On their final night of 2025, a familiar theme emerged, as Livingston football struggled to stop the run. The Lions allowed a season high in points to Vidor, dropping a 65-45 game Friday at Kenneth Ivan Croak Field.
Few take as much pride in the run game as Vidor, who did not disappoint the home fans. The Pirates scored touchdowns on nine of 10 possessions Friday, running for 485 yards. They were perfect on six passing attempts, bringing the total Vidor yardage to 634.
Landon Jones led rushers with 180 yards on 18 carries with three touchdowns. Kason Jones ran the ball 19 times for 166 yards and two scores.
The Livingston (0-7, 2-8) offense was also productive. T.J. Garner saved his best night for last, hauling in nine passes for 217 yards and reaching the end zone twice. Tyler Soza passed for 462 yards and four touchdowns. He also rushed for 38 yards and three goal line crossings. Ziekus Garner had five grabs for 124 yards and a six-pointer.
“T.J. is a competitive kid. We have the ability to be explosive and do some good things scheme-wise. The focus was getting our skill kids in space and in one-on-ones. I thought we did a real good job of that. We're losing a lot at those positions, but the kids have been in it for a little bit now and we have the sub-varsity kids. We will have a good year coming forward.”
Down 14-7, Livingston drove to the Vidor 5-yard line for a first-and-goal. Three five-yard penalties and an interception set Vidor up on the Livingston 12. Three plays later, Kason Jones sprinted into the end zone.
The Bucs received an extra possession when the kickoff ricocheted off a Lion. A 43-yard Kason Jones run put the home team up 28-7.
Vidor's (2-5, 2-8) advantage grew to 44-19 by halftime. The Lions would narrow the difference to 58-45 midway through the final period, but could not come up with an onside kick.
Though his first year as head coach didn’t end the way he wanted, Carter said he will remember 2025 as a team that continued to compete.
“(It is) a bunch of kids that didn't know who I was when I walked through the door, gave me a chance, busted their tails and believed in something bigger than them for the community and for the school. We never just quit when it didn't go our way, even though it didn't go our way a bunch. There were fumbles we couldn't get on, interceptions we dropped, penalties didn't go our way, it was just the adversity. One of the things our kids got a lot of this year is how adversity in the game of football affects them in life. They are getting better at overcoming that. A lot of our issues will be fixed with a full offseason with the staff.
“We have to be consistent day in and day out. They are going to enter a world they have probably never been in with our offseason program. We will be tougher, we will be more disciplined, and have a little more grit, just because they have been a part of a full-blown offseason. Our kids have embraced the structure since I've gotten here and that will continue to get better. I do feel like a lot of our issues and things that we did not do well this year, our offseason fixes. It has nothing to do with X’s and O's. It has everything to do with mentality, want-to and overall resiliency. We're going to find a way, no matter what the circumstances.”
