The 2016 7th Grade Orangefield Bobcat football team got off to a fast start, and continued to play great football in a decisive 30-0 win against the Woodville Eagles.  The Bobcats struck first as Hunter Ashworth took the opening kickoff to the end zone untouched for a 70 yard touchdown.  Ashworth also punched in the two point conversion to make the score 8-0.  The Bobcats hit pay dirt again on the following drive, but this time through the air.  Cade Smith eluded pressure and completed a play-action pass to Dwight Davis for a 35 yard score.  Davis was assisted by Tight End, Lane Ponfick, who threw a huge block that took out two Eagles.  Behind some great efforts from defensive standouts Raven Dean, Harley Davidson, Hunter Norwood, and Ransom Gibson the Cats took a 14-0 lead into halftime.

Orangefield picked up right where they left off in the second half as fullback, Hunter Ashworth, wasted no time scampering for a 43 yard touchdown around the right side. Another successful Ashworth conversion propelled the Bobcats to a commanding 22-0 lead.  Later in the half, quarterback, Cade Smith had his number called rushing for an 8 yard touchdown and Macoy Marze, who was a big factor on the scoring drive, added a solid run to convert for the Bobcats.  Other notable offensive standouts were Kaine Humberson, Dylan Whitman, Lane Evans, Brayden Burgess, and Hunter Griffin. The Bobcats defense also started the year in dominating fashion by giving up less than 100 total yards for the game, along with registering their first of what Defensive Coordinator, V.J. Bunner, hopes to be many shutouts on the year.  When the final horn sounded Orangefield had trounced Woodville 30-0 bringing them to 1-0 on the year.

In the second game of the night, the 8^th Grade Bobcats went down early on two long Woodville Eagle touchdown runs.  The Cats struggled to get anything going on offense for much of the first half, but it wasn’t due to a lack of effort from fullback, Clayton Westbrook.  Westbrook ran the ball hard all night for Orangefield against a big, stingy Eagle defense.  The Bobcats also struggled to move the ball through the air.  Some porous blocking up front caused QB, Gunner Jones, to look to deal the ball quickly on several passes, but he did complete one pass for a first down to the night’s favorite target, Cade Waguespack.  The Bobcats trailed the opposition 16-0 at the end of the first half.

Orangefield’s defense stiffened up in third quarter behind the play of Matthew Engle, Jase Gipson, Mason Sampson, and Hunter McHugh.  McHugh, who is new to the team, made several tackles for a loss and was a nice addition to Coach Fowler’s defensive unit.  The play of the game for the Cats came on big hit where linebacker, Clayton Westbrook, jarred a ball loose that was recovered by Ryan Trahan.  Although the team played Woodville tough for much of the second half another big play from the Eagle offense put Orangefield down 22-0.  Gunner Jones and his offense did get a little something going on the ground in their last drive of the game, but a couple of dropped passes and a sack placed Woodville back on the field to run out the clock.

It will be a quick turnaround for the Bobcats as they travel to Little Cypress to take on the Cubs Tuesday, September 13^th with the first kickoff slated for 5:00pm sharp.