Week 2 for Bridge City was a loss against state ranked Jasper. The Bulldogs ran past the Cardinals 65-14.
Coach Allen DeShazo said there were positive signs for Bridge City. He evaluated the Cardinals’ performance in the game. Offensively they ran for over 200 yards which was an improvement over the season opener. DeShazo commented, “We did see some bright things this past week.”
Individual highlights were provided by fullback Andy Lara rushing for 104 yards. Quarterback Ethan Oceguera ran for 50 yards and scored the Cardinals only touchdown while also converting the two-point conversion. DeShazo believes the sophomore Oceguera is beginning to see the field better and is making smarter decisions with the football.
DeShazo also credits the offensive live with a solid performance against a big, fast Jasper defense. Defensively Bridge City had troubles lining up with the Bulldogs as the score would indicate.
This Friday night will be the first road game of the season for Bridge City in Anahuac. DeShazo indicated the Panthers use a similar offense to the Cardinals’ last opponent. Just like Jasper, Anahuac will line up in multiple formations in an attempt to get the opponent to line up incorrectly.
Getting to see that strategy last week should help the Cardinals line up better and recognize their keys quicker. “We’ve got to be on our toes to recognize formations and recognize personnel,” Deshazo advised.
The Panther offense is led by running back Landon Fanus. He is very fast. Joining him in the backfield is quarterback Foster Kreuzer. Anahuac will use their unbalanced line to get a tight end lined up like a tackle eligible so Kreuzer can throw him a pass DeShazo warned.
The Bridge City offense has shown improvement the last two weeks. Coach DeShazo hopes that continues against the Anahuac defense this week. The Panthers line up in a 4-2-5 formation which Bridge City has seen in the earlier scrimmages.
Anahuac is big up front in the defensive line. Anchoring the middle of the defense is Arnoldo Rodriguez. He is big and is not easily moved by blockers. Cade Dye leads an aggressive group of linebackers for the Panthers. Defensive backs Zion Clark and Terrell Cargo are fast.
The key for the Cardinals is sticking to their assignments and carrying out their blocks. The coach is urging the players to concentrate on their duties and they will get the job done. DeShazo predicted, “If we do what we’re supposed to do, I think we’ll get the same result running the ball as we did last week.”
Improvement is the ultimate goal each week for the Cardinals early in the season. There was definitely improvement from Week 1 to Week 2 offensively and that needs to continue.
The multiple formations used by Jasper confused the young Cardinals on defense. DeShazo reported that the coaches are giving the players a different outlook which hopefully will help them see the Panthers’ intentions faster and better.
Coach DeShazo is optimistic of Bridge City earning its first win of the young season at Anahuac. “The whole key is for us to get better than we were last week, block them, and tackle them,” DeShazo concluded.
The Bridge City Cardinals play the Anahuac Panthers on Friday night. The kickoff in Anahuac is scheduled for 7:30.
-Dan Perrine, KOGT-
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