The Orangefield Bobcats lost a tough game last week and have lost the services of at least one key two-way starter because of an injury in that game. Coach Josh Smalley must read the medical report to see who will be available for the Bobcats this week.
At the top of the list is starting quarterback and safety Caleb Kress who suffered a concussion in the second half of the LC-M game. Kress must go through the protocol before he will be allowed to return.
Smalley did hear this week that running back Wesley Frillou has been cleared by the doctor to participate. The coach wants to wait before activating Frillou since he has not practiced for a couple of weeks. It will depend on his conditioning whether Frillou will be on the field Friday night. There was some cramping in the game with the Bears, but Coach Smalley confides those are the two major injury concerns for the Bobcats.
This week’s opponent is Beaumont Kelly, and Smalley talks about the Bulldogs’ offense. They are a Spread Team with two or three wide receivers and will also go with three receivers and two backs. The Bulldogs will run the ball, but also like to throw it. Kelly has some pretty good skilled players with quarterback Logan Henke and running back Jordan Valsin. They will shift into the I-Formation Coach Smalley observes, “So, we’ve got a lot to prepare for this week.”
Coach Smalley analyzes Kelly on defense. The Bulldogs base out of a four-man front, Smalley anticipates them putting nine men in the box and shifting like most teams against the Orangefield offense into a 6-2 look maybe. Linebacker Simon Guillory has started a couple of years for Kelly and is a big physical player. The Bulldogs also have some athletes in the secondary. Their record is deceiving according to Smalley. The coach says Kelly plays hard, gets after it, and the Bulldogs are hungry for a win. “We’ve got our work cut out for us Friday,” Smalley confesses.
Orangefield wants to snap its 3-game losing streak Friday night. Smalley and the Bobcats will have to do so while juggling the lineup because of injuries. Sophomore Mason Gonzales will start his first game at quarterback on the varsity in place of Kress. That will affect Gonzales who starts at defensive end which means Brett Fregia and Michael Teeples will step in and help out on the defensive line. Christian Louvier will have to play a lot in the defensive secondary replacing Kress on that side of the ball. That may limit Louvier’s time in the backfield so back-up tailback Dylan Williams could play a little more than expected.
The Orangefield Bobcats will celebrate homecoming Friday night, and hopefully a victory too when they play the Beaumont Kelly Bulldogs at F. L. McClain Stadium. The game will kick off at 7:00 PM.
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