Paratrooper
10-14-2006, 10:01 AM
BRIDGE CITY — Bridge City survived a scare from winless Jasper, using a safety and a game-clinching touchdown late in the fourth quarter to hold off the more than game Bulldogs, 22-14, Friday night at Larry Ward Memorial Stadium.
“It was a real fine win for us,” said Bridge City coach Claude Tarver. “We played really well in the first half and was able to move the football. We fell behind at the end of the third quarter. I challenged our kids and they came through. They played a good fourth quarter and we were able to pull out a win. I’m real proud of that.”
After watching Jasper score touchdowns on both of its third quarter possessions, the BC defense rose to the occasion in the fourth quarter. Faced with a fourth-and-seven at the Jasper 43 with just under eight minutes left in the game, Tarver showed confidence in his defense by deciding to punt the ball and pin the Bulldogs deep in their own territory.
That’s exactly what punter Jeff Stringer did as he lofted a punt that was downed at the Jasper 1. Two plays later, Stringer led a defensive surge that stopped Jasper quarterback Cameron Stubblefield from getting out of his own end zone on an option play from the 2. The safety gave BC a 15-14 lead.
Jasper’s free kick went out of bounds, giving BC the ball at the 50 with 6:37 left in the fourth quarter. The Cardinals used a steady diet of Cody Mills running the ball. He carried five times for 33 yards on the drive, the last of which was a 6-yard touchdown run that give the Cardinals a 22-14 cushion with 1:29 left.
“I really thought about going for it, but fourth-and-eight was just too far,” said Tarver of his decision to punt instead of going for the first down. “I was hoping for exactly what happened. We pinned them deep and I was hoping for a fumble or to at least to get good field position. It really turned out better than I hoped by getting the safety and taking the lead. It really changed the complexion of the game.”
The Jasper defense had no answer for Dishon in the first half. On the Cardinals opening possession, he carried the ball six times for 58 yards. Unfortunately, the drive ended with a missed 22-yard field goal by Guadalupe Estrada.
Dishon, who also plays safety on defense, intercepted Stubblefield in the second quarter and returned it 47 yards to the Jasper 13.
That set up BC’s (4-2, 2-1) first score of the game as Mills went in from 4 yards out two plays later. The Cardinals pushed the lead to 13-0 on their next possession. This time it was Dishon beating the Bulldogs with his arm as he hit Chase Leger on a 41-yard scoring strike with 1:51 left in the second quarter.
Dishon led all rushers with 125 yards on 26 carries and completed 7-of-16 passes for 84 yards.
“When Dishon can do his thing, when he’s got his quickness, and his ankle was feeling pretty good tonight, he obviously makes a big difference in our offense,” said Tarver. “He just adds a different dimension. It opens up our passing game because people load up to stop him. He was able to make some key throws and make some great runs.”
Jasper (0-6, 0-3) took the opening possession of the third quarter and marched 66 yards for a touchdown. Stubblefield hit tailback Brandon McQueen on a pair of shuffle passes that with for a combined 31 yards. Travon Limberick finished off the drive with a 3-yard TD run.
The Bulldogs came right back on their next possession and went 75 yards for a touchdown that game them a 14-13 lead. A 29-yard run by Limberick, who finished with 96 yards on 17 carries, put the ball at the BC 12. He scored his second TD of the game four plays later on a 2-yard run.
“The effort was there, we had a great week of practice and the kids worked hard,” said Jasper coach Danny Lauve. “It was a shame we couldn’t come out with a win. We still made too many mistakes at critical times, and you can’t do that and win games.
“For our young guys, the mistakes we made we have to bounce back from. Anytime you’re in a tight game at the end, I think you always come away with something positive. I think our young kids will have something to build on.”
Jasper may still be searching for its first win, but the Bulldogs outgained the Cardinals 324 to 278. However, the mistakes coach Lauve was referring to included two interceptions and a costly fumble by McQueen on first-and-goal from the 4 in the first quarter.
“Jasper may be down, but they played hard tonight,” Tarver said. “They knew they had a chance to win a game. They really came down here and got after us. They’ve got good athletes, they’re just having a tough year. They’ve really been in just about every game they’ve played, they’re just not quite getting it done. Jasper’s going to beat someone before the season’s over. I don’t have any doubt about that.”
“It was a real fine win for us,” said Bridge City coach Claude Tarver. “We played really well in the first half and was able to move the football. We fell behind at the end of the third quarter. I challenged our kids and they came through. They played a good fourth quarter and we were able to pull out a win. I’m real proud of that.”
After watching Jasper score touchdowns on both of its third quarter possessions, the BC defense rose to the occasion in the fourth quarter. Faced with a fourth-and-seven at the Jasper 43 with just under eight minutes left in the game, Tarver showed confidence in his defense by deciding to punt the ball and pin the Bulldogs deep in their own territory.
That’s exactly what punter Jeff Stringer did as he lofted a punt that was downed at the Jasper 1. Two plays later, Stringer led a defensive surge that stopped Jasper quarterback Cameron Stubblefield from getting out of his own end zone on an option play from the 2. The safety gave BC a 15-14 lead.
Jasper’s free kick went out of bounds, giving BC the ball at the 50 with 6:37 left in the fourth quarter. The Cardinals used a steady diet of Cody Mills running the ball. He carried five times for 33 yards on the drive, the last of which was a 6-yard touchdown run that give the Cardinals a 22-14 cushion with 1:29 left.
“I really thought about going for it, but fourth-and-eight was just too far,” said Tarver of his decision to punt instead of going for the first down. “I was hoping for exactly what happened. We pinned them deep and I was hoping for a fumble or to at least to get good field position. It really turned out better than I hoped by getting the safety and taking the lead. It really changed the complexion of the game.”
The Jasper defense had no answer for Dishon in the first half. On the Cardinals opening possession, he carried the ball six times for 58 yards. Unfortunately, the drive ended with a missed 22-yard field goal by Guadalupe Estrada.
Dishon, who also plays safety on defense, intercepted Stubblefield in the second quarter and returned it 47 yards to the Jasper 13.
That set up BC’s (4-2, 2-1) first score of the game as Mills went in from 4 yards out two plays later. The Cardinals pushed the lead to 13-0 on their next possession. This time it was Dishon beating the Bulldogs with his arm as he hit Chase Leger on a 41-yard scoring strike with 1:51 left in the second quarter.
Dishon led all rushers with 125 yards on 26 carries and completed 7-of-16 passes for 84 yards.
“When Dishon can do his thing, when he’s got his quickness, and his ankle was feeling pretty good tonight, he obviously makes a big difference in our offense,” said Tarver. “He just adds a different dimension. It opens up our passing game because people load up to stop him. He was able to make some key throws and make some great runs.”
Jasper (0-6, 0-3) took the opening possession of the third quarter and marched 66 yards for a touchdown. Stubblefield hit tailback Brandon McQueen on a pair of shuffle passes that with for a combined 31 yards. Travon Limberick finished off the drive with a 3-yard TD run.
The Bulldogs came right back on their next possession and went 75 yards for a touchdown that game them a 14-13 lead. A 29-yard run by Limberick, who finished with 96 yards on 17 carries, put the ball at the BC 12. He scored his second TD of the game four plays later on a 2-yard run.
“The effort was there, we had a great week of practice and the kids worked hard,” said Jasper coach Danny Lauve. “It was a shame we couldn’t come out with a win. We still made too many mistakes at critical times, and you can’t do that and win games.
“For our young guys, the mistakes we made we have to bounce back from. Anytime you’re in a tight game at the end, I think you always come away with something positive. I think our young kids will have something to build on.”
Jasper may still be searching for its first win, but the Bulldogs outgained the Cardinals 324 to 278. However, the mistakes coach Lauve was referring to included two interceptions and a costly fumble by McQueen on first-and-goal from the 4 in the first quarter.
“Jasper may be down, but they played hard tonight,” Tarver said. “They knew they had a chance to win a game. They really came down here and got after us. They’ve got good athletes, they’re just having a tough year. They’ve really been in just about every game they’ve played, they’re just not quite getting it done. Jasper’s going to beat someone before the season’s over. I don’t have any doubt about that.”