The Bridge City Cardinals are moving on to the area round of the playoffs.
In one of the most exciting playoff games in recent memory, the Bridge City Cardinals came away with a 24-21 bi-district round victory over the Chapel Hill Bulldogs on Friday night at Larry Ward Stadium in Bridge City.
The game featured five lead changes throughout the contest, but it was the Cardinals defense securing two Chapel Hill turnovers in the fourth quarter that helped propel Bridge City to the win.
Chapel Hill took the opening possession at its own 10-yard line and in a matter of minutes was at the Cardinals 10-yard line. However, a bad snap resulted in a loss of 15-yards and stalled the drive as a 42-yard field goal attempt fell short.
After a Bridge City punt, the Bulldogs next possession went backwards and Chapel Hill was forced to punt. However, another bad snap forced the punter to go low for the ball and he inadvertently took a knee to grab the ball. This resulted in the play being called dead and gave the Cardinals possession at the Chapel Hill 9-yard line.
One play later the Cardinals made the Bulldogs pay as Abraham Mungia took a direct snap and ran left behind a wall of blockers. He broke through the Chapel Hill defense and rumbled into the end zone for the 9-yard touchdown to put Bridge City ahead 7-0.
The Bulldogs responded on its next possession and moved the ball to the Cardinals 9-yard line before settling for a 26-yard field goal by kicker Estovan Sandoval to cut the Bridge City lead to 7-3 with 6:21 to play.
Bridge City was forced to punt on its next possession and bad snap resulted in a just a 10-yard punt giving Chapel Hill the ball at the Cardinals 49-yard line. Six plays later Chapel Hill was on top 11-7 after a 16-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Malik Gee to receiver Maliek Brown and the two point conversion.
Bridge City responded on the next possession with a 27-yard field goal by Mungia to make the score 11-10 in favor of Chapel Hill early in the second quarter.
The Bulldogs started its next possession at its own 33-yard line and began to methodically march the ball down the field. Facing third down and goal from the Cardinals 2-yard line, the Bridge City defense stiffened once again and forced a tackle for a loss. Chapel Hill added another 25-yard field goal by Sandoval to extend its lead to 14-10.
Bridge City had its best drive of the first half on its next possession as the Cardinals marched the ball 55 yards in nine plays while consuming over four minutes off the clock. This time Ashton Sumrall took a direct snap up the middle and into the end zone for a 1-yard score to put BC ahead 17-14 at the half.
The Cardinals looked ready to take control of the game on its opening possession of the second-half, but quarterback Hudson Hoffman fumbled the ball at the Bulldogs 14-yard line to give Chapel Hill the ball.
The Bulldogs took advantage of an aggressive Cardinals defense as Gee hit running back Damarcion Blaylock on a screen pass to the left and Blaylock outran the defense to the end zone for a 65-yard touchdown putting Chapel Hill back on top, 21-17.
Chapel Hill looked as if it might take control of the game on its next possession, but, on the first play of the fourth quarter, Gee threw a deep pass that was intercepted by Cardinals defender Ethan Hernandez giving Bridge City the ball at the Bulldogs 45-yard line.
On the first play, Hoffman pitched the ball to Sumrall who rolled to his right, pulled up and then threw the ball to receiver Brayden Frederick, who was tightly covered, for a toe-tap 27-yard reception along the right sideline.
From there Bridge City used a series of direct snaps to move the ball forward, which culminated with another 1-yard touchdown by Sumrall to put the Cardinals back on top, 24-21, with 10:14 left in the game.
The Cardinals defense forced two consecutive turnovers-on-downs on the next Bulldogs possessions, but Bridge City was forced to punt once again with 3:30 left on the clock. Blaylock was back for the Bulldogs, but he appeared to slightly misjudge the kick and the ball rolled off his fingertips and was recovered by the Cardinals at the Chapel Hill 14-yard line.
Although the Cardinals could not get any points and turned the ball over on downs with 2:09 left in the game. From there the Bridge City defense locked down the Bulldogs receivers and another bad snap buried the Chapel Hill offense at its own 5-yard line. The Cards defense held and secured the win.
Bridge City (10-1) advances to the Area round next week, where the Cardinals will face the Navasota Rattlers (8-3). Navasota defeated Houston North Forest 56-12 in the bi-district round.
-Tommy Mann, KOGT-
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