Orangefield lost a tough game at home last week to the Hardin Hornets by two points. The Bobcats need to regroup this week and get ready for the remaining three games on the schedule according to Coach Josh Smalley. The Bobcats’ coaches and players will keep working their tails off in the remaining contests.
They have to put the loss to Hardin behind them and focus on practice and preparation. Smalley promised, “We’re going to go into this game with Woodville with a good plan and a good effort to try to come out with a victory.”
The Woodville Eagles are nesting at the top of the district standings and Orangefield goes to Woodville this Friday. Smalley said the Eagles use a somewhat unique offense. He compared them to the offense used by Liberty with two tight ends and two wing backs. Their linemen line up shoe-to-shoe and are big in size with lots of experience. Woodville does not throw the football very much, but the Eagles are very good at running it. “Their kids play hard and you add on top of that how athletic they are and they present a huge challenge for us,” Smalley admitted.
The athletes start with running back Zach Martin who has rushed for 973 yards in the first seven games with six touchdowns. Another back Da’Michael Brooks has carried the ball for 829 yards and four touchdowns. Leading the offensive line for the Eagles is center Seth Fabela who is huge.
The defense at Woodville is also one of the best in the district. Coach Smalley analyzes the Eagles’ defense. They are an even front with a kind of 31 look. Smalley observed, “They are athletic, they do a good job, they’re well coached, and they run to the football well. Everything you like to see in a defense they are.”
Defensive end Michael Lockett can play and causes a lot of problems for opposing offenses on the strong side by pushing tight ends into the backfield. At defensive tackle is DeQuincey Wise who anchors the Eagles’ line. Martin plays two-way and is a star in the secondary at safety. He is tied for the district lead with two interceptions on the season.
The loss last week to Hardin did not eliminate the Bobcats from the playoffs, but it made the chances slim. Orangefield will need help from Anahuac with the Panthers defeating Hardin in their game this Friday. If the Bobcats could then defeat Anahuac in the last game of the season it would come down to point differential between Orangefield, Hardin, and Anahuac.
Smalley talked about what Orangefield will need to get to the postseason. The Bobcats need to be able to get off the field defensively on third downs and fourth downs which they have had difficulty doing. On offense Orangefield cannot turn the ball over and cannot afford inopportune penalties. “We’re all in this together, kids and coaches alike, and we can all do things to get better. That’s what we’re focused on right now,” Smalley concluded.
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