Scoop27
10-16-2014, 12:44 PM
From the Brazosport Facts
SWEENY — The Sweeny Bulldogs used a week off to lick their wounds from a 43-29 loss at the hands of a very talented La Marque Cougar squad.
“We needed that week to heal up and get ready for our district opener,” Sweeny first-year coach Joseph Olguin said. “La Marque is a very talented team and loaded with speed, but I was very proud of our kids for never throwing in the towel. We shot ourselves in the foot too many times against a talented team.”
Now, the games that count start as the Bulldogs venture into District 12-4A Division II play at Bulldog Stadium at 7:30 p.m. Friday. The Columbus Cardinals (0-1, 2-5) will be in town after dropping a 49-13 bout to league favorite Wharton in their opener a week ago.
“Columbus kept shooting themselves in the foot like we did,” Olguin said. “And like we found out, you just can’t keep doing that against a good team.”
In fact, the Cardinals have lost their last two games by a combined score of 106-25, including a nondistrict tilt to Halletsville, 57-12.
“We expect Columbus to come out and run the football like they have all year,” Olguin says. “They will come in here and play physical football. We just need to play our game and we will be OK. I know we had some good practices this week and the kids appear to be loose and ready to go.”
The Cardinals come in with the leading rusher in the league in senior Detriyon Carter, who has scooted off 636 yards on 116 carries and has six touchdowns for his effort.
“We had a chance to go and see Columbus against Wharton last Friday, and we all came away impressed with Carter,” Olguin said of his coaching staff. “He reminds us so much of our own Anthany Simmons. They are both outstanding runners who can really run downhill and they both have the speed to get the job done.”
Sophomore Keandre Hurd has helped boost the Columbus running attack with 222 yards and a 6-yard average per carry.
Quarterback Zane Weido leads the attack and has produced five rushing touchdowns. The Cardinal senior has thrown the ball only six times in seven games, completing two for 23 yards.
“They don’t throw the ball around much, no doubt,” Olguin says. “Like I said, they just line up and get after you.”
With a roster of only 24, the Cardinals’ depth may be running thin, which could come into play against the rested Bulldogs.
Sweeny will go with junior quarterback Cody Erikson, who is becoming a steady dual threat. Erikson has passed for 1,038 yards while completing 79-of-128 attempts. He has tossed nine touchdowns against four interceptions.
“Cody is settling in and improving every week,” Olguin said. “We went to the spread offense this year and have asked a lot of him, but he has responded well.”
Not only has Erikson thrown the ball well, he has also helped the potent Sweeny running attack with 323 yards and five touchdowns.
Simmons, the 5-foot-10, 180-pound senior, leads the team with 490 yards rushing and a touchdown to go with a nifty 7.28-yard-per-carry average.
Senior Charlie Jones has added 218 yards and five touchdowns, and according to Olguin, continues to improve in his role.
“He gives us another dimension in our offense,” Olguin said. “He brings extra speed to the backfield and is just another weapon the defense has to worry about.”
Olguin and the Bulldogs are hoping to continue to be a well-balanced offensive machine against the visiting Cardinals.
Sweeny goes into the district opener averaging more than 390 yards per game on offense while also boasting one of the stingiest defenses that has allowed only 215 yards per outing.
“We want to continue to have balance on our offense,” Olguin said. “We want to run, but at the same time we know our passing game can open things up.”
To date, Erikson’s top target has been junior Clayton Gilbert, who has caught 29 passes for 411 yards and three touchdowns.
“I think Cody has confidence in Clayton and is looking for him more often,” Olguin said. “Clayton is just silk smooth. He glides and runs with so little effort. We used to get onto him for loafing before, but that is the way he runs and catches the ball. He has great hands and knows what to do with the ball when he gets it.”
Sweeny and Columbus are meeting for the 15th time, with the Bulldogs leading the series 8-2-2. Their last matchup came in 2007, when the Cardinals pulled out a 33-22 win.
SWEENY — The Sweeny Bulldogs used a week off to lick their wounds from a 43-29 loss at the hands of a very talented La Marque Cougar squad.
“We needed that week to heal up and get ready for our district opener,” Sweeny first-year coach Joseph Olguin said. “La Marque is a very talented team and loaded with speed, but I was very proud of our kids for never throwing in the towel. We shot ourselves in the foot too many times against a talented team.”
Now, the games that count start as the Bulldogs venture into District 12-4A Division II play at Bulldog Stadium at 7:30 p.m. Friday. The Columbus Cardinals (0-1, 2-5) will be in town after dropping a 49-13 bout to league favorite Wharton in their opener a week ago.
“Columbus kept shooting themselves in the foot like we did,” Olguin said. “And like we found out, you just can’t keep doing that against a good team.”
In fact, the Cardinals have lost their last two games by a combined score of 106-25, including a nondistrict tilt to Halletsville, 57-12.
“We expect Columbus to come out and run the football like they have all year,” Olguin says. “They will come in here and play physical football. We just need to play our game and we will be OK. I know we had some good practices this week and the kids appear to be loose and ready to go.”
The Cardinals come in with the leading rusher in the league in senior Detriyon Carter, who has scooted off 636 yards on 116 carries and has six touchdowns for his effort.
“We had a chance to go and see Columbus against Wharton last Friday, and we all came away impressed with Carter,” Olguin said of his coaching staff. “He reminds us so much of our own Anthany Simmons. They are both outstanding runners who can really run downhill and they both have the speed to get the job done.”
Sophomore Keandre Hurd has helped boost the Columbus running attack with 222 yards and a 6-yard average per carry.
Quarterback Zane Weido leads the attack and has produced five rushing touchdowns. The Cardinal senior has thrown the ball only six times in seven games, completing two for 23 yards.
“They don’t throw the ball around much, no doubt,” Olguin says. “Like I said, they just line up and get after you.”
With a roster of only 24, the Cardinals’ depth may be running thin, which could come into play against the rested Bulldogs.
Sweeny will go with junior quarterback Cody Erikson, who is becoming a steady dual threat. Erikson has passed for 1,038 yards while completing 79-of-128 attempts. He has tossed nine touchdowns against four interceptions.
“Cody is settling in and improving every week,” Olguin said. “We went to the spread offense this year and have asked a lot of him, but he has responded well.”
Not only has Erikson thrown the ball well, he has also helped the potent Sweeny running attack with 323 yards and five touchdowns.
Simmons, the 5-foot-10, 180-pound senior, leads the team with 490 yards rushing and a touchdown to go with a nifty 7.28-yard-per-carry average.
Senior Charlie Jones has added 218 yards and five touchdowns, and according to Olguin, continues to improve in his role.
“He gives us another dimension in our offense,” Olguin said. “He brings extra speed to the backfield and is just another weapon the defense has to worry about.”
Olguin and the Bulldogs are hoping to continue to be a well-balanced offensive machine against the visiting Cardinals.
Sweeny goes into the district opener averaging more than 390 yards per game on offense while also boasting one of the stingiest defenses that has allowed only 215 yards per outing.
“We want to continue to have balance on our offense,” Olguin said. “We want to run, but at the same time we know our passing game can open things up.”
To date, Erikson’s top target has been junior Clayton Gilbert, who has caught 29 passes for 411 yards and three touchdowns.
“I think Cody has confidence in Clayton and is looking for him more often,” Olguin said. “Clayton is just silk smooth. He glides and runs with so little effort. We used to get onto him for loafing before, but that is the way he runs and catches the ball. He has great hands and knows what to do with the ball when he gets it.”
Sweeny and Columbus are meeting for the 15th time, with the Bulldogs leading the series 8-2-2. Their last matchup came in 2007, when the Cardinals pulled out a 33-22 win.