Hard fought battle Friday night at F.L. McLain Stadium in Orangefield as the Bobcats hosted the Hardin Hornets with both teams fighting for a playoff spot in the eight team District 12-3A.
After a great return by Clayson Choate the Bobcats went to work and scored on their first possession with Chase Broussard running in from 19 yards and Derek Glaze adding the point after.
The Hornets responded with a long drive but the Bobcats defense tightened up, holding Hardin to a field goal on their first possession.
Another great return by Choate gave OF a short field. On the ninth play of the drive and the Bobcats facing a fourth and three from the seven, OF tricked Hardin with a halfback option pass from Broussard to quarterback Gunner Jones to make it 14-3 after the Glaze kick.
The Hornets began showcasing their fine running back Darius White, who came into the game with 1300 yards rushing.
White had a couple of big runs, including the TD from 21 yds. But OF blocked the kick and with eight minutes to play OF was up 14-9.
Hardin threatened to score right before halftime but again the Bobcat defense showed up with big sack on a fourth down play from the 16 yd. line.
In the second half, it was more of the Darius White Show as the Bobcats had a tough time catching him and then trying to tackle him once they did.
White brought them down field but it was a Marc Chivira pass to Trenton Dickey from 11 that scored the touchdown, giving the Hornets their first lead at 15-14. A two point try was stopped by the Bobcats.
Now it was OF’s time to respond but Blake Bradley fumbled trying to give a second effort and three Darius White plays later the Hornets upped their lead with a PAT to 22-14 with 2:52 left in the third.
Both teams battled into the fourth, and with OF running out of time, Kent Michael blocked the Hornets punt and Heston Puckett picked it up and returned it to the 12 yd. line with 1:53 left.
Bradley then took over bulldozing his way into the end zone on a fourth down play from the five. The Bobcats would need a two point conversion to tie the game and possibly go into overtime.
Everyone in the building knew Bradley would get the call from the three. But a delay of game penalty against the Bobcats pushed the ball back to the eight. The Bobcats called for Jones to throw a pass in the back corner of the end zone to Cade Brown, but the pass fell incomplete. Hardin would run out the clock after OF’s attempt at an onside kick, and improve their district record to 3-1. White finished the game with 195 yds. on 25 carries and two scores.
OF falls to 1-3 with a trip to Woodville next Friday. Then they face Warren and Anahuac to complete the regular season.
-Gary Stelly, KOGT-
12-3A D1 Standings
Woodville 4-0
EChambers 3-1
Hardin 3-1
Buna 3-1
Anahuac 2-2
OF 1-3
Kirbyville 0-4
Warren 0-4
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