Scoop27
11-01-2019, 07:41 AM
From The Victoria Advocate
Derrick Cash enjoyed being part of the El Campo-Bay City rivalry as a player.
Cash is looking forward to experiencing the rivalry as an El Campo assistant coach.
“It’s one those rivalry games where we don’t like the blue and gold and they don’t like the red and white,” Cash said. “It’s been like that from the time I was small and it is what it is.”
The Ricebirds (7-1, 3-1) and Blackcats (0-8, 0-5) will meet for the 116th time and 100th straight year when the state’s oldest continuous rivalry goes on in a District 13-4A, Division I game at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Bay City’s Memorial Stadium.
“This is the biggest rivalry in Texas,” said El Campo’s Cole Riha. “For it to be at the school I play at means a lot to me. This is my senior year and last time to play Bay City and I’m hoping to make the best of it.”
It’s a big thing,” added Bay City’s Marcus Edwards, who leads the area with six interceptions. “It’s special because we beat them last year.”
The Blackcats captured a 31-24 decision last season to snap a 12-game winning streak by El Campo.
Bay City is trying to win back-to-back games against the Ricebirds for the first time since the 2004 and 2005 seasons.
“It would be nice for us to be the ones to set a streak again where we’re on the other side of it,” said Bay City coach Pat Matthews. “Hopefully, we give ourselves the opportunity Friday night and just come out and play. We don’t really have anything to lose. We can be the spoiler if we want to be.”
El Campo, which leads the series 62-44-9, missed the playoff last season for the first time since 2005. But the Ricebirds are in the thick of the district race this season.
Last year, we were a learning team and I think we learned from our mistakes,” Riha said. “We’re pretty much the same team. We’ve got a couple of younger people moved up, but we’re much the same team from last year."
El Campo coach Wayne Condra knows the Blackcats have struggled, but is taking nothing for granted.
“It’s Bay City vs. El Campo and I’ve been here so many times,” he said. “We go in there like seven years ago and they haven’t won a game and we’re undefeated in district and the next thing you know we’re fighting for our lives. It’s a battle every time Bay City and El Campo get together.”
Bay City will open a new stadium next season and Friday’s game will be the last at Memorial Stadium.
Bay City is trying to avoid its first winless season since 2014.
“We have 12 seniors and 29 juniors and a lot of them play,” Matthews said. “I really feel like we are where they were last year. They had a very young team trying to figure it out. They have had a sophomore and a freshman come in and light it up in the backfield, their offensive line has begun to gel, and they’ve played foundationally sound to give themselves an opportunity.”
oth teams want to make it a memorable one.
“I guess just keeping in the back of your head who you play for and where you come from,” Riha said.
“This season hasn’t gone like we planned out,” Edwards said. “I’ve been waiting for a win since Week 1. I would love to go out with a win.”
Notes: Bay City will induct its 2019 Hall of Fame class during halftime.
Derrick Cash enjoyed being part of the El Campo-Bay City rivalry as a player.
Cash is looking forward to experiencing the rivalry as an El Campo assistant coach.
“It’s one those rivalry games where we don’t like the blue and gold and they don’t like the red and white,” Cash said. “It’s been like that from the time I was small and it is what it is.”
The Ricebirds (7-1, 3-1) and Blackcats (0-8, 0-5) will meet for the 116th time and 100th straight year when the state’s oldest continuous rivalry goes on in a District 13-4A, Division I game at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Bay City’s Memorial Stadium.
“This is the biggest rivalry in Texas,” said El Campo’s Cole Riha. “For it to be at the school I play at means a lot to me. This is my senior year and last time to play Bay City and I’m hoping to make the best of it.”
It’s a big thing,” added Bay City’s Marcus Edwards, who leads the area with six interceptions. “It’s special because we beat them last year.”
The Blackcats captured a 31-24 decision last season to snap a 12-game winning streak by El Campo.
Bay City is trying to win back-to-back games against the Ricebirds for the first time since the 2004 and 2005 seasons.
“It would be nice for us to be the ones to set a streak again where we’re on the other side of it,” said Bay City coach Pat Matthews. “Hopefully, we give ourselves the opportunity Friday night and just come out and play. We don’t really have anything to lose. We can be the spoiler if we want to be.”
El Campo, which leads the series 62-44-9, missed the playoff last season for the first time since 2005. But the Ricebirds are in the thick of the district race this season.
Last year, we were a learning team and I think we learned from our mistakes,” Riha said. “We’re pretty much the same team. We’ve got a couple of younger people moved up, but we’re much the same team from last year."
El Campo coach Wayne Condra knows the Blackcats have struggled, but is taking nothing for granted.
“It’s Bay City vs. El Campo and I’ve been here so many times,” he said. “We go in there like seven years ago and they haven’t won a game and we’re undefeated in district and the next thing you know we’re fighting for our lives. It’s a battle every time Bay City and El Campo get together.”
Bay City will open a new stadium next season and Friday’s game will be the last at Memorial Stadium.
Bay City is trying to avoid its first winless season since 2014.
“We have 12 seniors and 29 juniors and a lot of them play,” Matthews said. “I really feel like we are where they were last year. They had a very young team trying to figure it out. They have had a sophomore and a freshman come in and light it up in the backfield, their offensive line has begun to gel, and they’ve played foundationally sound to give themselves an opportunity.”
oth teams want to make it a memorable one.
“I guess just keeping in the back of your head who you play for and where you come from,” Riha said.
“This season hasn’t gone like we planned out,” Edwards said. “I’ve been waiting for a win since Week 1. I would love to go out with a win.”
Notes: Bay City will induct its 2019 Hall of Fame class during halftime.