ORANGEFIELD – Getting off to one of the best records in school history, the Orangefield Bobcats will face a huge battle at home with possible heavy District 12-3A Division I playoff implications down the road when they welcome in the East Chambers Buccaneers in a huge showdown.

Both teams will enter the fray on a roll.

The Bobcats (5-0, 2-0) have nabbed a pair of 12-3A wins over Buna (28-12) and last week over Kirbyville (54-28).

Meanwhile the Bucs (4-1, 2-0) have dominated Woodville (28-0) and Hardin (41-6) last week.

The Bucs’ lone loss came at the hands of Hamshire-Fannett 26-19 in a game that saw them lose standout quarterback Kam Smith for the season. Smith passed for 1,521 yards and 20 touchdowns last year while rushing for 873 yards and 11 scores. East Chambers has outscored opponents 183-52 thus far this season while the Bobcats have outscored the opposition 187-75.

The Bucs have installed freshman Jacoby Perrault at quarterback and he has fared pretty well in starting the first two 12-3A games, completing 11-of-17 passes for 133 yards and two scores.

He has spent a lot of his time pitching back to speedster backs Nolton Shelvin and Ernest Ceasar.

Ceasar rushed for 1,550 yards and 27 TDs while Shelvin had 1,179 yards and 22 TDs last season. The two have not missed a beat this season.

Shelvin has bolted for 525 yards and eight TDs on just 39 carries while Ceasar has 491 yards and seven scores on only 43 totes.

The Bucs advanced all the way to the 3A Division I regional finals last season, falling to eventual state champion Grandview 36-35.

The Bucs will check into Orangefield averaging 358.8 yards a game while allowing just 188.4.

The Bobcats have been even stingier on defense, giving up just 181 yards a contest while piling up 310.8 yards a game with its vaunted Slot-T attack.

Quarterback Gunner Jones has been steady for the Bobcats in getting the ball to a huge stable of backs.

Heston Puckett leads the Bobcat ground game with 266 yards and three TDs on 49 carries. Chase Broussard has darted for 238 yards and two TDs on 13 carries. Kaiden DuBose has zipped for 227 yards and six TDs on 23 carries. Also, Hunter Ashworth and Clayson Choate have also been explosive toting the leather.

The Bobcats will look to bounce back from last year’s tough 41-0 road defeat at the hands of the Bucs. Shelvin had Ceasar combined for four TDs in the victory.

The Bobcats will be on the road next week when they visit Hardin while the Bucs return home to face Kirbyville.

In other 12-3A action this Friday Anahuac (2-3, 2-0) will host Warren (2-3, 0-2), Woodville (2-3, 1-1) goes to Buna (2-3, 0-2) and Hardin (3-2, 1-1) visits Kirbyville (0-5, 0-2).