Bridge City 7 0 0 7- 14
Lumberton 7 6 6 0- 19
When two undefeated teams meet only one will leave the stadium without a blemish on their record. The Lumberton Raiders stayed unbeaten handing the Bridge City Cardinals their first loss 19-14 at Larry B. Ward Stadium on Friday night.
First year Raider Coach Chris Babin has Lumberton (2-0) playing winning football with a grind it out offense and a solid defense. Bridge City (2-1) also under a first year coach in Dwayne DuBois failed to control the tempo or the clock as it had in the first two games and suffered its first loss of the season.
Lumberton behind quarterback Stephen Yarbro operated a balanced attack with the Raiders rushing for 185 yards and passing for 114 yards, although all the passing yards came in the first half. The Raiders picked up 19 first downs to 11 by the Cardinals. Bridge City managed to gain 239 total yards, but only 17 through the air.
The Raiders scored first driving 79 yards on 17 plays in the first quarter. Twice Lumberton converted on fourth down. Once was because the Cardinals were offside on an incomplete pass, and the second time on a 17-yard screen pass from Yarbro to Caleb Thomas. Brenner Boykin scored the touchdown on a flanker reverse from 10 yards out. Tiler Paine kicked the point after to give the Raiders a 7-0 lead with 3:34 to play in the initial period.
It took Bridge City a little over a minute and a half to tie the score. Cayce Draper burst through a hole in the middle of the Cardinal line and raced 69 yards for the end zone getting caught by the last Raider as he tumbled in for the touchdown. Draper was the leading ball carrier in the game with 121 yards on 9 carries. Alfredo Heraldes made it 7-7 with 2:00 remaining in the first quarter.
The Raider defense stopped the Cardinals on a fourth-and-four from the Lumberton 42 taking over at their 40. An eleven play drive again benefitting from a first down because of a Bridge City offside penalty on fourth-and-five regained the lead for Lumberton. Thomas broke a tackle and then sprinted down the left sideline just crossing the goal line inside the pylon for the 17-yard touchdown. Thomas combined for 124 yards rushing and receiving on the night. Paine’s kick was wide left, but the Raiders had the lead 13-7 and would not relinquish it.
After forcing a punt by the Cardinals to start the second half, the Raiders took possession of the ball at their 34 and marched 66 yards in 9 plays to go up by two scores. Keaton Upshaw starting for the injured Timothy Rhodes scored the touchdown on a 10-yard run. Upshaw finished the night with 91 yards on 21 carries. The Raiders tried to run for the two-point conversion, but were stopped to keep the score 19-7 with 6:30 left in the third.
The Cardinals made a game of it in the fourth quarter. Four first downs got the Cardinals to a first-and-goal at the five. Colt Poole carried to the one, but on second down a fumble was recovered by Lumberton at the two. Bridge City forced a Raider punt from the 9, and Zach Honeycutt returned it all the way to the Lumberton 6. Three plays later Poole went over from the five for the score. Heraldes’ kick made the score 19-14 with still 11:27 to go in the contest.
Justyn Romero intercepted an option pass from Upshaw that gave the Cardinals the ball near midfield. Patrick Morris scampered for 19 yards to the Raiders’ 29 yard line. The drive stalled there and Lumberton took over at its 26. The Cardinals’ defense held and another outstanding punt return by the Cardinals gave Bridge City possession at the Lumberton 32. Four running plays came up one yard shy of a much needed first down and turned the ball back over to the Raiders.
Lumberton managed to run off three minutes on the clock and move the ball to midfield before punting out of bounds intentionally at the Bridge City 16. The Cardinals took over with just 2:42 to play and garnered two first downs. Three straight plays the Cardinals were then tackled for losses and the third proved the killer as Lumberton recovered another fumble on the play and that was the ball game.
Next week the Bridge City Cardinals travel to Liberty to play the Panthers. Lumberton is back in Orange County next Friday as the Raiders play the Orangefield Bobcats at F. L. McClain Stadium.
Photo: Patrick Morris breaks away from the Raider defense.
-Dan Perrine, KOGT-
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