BRIDGE CITY — It’s just the third week of the District 10-4A Division I season but a lot will be at stake Friday night when the Bridge City Cardinals welcome the Silsbee Tigers to Ward Stadium.

Both squads are flying high entering this one as they share first-place in the standings.

The Cardinals (4-2, 2-0) took down Little Cypress-Mauriceville 54-28 last week while Silsbee (4-3, 2-0) blasted Navasota 35-7 behind another huge effort by running back Calvin Tyler.

Bridge City has found its niche with its powerful running game featuring excellent backs and a veteran offensive line.

The Cardinals have piled up 809 yards on the ground in their two 10-4A victories.

Last week against LC-M the Cardinals had three backs in Cayce Draper (21-120), Max Baker (5-134) and Patrick Morris (8-112) that went for over 100 yards.

The Cardinals will check in averaging 361.5 yards a game.

Draper has bruised his way to 577 yards for the season while Morris is closing in on 500 yards.

Bridge City will look to shore up defensively against the high-octane Tigers. The Cardinals are allowing 304.5 yards a game but allowed LC-M 440 last week, 233 in the air and 207 on the ground.

Ever since losing to West Orange-Stark 51-2, the Tigers have found their groove, winning three straight and outscoring their opponents 130-48.

Tyler, who transferred from Ozen this season, has been on a tear.

In his last four games he has rushed for 1,076 yards, including a 213-yard effort against Navasota last week. He has rushed for over 4,000 yards in his career. Adonis Thomas is also a excellent back that runs with power.

Tiger quarterback Willie Jones, a transfer from Beaumont Legacy, has found his groove of late in connecting with his receivers and is also a major threat to tote the leather. Jones has two major weapons at receiver in the forms of Kalen Barnes and Tre’ Lowe.

Willie Ray Smith Finalist Michael McCain leads a Silsbee defense that has improved through the course of the campaign. The Tigers allowed over 50 points to both WO-S and PN-G and 49 to Newton but have allowed just 16 points a game in their last three.

This will mark the 44^th meeting between the two schools. Silsbee leads the series 34-8-1. The Tigers have won four straight in the series, including last year’s 62-42 shootout.

The Cardinals will remain at home next week to take on Navasota.

 

Series history

1960: Silsbee 68, BC 0

1961: Silsbee 47, BC 6

1962: Silsbee 31, BC 6

1963: Silsbee 23, BC 2

1964: Silsbee 42, BC 0

1965: BC 21, Silsbee 0

1966: BC 21, Silsbee 14

1967: BC 3, Silsbee 3

1968: Silsbee 22, BC 14

1969: Silsbee 25, BC 6

1970: Silsbee 26, BC 7

1971: Silsbee 23, BC 0

1972: Silsbee 26, BC 0

1973: BC 19, Silsbee 7

1974: Silsbee 14, BC 13

1975: Silsbee 21, BC 20

1976: Silsbee 19, BC 7

1977: BC 13, Silsbee 12

1978: BC 21, Silsbee 6

1979: Silsbee 21, BC 14

1980: Silsbee 41, BC 12

1981: Silsbee 35, BC 12

1982: Silsbee 27, BC 15

1983: Silsbee 23, BC 20

1984: Silsbee 13, BC 12

1985: Silsbee 40, BC 14

1986: Silsbee 13, BC 6

1987: Silsbee 31, BC 7

1990: Silsbee 42, BC 14

1991: Silsbee 19, BC 7

2000: Silsbee 7, BC 6

2001: BC 14, Silsbee 3

2004: Silsbee 35, BC 13

2006: Silsbee 28, BC 10

2007: Silsbee 48, BC 7

2008: Silsbee 21, BC 0

2009: Silsbee 28, BC 21

2010: BC 26, Silsbee 22

2011: BC 6, Silsbee 0

2012: Silsbee 45, BC 20

2013: Silsbee 56, BC 27

2014: Silsbee 31, BC 14

2015: Silsbee 62, BC 42