Home sweet home.
The Bridge City Cardinals played its first home game of the 2018 football season, and it was just what the Red Birds needed as the Cardinals claimed a 13-6 hard-fought victory over the Anahuac Panthers on Friday night at Larry B. Ward Stadium.
Mother Nature made the field a soggy mess rather quickly thanks to the numerous rain showers throughout the week, but that worked right into the Cardinals favor as Bridge City outgained the Panthers in total yards with 246 to 193 on the night.
The Panthers got off to a quick start as tailback Corenthos Hill scampered 61 yards on the second play from scrimmage and put Anahuac ahead early by a score of 6-0 with only 23 seconds of game time elapsed.
Bridge City has had trouble finding the end zone in its previous two games, but the Cardinals responded to Anahuac’s opening score with an 11 play, 70-yard drive, which culminated with a 5-yard blast through the heart of the Panthers defense by fullback Andy Lara. Following the extra point kick by Oscar Carranza, the Cardinals led 7-6 with 6:25 remaining in the first quarter.
The rest of the game was a slugfest as each team fought the less than favorable field conditions, which steadily worsened as the game progressed, and had difficulty moving the ball consistently.
The Panthers proved to be its own worst enemy as the squad had 13 penalties for 87 yards, which included numerous defensive offsides penalties, one of which negated a scoop and score touchdown for the defense in the second half.
Bridge City’s Carranza added a 24-yard field goal for the Cardinals with 2:26 remaining in second quarter, and then smashed a 30-yard field goal on the Cardinals next possession as time expired in the first half.
Bridge City (1-2) will host the Silsbee Tigers (0-3) next Friday, Sept. 21, which lost to the Nederland Bulldogs 21-14 on Friday night. Anahuac (1-2) has a bye next week.
ANA – 6 0 0 0 6
BC – 7 6 0 0 13
SCORING SUMMARY
A – Corenthos Hill 61 yard run, kick failed (11:37)
BC – Andy Lara 5-yard run, Oscar Carranza kick (6:25)
BC – Carranza 24-yard field goal (2:26)
BC – Carranza 30-yard field goal (0:00)
Ana BC
First downs 8 13
Rushes-yards 31-193 55-207
Passing 0 39
Total yards 193 246
Com-Att-Int 2-5-0 1-1-0
Fumbles-Lost 4-1 3-0
Penalties-yards 13-87 5-35
INDIVIDUAL STATS
Rushing: Anahuac, Corenthos Hill 2-62, Tyrone Wilson 15-49, Tanner Fugere 2-31, Brian McDaniel 5-27, Christian DeHoyas 2-14, Foster Kreuzer 2-7, Landyn Fanus 3-3; BC, Andy Lara 23-119, Rylan Ply 12-56, Gavin Villanueva 10-26, Jake Potter 2-5, Cace Skinner 7-4, Trent Lagrappe 1-(-3)
Passing: Anahuac, Brian McDaniel 1-4-0 00, Foster Kreuzer 0-1-0 00; BC, Cace Skinner 1-1-0 39;
Receiving: Anahuac, Tanner Fugere 1-00; BC, Rylan Ply 1-39;
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