Bayou Bowl article from Orange Leader

[Bobcatfan4life]

Cats, Cards Both Fight For Key District Win

Gabriel Pruett and Van Wade

The Orange Leader

ORANGEFIELD — There will be a sea of both orange and red tonight at Orangefield’s F.L. McLain Stadium when the Orangefield Bobcats play host to the Bridge City Cardinals in the seventh rendition of the Bayou Bowl.

The two close-together communities will be there hooping and hollering for their boys in a game that will have significant consequences in the hotly-contested District 21-3A race.

The Cardinals (4-2, 2-1) enter the game tied with Kirbyville (4-2, 2-1) for third place while the Bobcats (3-3, 1-2) sit just one game back with four regular season games left on the schedule.

Bridge City leads the series 5-1 with Orangefield’s last victory coming in 2003, 15-14. The Cardinals have claimed the last two games, winning 48-0 in 2004 and 28-0 last year.

The winner will receive the Buzzie Gunn Trophy, a trophy that will remain with the winner for the whole school year. The trophy will be presented by the Bridge City-Orangefield Rotary Club immediately after the game.

The trophy honors legendary Orange County photographer Buzzie Gunn. Gunn and his father T.L. Gunn were certainly pioneers as far as shooting football action in Orange County for generations. Gunn’s Studio is owned by third generation photographer Chris Gunn, son of Buzzie Gunn.

“It’s a great rivalry game,†said BC head coach Claude Tarver. “The communities are so close together and the kids all know one another. Heck, I live in the Bridge City school district but live closer to the Orangefield school. A lot of people in both areas could probably say that. There is so much anticipation for this game every year.â€

Morrisson knows how much the game means to both communities but a Bobcats’ victory will mean even more to their playoff chances.

“To us as a team it is another game and another week,†said Morrison. “The game keeps getting blown up more and more and that is fine for the communities and the media. As a team we have to get back on the winning side of the football and get another district win because you never know what is going to happen down the road.â€

The Cardinals are coming off an impressive fourth-quarter comeback to topple Jasper 22-14 last week while the Bobcats absorbed a tough 40-26 defeat at the hands of Kirbyville.

The Cardinals enter the game averaging 276.3 yards a game on offense while the defense allows 279.5. The Bobcats are piling up 275.2 yards per outing and are allowing 318.5.

The game will feature two of the better senior quarterbacks in Southeast Texas in the Cardinals’ Johnny Dishon and the Bobcats’ Brett Ramsey.

Dishon, despite battling a nagging ankle injury for much of the season, has darted around for 780 yards and five touchdowns on 125 carries and has completed 19-of-54 passes for 357 yards and two TDs.

“Johnny Dishon is an excellent athlete,†said Orangefield coach Blake Morrison. “He has great speed and vision and then has a great supporting cast around him in Cody Mills and Troy Both along with the rest of that offense.â€

Ramsey, a three-year starter, has completed 40-of-82 passes for 699 yards and eight TDs and leads the squad in rushing with 488 yards and 11 TDs on 97 totes.

“The Ramsey kid is having an excellent year and has shown what a tremendous athlete he is,†said Tarver. “He’s played so smart and his decision-making has been superb. The whole Orangefield offense has played well all season. They just don’t turn the ball over much at all and they’ve moved the ball consistently.â€

Cody Mills also aids the vaunted Cardinal rushing attack with his 415 yards and six TDs on 72 carries. Senior lightning bolt Troy Bolton leads all BC receivers with 13 catches for 197 yards and two TDs.

Ramsey has two excellent receivers that he likes to turn to. Corey Sheppard leads all Bobcat receivers with 16 grabs for 299 yards and three TDs while Jared Helton has 12 catches for 211 yards and two TDs.

The game certainly has playoff implications. A Bobcat win would draw them even with the Cardinals but a third 21-3A loss would be detrimental to Orangefield’s playoff chances.

“Orangefield will certainly be fired up for us, not just because its a rivalry game but it has playoff hopes riding on it, really for both teams,†explained Tarver. “Three losses in this district will be tough to overcome and it may not get you in. The next couple weeks will tell the tale, especially for us with Orangefield this week and Kirbyville next week.â€

Besides the players on the Bridge City sideline, Morrison has a lot of respect for Tarver and what the fifth-year head Cardinal has done for the red and white.

“When you talk about about the Bridge City program and Coach Tarver, that is something you try to model,†said Morrison. “That team has gone through a lot of adversities and him and his staff have done a tremendous job this season.â€