The Record Newspapers - Hometown News For Orange County, Texas

The Orangefield Bobcats are back at home this Friday when they take on the Hardin-Jefferson Hawks on Friday at F.L. McClain Stadium. It will be the final home game for the Bobcats as the 2010 regular season draws down to just two.

The high scoring Bobcats are looking to claim another district win after running over the Hamshire-Fannett Longhorns, 35-14 last week. They did it with Jacob Nunez stepping up to fill in for injured senior quarterback Quinton Evans. Nunez passed for 37 yards on five attempts for two touchdowns-- the first two touchdowns on passing for Orangefield this season. Nunez rushed for another 77 yards on 15 carries that included a third TD for the evening.

Orangefield is 5-3 for the season and 1-2 in Dist. 21-3A. The Hawks are 2-6 overall and 1-2 in district. Like the Bobcats, Hardin-Jefferson’s win came over the Hamshire-Fannett Longhorns as well, 20-18. The Hawks have a district loss to Silsbee, 30-20 last week.

Evans is expected to be back in the lineup against HJ while the performance of Nunez is certainly an extra threat for the Orangefield offense. Evans leads the team in rushing with 1011 on 141 carries and 10 touchdowns in an offense that has churned out 2577 total yards and 27 touchdowns this season.

Hardin-Jefferson hasn’t fared as well with just one other win on their season record against Splendora, 45-33.

Last week, with Evans on the sideline, the Bobcats went to work early against the HF last week. On their first possession Orangefield marched 89 yards to the goal line. The drive was capped off when Nunez scored from the seven yardline. On the PAT the ‘Cats surprised the Longhorns by faking the point-after as holder Jackson Calhoun rolled out and passed to receiver Parker James for a two point conversion.

James would also catch the first touchdown pass of the season for Orangefield. Nunez zipped the ball to James from the nine yard line early in the second quarter. Replacing Evans as place kicker, Westin Crain split the cross bars for the PAT.

With seven seconds left in the half Nunez went to the air again finding wide receiver Ty Johnson open for a 31 yard touchdown pass and a 22-0 lead at intermission.

Orangefield would score again in the third quarter when Josh Shores carried it in from the 24 yard line. In the fourth quarter The Bobcats turned to Rylan Cook who capped off a 63-yard drive scoring from the three yard line. Crain’s kick was good.

The Longhorns managed just 17 yards rushing against Orangefield but racked up 236 yards in the air that included two fourth quarter touchdowns passses from Dante Smith to Layne Miquez and Trevor Bell.

Orangefield fullback Evan Guidry rushed for 91 yards on 15 carries his longest for 31-yards. Guidry has 502 yards and 12 TDs this season. Jeromy Watkins collected 76 yards on five carries, Ty Johnson had 50 yards on eight totes and Eric Truncale had 33 yards on three carries.

Shores, Cook, Damon Burton, Streling Deslatte, Jeromey Watkins and Parker lead the tackling for the Bobcat defense against the Longhorns.