5
RECEIVING – Evangel, Evans 14-163; Casey 13-266, 5 TDs; Abraham 12-215, TD; Green 8-121, 2 TDs; Isaac 8-52. Shreve, Devers 6-190-1; Plater 4-87-1; Waldon 4-74-2; Hall 3-27-1; Chris Hill 2-35; Walker Bolton 2-20; JT Hester 2-22; Kaleb Law 2-7.