The loss last week to Lumberton has the Orangefield Bobcats at 2-2 with the game this week at Newton against the always tough Eagles. Coach Josh Smalley says Newton does the same thing it has done for years on offense, and the Eagles still do it very well. Smalley points out the new play caller for Newton is Bryan Barbay the son of former longtime Eagles’ coach Curtis Barbay, and Bryan runs the same offense his father did with Scat Traps and Scat Sweeps to get their skilled athletes in space. Coach Smalley states the Eagles are very good on offense, but have had difficulty holding on to the ball this year which has cost them a couple of games, and Newton is not the typical 1-2 team. Smalley believes they’ll be ready for the Bobcats. Orangefield will have Mason Gonzales back at defensive end after he missed some time with an injury.
The 7-Diamond has also been a fixture for the Newton defense, and Coach Smalley knows the Bobcats offense will have to play well against it to beat the Eagles. Smalley describes the Newton defensive formation as covering every opposing offensive lineman up and letting their outstanding middle linebacker Tanner Holmes to roam the field to make tackles. The Eagles are athletic if not big with a lot of speed on defense. Against that Eagle defense the Bobcats need to hold on to the football and avoid foolish penalties to help eat the clock, Smalley strategies, so as not to have the Newton offense on the field.
Last year the Bobcats upset the Eagles in Orangefield. Coach Smalley tells what he thinks it will take for Orangefield to earn another win against Newton. Smalley has learned through four games this season that anybody can beat anybody else on any Friday night it depends on who plays well and who does not. The coach theorizes that obviously the Bobcats have to go to Newton with the belief they can do it, they did it last year, but that is no guarantee they will do it this year. Orangefield has to play well, not turn the ball over, line up correctly with Newton’s many formations, and when lined up correctly make tackles in space on the Eagles’ athletes.
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