Injuries, sickness plaque Cards heading into Buna

[Bobcatfan4life]

Injuries, sickness plaque Cards heading into Buna

Gabriel Pruett

The Orange Leader

BRIDGE CITY — Every team this time of year is dealing with injuries.

Players roll their ankles, shoulders start to ache and bruises start to pop up in all sorts of places.

Things are no different for the Bridge City Cardinals (2-1) this week as they get ready to travel to face the Buna Cougars (2-1).

This will be the fifth overall meeting between the two schools with Bridge City holding a 3-1 edge in the series. The Cardinals won the first ever meeting between the two schools, 36-0, in 2000 and Bridge City has outscored Buna 128-20 in the series.

This group of Cardinals comes in banged up after last week’s 16-0 loss to Little Cypress-Mauriceville.

The flu bug has hit the Cardinals’ roster and show has a rash of injuries, some happening away from practice.

“We are a little banged up this week,†Cardinals’ coach Cris Stump said. “The flu bug hit us and I talked to my brother (Craig Stump) and it was at West Brook last week. So it is making its rounds.â€

Stump said three Cardinals were hurt at their homes including a player tripping over a chair and one cutting his foot when getting into a hot tub.

The Cardinals do expect to have running back Matt Menard back after he suffered a concussion last week against the Bears.

“Matt feels good and was cleared for Friday,†Stump said. “Josh (Lemoine) feels better each day. He has a toe and knee sprain plus he has back pains. I would be very surprised if he was not out there Friday. The only one doubtful is Luke Rhodes. He has had ankle issues since last year and played through it. Now there is scar tissue which can be quite painful.â€

Menard has rushed for 210 yards and three touchdowns in 2009. Lemoine has 111 yards rushing and 210 yards passing with two touchdowns.

Rhodes is the Cardinals’ leading receiver with five receptions while Cameron Dishon has four catches for 121 yards and two scores.

The Cardinals’ offense is averaging 222.7 yards a game.

Stump did say offensive lineman Dylan Mulhollan will be out with a foot injury.

“Obviously if the kids miss school they don’t practice,†Stump said. “If they are here, they let us know what they can and can’t do. If they start to feel sick, then they are able to back off. As coaches we realize we are not the only ones dealing with it when a kid is hurt or sick.â€

Buna has already been beaten by an Orange County team this year, a 37-14 loss to the Orangefied Bobcats.

Orangefield racked up 368 yards on the ground against Buna and limited the Cougars to 189 yards rushing and 63 passing in the game.

“Buna looks like Buna,†Stump said. “They are not a huge team but will get after you. If you make a mistake, they are going to make you pay for it.

“Our kids took the loss well last week. They are mad. They realize what could have happened and what opportunity was there for them but not to take anything away from LC-M. They are ready to get back on the winning track.â€

Stump said his team did a nice job of not making penalties in the loss to LC-M but remembers the Cardinals committed their first turnovers of the season in the game. Bridge City eventually turned the ball over four times to LC-M.

“We cut down on penalties but turned the ball over four times,†Stump said. “We had plays to make and didn’t make them. We are going to have to cut down on that and balance those two things out a bit.â€

Dakota Risinger and the Cardinals’ defense has limited opponents to 240.7 yards a contest this season.

[Javelina]

Already a excuse if Buna beats Bridge City!!!!  I have never read anywhere that Buna is banged up or a few kids got a fever or the sniffels.  If you beat Buna you beat em not to many excuses other than if didn't have that turnover or something to that nature.