Bobcats get Liberty in home opener

[Bobcatfan4life]

Bobcats get Liberty in home opener

Gabriel Pruett

The Orange Leader

ORANGEFIELD — Tonight’s game in Orangefield might not take too long.

The Bobcats (1-1) love to run the football under Brian Huckabay and it is obvious Liberty is keen to keep it on the ground themselves.

This will only be the fourth meeting between the two schools. Liberty won the first one in 2002, 14-10, in the bi-district round of the playoffs. Orangefield returned the favor and defeated the Panthers in 2003, 21-14, in the bi-district round.

Tonight’s 7:30 p.m. game at F.L. McLain Stadium will feature two teams who like to keep it simple and rush for first downs.

The Panthers rushed 55 times for 301 yards last week against Hamshire-Fannett in a 49-40 win over the Longhorns. The Bobcats carried the ball 53 times for 368 yards in a 34-17 victory over Buna a week ago.

“I have really been impressed with Liberty on film,†Orangefield coach Brian Huckabay said. “We have our work cut out for us. They use a power running game, very similar to us.â€

Huckabay and his staff probably did not have to go far to get film on the Panthers.

Bridge City defeated Liberty 23-15 in Week 0. Liberty rushed 42 times that night for 157 yards. Quarterback Jeremy Dickey was 17-for-29 passing with one interception while receiver Tevin Braxton had 15 catches for 153 yards.

“That No. 15 (Braxton) runs great routes and their quarterback puts the ball on the money,†Huckabay said. “They like to keep it on the ground but also have the ability to throw the football. I really am impressed with what they do.â€

Throwing the football is something Huckabay and the Bobcats have not done a lot of this season. In fact, the Bobcats have rushed the football (95 times) more than Bridge City (55 times) and LC-M (28 times) combined.

The Bobcats have 616 yards rushing with eight touchdowns and are led by Corey Huckabay who has 195 yards on 31 carries with three touchdowns. Derrick Evans has 163 yards on only nine totes with three scores. Chase Parker has two touchdowns on 16 carries.

Corey Huckabay has thrown all 11 passes for Orangefield for 129 yards and one touchdown.

Orangefield is averaging 372.5 yards a contest so far in 2009 and is giving up an average of 314.5 yards a game.

“What we have to do this week is the same story each week,†Huckabay said. “We have to win the games inside the game. We have to have great field position and limit the turnovers. The attitude of the kids has been great. They are smart kids who are wanting to learn and that makes my job easy.â€

[PANTHERPLAYA09]

Why are they playing on a thursday?

[Bobcatfan4life]

Why are they playing on a thursday?

That article will be in tomorrow's paper. The game is Friday night

[PANTHERPLAYA09]

o ok...lol I was wondering.

[braves24]

Teams will catch on to Orangefields plan very soon.

[PANTHERPLAYA09]

?

[braves24]

11 passes In two games, that makes them very predictable.

[Guest bleed orange]

11 passes In two games, that makes them very predictable.

Under Les Johnson BC ran the Wing-T and was very successful. Predictable or not you still have to stop it. Vidor runs it also.

[Panthers2010]

i dont know much about OF's secondary. what have they done this year?