For the seventh straight season, the Pearland Oilers have advanced to the post-season to set another PHS record. However, this year, head coach Tony Heath is not having to prepare his troops to meet state-power North Shore in the opening round.

The UIL realignment changed the Fort Bend schools to District 23-5A and moved North Shore, La Porte, Deer Park and the Pasadena schools to 22-5A.
Instead, the Oilers are preparing to meet the Dulles Vikings (8-2) on Saturday, November 18 at Clyde Abshier Stadium in Deer Park at 2:00 p.m. The Vikings boast the most prolific passing attack in the Houston area led by quarterback Cotton Turner who has completed 158-of-298 passes for 2,850 yards with 31 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Turner has two receivers who have 1,029 and 966 yards respectively.

However, the Vikings defense will have to defend the ground attack by the Oilers as they attempt to stop running back Fozzy Whittaker who has 1,709 yards on 207 carries and 14 touchdowns. Quarterback Sam Proctor has 120 carries for 858 yards and 11 scores. Whittaker averages 8.26 yards per carry while Proctor boasts a 7.15 yards per tote.

The Oilers were facing a do or done situation against Clear Brook. While the Wolverines were looking to get some help from fellow CCISD Clear Lake against Brazoswood to stay in contention for a playoff spot, Pearland knew going into their game with the Wolverines that a win sealed their place in the post-season.

Clear Lake was soundly defeated by Brazoswood 35-21 so all that was left was for the Oilers to take care of their own business.

It didn't take long for the Oilers to establish the direction of the game as Proctor, who looks to be 100 percent healthy after suffering an ankle injury a few weeks ago, proved his motor is fully charged as he burned the Clear Brook defense with a 58-yard scoring jaunt on the third play of the game. Robbie Hersh nailed the extra point giving Pearland a 7-0 lead with only 1:09 gone in the first quarter.

The Pearland defense held Clear Brook to minus-4 yards to force a punt.
It didn't take long for the Oilers to strike paydirt again as Whittaker danced his way to a 17-yard scoring burst through the Wolverines' defense. The extra point missed the mark leaving Pearland ahead 13-0 with 7:42 remaining in the opening period. The five-play, 67-yard drive was sparked by a 20-yard pass completion from Proctor to Lance Hayes and a 30-yard run by Proctor.
Clear Brook set up at their own 24 following the ensuing kickoff. Facing third-and-three, Pearland forced a fumble that was recovered by Andrew Hernandez at the Brook 27.

Proctor fired a pass to Kevin Miller covering 14 yards to the 13. Three plays later, Whittaker skirted right end for a two-yard score with 4:03 left in first quarter. Hersh booted the extra point for a 20-0 lead.

The wheels began to fall off for the Wolverines as they fumbled the kickoff that was recovered by the Oilers at the 31. It took only one play for Whittaker to find the pay station again. The extra point was wide right leaving Pearland in front 26-0 with 3:51 still remaining in the first quarter.
The Wolverines finally got untracked with a drive beginning on their own 35 to the Pearland 38, but Clear Brook was forced to punt.

The two teams traded punts before the Oilers got the ball at their own 48 with 7:17 left in the first half. Whittaker got the call on three straight carries on runs of 30, 6, and 12 yards with the latter finding the end zone. Hersh hit the extra point and the Oilers had a commanding 33-0 lead with 6:00 still left in the second period.

Clear Brook got the ball at their own 26 and put together a nice 13-play, 74-yard scoring drive capped off by a scoring pass from Cory Crader to Robert Rogers covering 15 yards. The extra point was blocked and Pearland's Nic Saenz scooped up the ball and sprinted 85 yards for the two-points leaving the score 35-6 to end the opening two quarters.

The Wolverines were still determined to turn things around at the start of the second half as they marched from their own 38 to the Pearland six-yard line. Facing fourth-and-five, Crader tossed a short pass to Chris York, but the Pearland defense had it sniffed out for a four-yard loss.

The Oilers' offense took over at their own 13 and used a 14-play, 87-yard drive to put their final points on the board as Roosevelt Weeks gathered in a 21-yard pass from Proctor with 2:33 left in the third period. The extra point was good and the final score was posted at 42-6. Sophomore running back Kacey Carrier was the workhorse of the drive with five carries for 45 yards.
Whittaker finished the game with 10 carries for 142 yards and four scores. He didn't play the second half. Proctor was 5-of-6 passing for 69 yards and one score while picking up 92 yards on six carries and a score.

The Oilers finish the regular season with an 8-2 mark and second place in the District 24-5A standing as Brazoswood went from worst to first this season in an incredible turnaround for the Buccaneers. Clear Creek and Ball High will also advance to the post-season from 24-5A.

A new season begins this Saturday as each team will bring in a 0-0 won/loss record. Pearland fans need to put on your gear and make some noise in support of the Oilers.