BU 0 0 0 0- 0
OF 17 7 14 7- 45
The weather held off until late in the game and only a few sprinkles fell on the heads of the fans in Orangefield at F. L. McClain Stadium Friday night. The Orangefield Bobcats did not wait as they rained points down on the Buna Cougars early and late on their way to a 45-0 victory in the season opener.
After recovering a Buna fumble on the opening kickoff the Bobcats needed just two plays to get on the scoreboard. Wesley Frillou sprinted 32 yards around end for the touchdown. Orangefield had a 7-0 lead with less than a minute played. Frillou rushed the ball 7 times for 65 yards on the night.
The advantage went to 10-0 just over five minutes later. The Bobcats forced a Buna punt, and after Frillou cut loose for 16 yards they had a first down at the Cougars’ 28. The drive stalled, so Jacob Rainey boomed a 43-yard field goal that cleared the crossbar with room to spare.
Orangefield (1-0) started its third straight possession in Buna territory after another punt. Christian Louvier ran for a first down to the Cougars’ 34. Christopher McGee took care of the rest gaining 4 yards on the next play and then scampering 30 yards up the middle for the touchdown. Rainey added the point after to make the score 17-0 with 1:59 left in the first quarter.
Buna (0-1) lost the football on a short pass play giving Orangefield possession at the 29 of the Cougars. Frillou picked up 19 yards on two carries before McGee got his second touchdown on a gritty 10-yard run. McGee finished the game as the Bobcats’ leading ground gainer with 69 yards on 9 carries. It was 24-0 with still 10:40 to play in the half.
The Cougars got only their second first down at that point of the contest their next possession. Quarterback Alex Connell scrambled 16 yards to midfield. Trace Crumpton broke loose for 18 yards for another first to the Orangefield 34. There a penalty seemed to stymie the drive. Connell ran a keeper on fourth-and-13, but only got two yards.
With only about two minutes before halftime the Bobcats got close enough for Rainey to try another 43-yard field goal. He missed the kick which was short and to the left with six seconds remaining in the half.
The second half was more of the same. Two turnovers on their first two possessions by the Cougars gave the Bobcats a short field to traverse. Caleb Kress made a fake and kept around left end for a 34-yard touchdown. Louvier went around the right side and broke a couple of tackles for an 8-yard scoring run to give Orangefield a 38-0 lead in the third quarter.
Not quitting Buna almost got on the board the next time it had the ball. Crumpton took a hand-off, started to his left, and then completely reversed his field and raced down the Cougars’ sideline for what would have been a 60-yard touchdown. A Cougar penalty on the play brought the ball back to the Bobcats’ 28. The Orangefield defense stiffened and a fourth down pass was broken up by Louvier.
The final score of the night came at the conclusion of a 15-play Bobcat drive that covered 75 yards and took seven minutes off the clock. Backup quarterback Mason Gonzales scored on a one-yard keeper with 3:10 to play.
Next Friday the Orangefield Bobcats go on the road to play the Kirbyville Wildcats. The Buna Cougars play their home opener on Friday night against the Hardin-Jefferson Hawks.
-Dan Perrine, KOGT-
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