Published: November 05, 2009 04:27 pm      

Cards can earn berth with win at Hamshire

HAMSHIRE — This is uncharted waters for the latest Bridge City Cardinals’ teams.

The Cardinals (6-3, 2-2) simply need to defeat the winless Hamshire-Fannett Longhorns tonight at Longhorns Stadium to clinch the third playoff spot out of District 21-3A.

“We don’t have nerves but we are anxious to get it going” Bridge City coach Cris Stump said. “Lets play the game. It feels really good to have this season go as it has. We have a marker board in the fieldhouse and I wrote on it for the seniors the other day, ‘0-10’ and ‘4-4.’ Beside that I wrote ‘7-3 and playoffs’ with a question mark. It is right there for them. You can’t ask for anything more than for it to be in our hands.

“The whole school is excited with the cross country team in the regionals and the volleyball team in the area round.”

The Cardinals are coming off an emotional 31-30 victory over the Orangefield Bobcats in overtime. Josh Lemoine scored a touchdown in overtime and Matt Menard converted a two-point play to seal the victory.

Menard continues to lead District 21-3A with 941 yards rushing with 10 touchdowns while Lemoine has thrown for 725 yards with 11 touchdowns.

Cameron Dishon leads the team with 16 grabs for 301 yards and seven scores while Luke Rhodes has 13 receptions and one touchdown. Cale Hyde and Menard each have 11 catches.

Dishon has a team-high 12 total touchdowns.

“Matt is closing in on that 1,000 mark,” Stump said. “Josh is getting closer to that mark in passing. We have not played on a dry field since the Kelly game so it has been a little difficult to throw the football.”

Stump is trying to make sure his Cardinals do not overlook the 0-9 0-4 Longhorns.

Hamshire-Fannett ranks last in both team offense and defense in the district. The Longhorns average 187.8 yards on offense and give up 378.6 yards a contest.

Longhorns’ running back Austin Simmons has 574 yards and four touchdowns on 86 carries this year. Quarterback Myles Johnson has 326 rushing and a score and has passed for 251 yards and three touchdowns.

“I am sure Hamshire-Fannett has thought about throwing a wrench into our plans,” Stump said. “They will be focused on winning the game too. We are going to go out there and try to spoil that for them.”

Bridge City is +15 in the turnover ratio department this season while Hamshire-Fannett is -25.