Kirbyville rolls past Bridge City 67-25
By JIMMY GALVAN Managing Editor

Kirbyville Head Football Coach Jack Alvarez knew his Wildcats would have to take care of business against Bridge City and try to avoid looking ahead to next week's key match up with Silsbee.

The Wildcats did just as they were supposed to as they rushed for 512 yards in a 67-25 thrashing of Bridge City at Wildcat Stadium Friday, Oct. 26.

"It was a win," Alvarez said. "We were in a situation that our plan with our starters was to get them out if we got ahead by three scores. We just wanted to get through this game injury free and we accomplished that and got the win."

Leading the way for Kirbyville was senior running back Pierce Rhodes, who rushed for 256 yards on nine carries and four touchdowns to pace the Wildcat attack.

"They are not very good on defense at all," Alvarez said. "You have to play it and win. They kept playing until the end."

Kirbyville ran out to a 34- 19 halftime lead and continued to light up the scoreboard in the second half.

The Wildcats used a fourplay scoring drive to start the second half, which was capped by a Rhodes' score from four yards out.

Kirbyville added scores from Wildcats' JaMichael Ervine, who scored from 17 yards out and a 47-19 lead.

Kirbyville was not through scoring in the third quarter as the Wildcats' Barry Burley scored from six yards out and a 53-19 lead as the fourth quarter was set to begin.

Bridge City's Joe Robertson, who finished the night with 174 yards rushing, scored for Bridge City in the second half when he rambled in from 23 yards out.

After the two-point conversion failed, Bridge City trailed Kirbyville 53-25.

The Wildcats added two more scores in the fourth quarter. Quarterback Aaron Hazelwood connected with Mikey Adams from 69 yards out and Stefan Jackson scored from two yard out to finish out the scoring.

Alvarez knows the Wildcats have to win one of their next two games to clinch a playoff berth in District 21-3A. Kirbyville will travel to Silsbee this Friday and then host Hamshire-Fannett to close out the season.

"We want to win both of them but we also know what it takes to get in," Alvarez said. "I think we can win both of them but right now, I don't want to be greedy when all I need is one."

This week, Kirbyville takes on the Silsbee Tigers, who have been a thorn in the sides of the Wildcats for the past couple of years.

"Silsbee is a big game for us," Alvarez said. "They have had our number and have beat us every year. We just never have had played them too well.

"Somewhere down the line you have to start beating those people," Alvarez said. "It took us three years to beat Jasper, four years to beat Bridge City."

Alvarez said he believes minimizing turnovers will be the key to the Wildcats' chances in Silsbee Friday, Nov. 2.

"The last couple of years, if we could have minimized our turnovers, we could have beat them," Alvarez said. "We don't turn the ball over much, but in that game we turn it over some. It's hard to win big games when you turn the ball over."