OF, EC meet up for 34th time

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OF, EC meet up for 34th time

Gabriel Pruett

The Orange Leader

ORANGEFIELD — The Orangefield Bobcats will see a familiar foe tonight at F.L. McLain Stadium to open up the season.

The Bobcats will square off against the East Chambers Buccaneers for the 34th time in the history of the two schools.

Orangefield holds a 19-14 mark over East Chambers with the Bucs winning the previous two seasons. The teams first met in 1958 with Orangefield a 24-0 winner. East Chambers first won against Orangefield in 1962 as Orangefield had rolled off a four-game winning streak to start the rivalry.

East Chambers was a 21-14 winner over a more-than-ready Orangefield squad which battled back after being down 21-0 early in the third quarter.

The Bucs may be on a two-game winning streak against the Bobcats but one major part of those wins is now at the University of Arkansas — Tramain Thomas.

East Chambers looks to be a much different team this season with the graduation of Thomas who could score from anywhere on the field at any give time.

The Bobcats will still have to worry about running back Donte Raymond who bruised his way to 80 yards on 15 carries in last year’s contest.

The Bucs do return 10 starters from last year’s team which went 9-2.

Trey Lambert is now the quarterback in charge of running the offense in the absence of Thomas.

Orangefield will also look a lot different on offense to start the season, at least different in the faces.

Junior Jace Statum will take over the quarterback position as Jared Helton graduated last year.

Statum on offense last year caught five passes for 125 yards and one touchdown.

Senior Zach Peevey is now the starting running back after rushing for 406 yards on 102 carries and two scores in 2007.

Statum and Derrick Evans are the leading returning receivers for the Bobcats. Evans caught three passes for 28 yards a season ago.

The Bobcats averaged 293.6 yards a contest in 2007 while giving up 331.1 yards on defense. Orangefield was outscored 304-228 a year ago, 124-50 in the second quarter.