WEST ORANGE — The biggest question around town these days is when somebody will actually score against the top-ranked team in the Class 4A ranks.

Well, the Silsbee Tigers will take a crack at it Friday night when the West Orange-Stark Mustangs welcome them into Hooks Stadium.

The Mustangs (4-0) simply have not let opposing offenses breathe.

The Chain Gang Defense has put together four straight shutouts to open the season as teams have not put up a single digit on the scoreboard for 19 quarters dating back to the first quarter of last year’s 22-3 State Championship Game win over Celina.

The Mustangs will check in with their date with the Tigers (1-2) allowing a mere 71 yards a contest. Last week, WO-S held KIPP Northeast to just 34 total yards and one first down in a 61-0 rout.

Opposing running games have netted just 179 yards on 150 carries and opposing quarterbacks have completed just 19-of-44 passes for 105 yards and four interceptions.

Silsbee will come in sporting some dynamic weapons on offense as the Tigers will try to find the end zone.

Silsbee put up some points last year, but to no avail as the Mustangs went on the road to post a 49-28 victory.

WO-S leads the all-time series 23-3 and the Mustangs have won six straight. Silsbee’s last win came in 2009 when the Tigers won 13-7 to capture a district title.

One thing for certain, the Mustangs have been able to rest some players and have stayed healthy in the second half of games this year as they have outscored opponents 203-0.

The Mustang offense has churned out 337.3 yards a game, a number that could be much higher if they did not step on the brakes, plus the advantage of having tremendous field position thus far.

Quarterback Jack Dallas has completed 31-of-53 passes for 413 yards with five TDs.

Tailback Jeremiah Shaw has bolted for 351 yards and eight TDs on just 31 carries while Kavyn Cooper has 142 yards and two TDs on 23 totes.

Keion Hancock (10-136), KJ Miller (7-87) and Shaw (6-81) lead in receiving with Miller also shining brightly in the return game.

The Tigers, meanwhile, went through some early growing pains as they are looking to adjust to first-year coach Randy Smith’s system.

After opening losses to PN-G (54-27) and Newton (49-33), the Tigers responded with a 20-19 victory over Jasper. Silsbee had its bye week last week.

Silsbee added two huge transfers to their talent base in quarterback Willie Jones, who was Second Team All-State at Beaumont Legacy a season ago, and Beaumont Ozen transfer Calvin Tyler, who had nearly 1,600 yards last year for the Panthers.

Jones has a pair of excellent receivers to get the ball to in the forms of Kalon Barnes and Tre’ Lowe as they will look to test the Mustang secondary.

The Tigers, who will look to challenge for the District 10-4A Division I crown, are led by all-district players lineman Johnathon Hageon, linebacker Michael McCain and defensive back Mason Murray.

The Mustangs will venture to Nacogdoches next week to take on a highly-touted Kennedale team that advanced to the 4A Division I state semifinals last season.

 

Series history

1986: WO-S 24, Silsbee 7

1987: WO-S 32, Silsbee 8

1990: WO-S 20, Silsbee 13

1991: WO-S 28, Silsbee 26

1992: WO-S 33, Silsbee 0

1993: Silsbee 20, WO-S 14

1994: WO-S 22, Silsbee 7

1995: WO-S 34, Silsbee 13

1998: WO-S 17, Silsbee 0

1998: Silsbee 21, WO-S 20

1999: WO-S 26, Silsbee 9

2002: WO-S 23, Silsbee 9

2003: WO-S 41, Silsbee 6

2006: WO-S 20, Silsbee 13

2007: WO-S 17, Silsbee 6

2008: WO-S 14, Silsbee 7

2009: Silsbee 13, WO-S 7

2010: WO-S 36, Silsbee 8

2011: WO-S 24, Silsbee 13

2012: WO-S 26, Silsbee 12

2013: WO-S 27, Silsbee 0

2014: WO-S 35, Silsbee 0

2015: WO-S 49, Silsbee 28