No. 7 state-ranked Pearland thrashes Alvin 61-3

    So far this season, Pearland has dominated every team they have played and put up video numbers on offense, but the No. 7 state-ranked undefeated Oilers (4-0, 2-0) may face their stiffest test of the 2025 season in the Manvel Mavericks who are 2-2 on the season and 1-1 in district action.
    “We have made steady improvements every week,” said head coach B.J. Gotte. “This matchup against Manvel will be a very good barometer for where we are currently at as team.”
    Pearland’s offense has shown they can score, but the Oilers’ defense as equally shown they can protect their side of the ball.
    Against Alvin, the Pearland defense held the Yellowjackets offense to minus -30 yards rushing and 63 yards passing for a total of 33 yards of offense.
    Meanwhile, Pearland rolled up 253 yards on the ground and 262 yards through the air for a total of 515 yards.
    The Pearland defense scored the first points of the game against Alvin when they tackled the Alvin punter in the end zone on their opening possession for a 2-0 lead with 10:18 left in the first quarter.
    The Oilers got the ensuing kickoff following the safety at their own 44. Six plays later, senior QB Jake Westmoreland fired a 37-yard scoring pass to WR sophomore Braxton Jones for his first of three touchdown grabs.
    Westmoreland and Jones also hooked up together on scoring tosses of 15-yards in the second quarter and a 79-yard touchdown just before intermission giving the Oilers a 37-0 halftime lead.
    Other scores in the first half came on a 9-yard pass from Westmoreland to junior WR Michael Shawver and a 51-yard scoring jaunt by RB Ja’Maurey Champion.
    Junior kicker Holden Macneish contributed a first-half 31-yard field goal.
    The Oilers continued the onslaught in the second half as sophomore RB Royce Swan excited the crowd with a 75-yard touchdown with :58 seconds gone in the third quarter to make the score 44-0.
    Coach Gotte started to empty the bench as senior RB Jadon Howard scored twice on runs of 2 and 30-yards in the third period and Macneish ended the scoring in the fourth quarter with 1:07 left with a 24-yard field goal to post the 61-3 final score.
    Looking toward the next game with Manvel, coach Gotte said, “With a team that is as explosive as Manvel, we cannot give them any cheap opportunities with misfits or busted assignments, and we must limit negative plays on offense so we can sustain drives and stay on schedule.
    “We will need to take care of the football on offense and special teams and to not give them any extra possessions.”
    Of course, teams always have to overcome any injuries as the season progresses.
    “Like most teams we are dealing with some injures, but none of them are season ending,” said Gotte. “We have a next man up mentality and look forward to see players get opportunities to show what they can do when their number is called.”
    Westmoreland was 8-for-11 passing for 178 yards and four touchdowns while backup quarterback junior Kaleb Smith was 5-for-7 for 84 yards.
    Swan had four carries for 100 yards and one score while Champion had six totes for 63 yards and one TD. Jadon Howard had 11 carries for 68 yards and two scores.
    Jones had four catches for 140 yards and three scores while Kaleb Samuels had three grabs for 59 yards. Shawver had three catches for 31 yards and one TD.
    Pearland will host Manvel on Friday, September 26 at The Rig at 7:00 p.m.