Cards, Bobcats set for Bayou Bowl showdown

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[b]Cards, Bobcats set for Bayou Bowl showdown

Gabriel Pruett
The Orange Leader

BRIDGE CITY —[/b] The coaches can call it a normal game and the players can go through practices like normal but tonight is far from normal at Larry B. Ward Stadium.

The Bayou Bowl will take place tonight as the Bridge City Cardinals entertain the Orangefield Bobcats. The Cardinals lead the all-time series 11-6 and Bridge City won 14-7 last year.

It is a big night for both teams as this year’s edition of the Bayou Bowl has playoff implications on the line for the first time in several years.

Bridge City (5-3, 1-2) can all but lock up a playoff spot with a win tonight while Orangefield (4-4, 1-2) will be looking to stay in the playoff hunt.

Bridge City ends its regular season next week by traveling to face the winless Hamshire-Fannett Longhorns while Orangefield will play host to the West Orange-Stark Mustangs.

“It honestly is far from a normal game,” Cardinals’ coach Cris Stump said. “No. 1 Orangefield is our rival and No. 2 we win this game and next week and we are in the playoffs. That is certainly a good feeling. It is not hard to get focused this week.”

This is the first Bayou Bowl for first-year Orangefield coach Brian Huckabay and he can tell both communities are excited about this year’s contest.

“There are rivalries all over the state,” Huckabay said. “I have been a part of different ones in different regions and it is good for high school sports. You want it to be a friendly rivalry. It is what makes this game so much fun.”

The fun will start at 7:30 p.m. as the Cardinals try to slow down what has been a very successful Orangefield offense that averages a district-best 383.4 yards a game.

Quarterback Corey Huckabay leads the Bobcats with 783 yards with 12 touchdowns while Evan Guidry has 514 yards and eight trips to the endzone.

Derrick Evans has 417 yards and four scores, Chase Parker has 299 yards and two touchdowns, Josh Shores has 222 yards and a score while Quinton Evans has 205 yards and five touchdowns. Rylan Cook has 177 yards and four touchdowns.

“Corey Huckabay has made a huge difference,” Stump, whose defense gives up 241.9 yards a game, said. He is their rushing leader and he has made a big impact for those guys. (Bridge City defensive coordinator Rob) Caraway does a great job with our defense and Friday will be a defense played with assignments. Everyone has a job. You have to take care of your responsibilities and we are going to try to do it that way.”

Stump has enjoyed the defensive change of heart for the Cardinals this season and he said the Bridge City fans have noticed.

“Even in the Silsbee game, we were hearing chants of ‘Defense,’” Stump added. “We have not heard that in years. Thomas Taylor and Dakota Risinger have been making it hard for teams to run against us and our secondary has really been playing great all year.”

Huckabay is looking for his team to cut back on the four turnovers the Bobcats had in a 56-20 loss to Silsbee last week.

“We have been doing a great job all year of holding on to the football,” Huckabay said. “We will certainly be asking them to not do that again.”

Orangefield must find a way to contain Bridge City sophomore running back Matt Menard.

Menard leads District 21-3A in rushing with 788 yards to go with eight touchdowns.

“Here lately the fans are screaming every time Matt touches the ball,” Stump said. “Matt is self-motivated and a shy kid and I am glad he is on our team. I told you before, I would never want to try to tackle him.”

Menard is not alone on the Bridge City offense.

Quarterback Josh Lemoine has thrown for 696 yards and 10 touchdowns. Cameron Dishon has rushed for 152 yards and leads the team with 16 receptions for 301 yards and seven touchdowns. Menard and Luke Rhodes each have 11 catches.

The Bridge City offense averages 244.3 yards per game while the Orangefield defense gives up 299.1 yards a contest

“Bridge City has a quarterback that is very effective and they can easily make big plays on special teams,” Huckabay said. “They are one of the best defenses in our district. We are going to have to identify their key players and limit those guys. We have to be on top of our game because Bridge City is a balanced team.”

Both coaches reported they have tried their best to keep their kids focused on simply playing the game this week like a normal week.

“They kids really don’t need to be told anything this week to get motivated,” Huckabay said. “It is a big week the kids really look forward to. We try to approach it the same way as always and I have learned you don’t change your ordinary routine.”

Stump agreed the atmosphere will feel like the Cardinals are already in the playoffs tonight at Larry B. Ward Stadium.

“Our guys practiced well all week,” Stump said. “It has not been a hard thing to do to get them fired up this week. Our fans have been great all year long and I expect the same thing when Orangefield comes to town."

[braves24]

Gonna be a great game. If you have nothing to do Friday night come stop by Larry B. Ward Stadium.