Cardinals flying high host Kountze Saturday

CARDINAL INSIDER- David Ivy

The Bridge City Cardinals promised excitement  and excitement is what they delivered. They also delivered a 32-20 victory over the Liberty Panthers. Liberty coughed-up the ball on the first play of the game. On the next play the Cardinals turned it into a touchdown. The game was just 15 seconds old.

Cardinal head football coach Cris Stump will now turn his Cardinals loose on Kountze, Saturday, 6:00 p.m. here for Big Red's home opener.

The first half was dominated by the Bridge City defense. Liberty’s first two offensivee drives were 3-and-out and after three consecutive first downs a Liberty pass was picked off by senior defensive back Jason Breaux. Seven plays later Cardinal quarterback Josh Lemoine’s pass was pulled into the waiting arms of receiver Cory Moseley for the second Bridge City touchdown of the night.

Liberty’s next two offensive possessions were ended with an interception by junior defesive back Zack Heinze. Bridge City’s Blake Hubbard came up with a fumble recovery. The Panthers were able to break a big play late in the first half to put 6 points on the board but the conversion kick was wide and the Cardinals went into the field house at half time with a 13 -6 lead.

The second half got underway with a kick-off return of 25 yards by Cardinal senior reciever Jerry Landry, but the Cardinals were unable to score on the drive that ended with a 43 yard punt by Hubbard. The senior defensive end had several impressive punts that included one in the first quarter that bounced out at the 8-yard line deep in Panther territory.

The Panthers fought back and broke another big play in the third quarter on an 80 yard run that brought the score to 12-13. Liberty’s failed to get the PAT.

The Cardinals answered in four plays that hit pay dirt when junior runningback Joe Robertson rambled 59 yards to put the Cardinals ahead 12-19. The final minutes of the third quarter were a defensive battle as both teams went for the fourth down conversion, failed and let the ball go over on downs.

Liberty’s first possession of the fourth quarter began on the Bridge City 33-yard line and ended one play later after a 67 yard touchdown run. A two point conversion gave Liberty their first lead of the night and the last points they would score.

Robertson took the ensuing kick off 15-yards, followed by a 3-yard Lemoine keeper. Lemoine found Breaux for a 16-yard pass on the next play. A nine yard touchdown run by Lemoine was called back because of a holding penalty. The Bridge City quarterback answered with a pass that gave Moseley his second touchdown catch of the game. The Cardinals regained the lead.

The kick off by junior Devin Bertrand went deep into the end zone. From their on 20-yard line the Panther failed to move the ball. Robertson returned Liberty’s punt to the 50-yard line and the next Bridge City touchdown drive began. Lemoine barrelled for 20-yards and would hit Landry in the endzone from 30-yards out to score. Bertrand’s PAT sealed the Cardinal’s win at 32-20.

As the clock was ticking down on the Cardinals first win of the season Coach Cris Stump began his victory celebration with a cold shower as the players emptied a water cooler down his back. There are a lot worse ways to end a Friday night football game, but that’s another season.