Silsbee WR Zayon Jackson looks for a seam in the Orangefield defense on Friday. - Photo by Danny Reneau

The Silsbee Tigers opened district play at Orangefield and claimed a relatively easy 48-7 victory.
The win upped the Tigers overall record to 4-1.

Orangefield brought a record of 1-3 into the game and had to play without the services of their quarterback, who was injured earlier this season.

Friday, Silsbee Head Coach Bobby McGallion went to the basics and started right out working on his rushing game. The Tigers stayed on the ground for their first 10 plays.

It took them six plays to carry the ball 53 yards for a score on their first drive. The score came on an 8-yard run by Patrick Reed. He had a run for 20 yards on his first  carry of the game.

Floyd Spearman appeared to be returning to normal after sitting out a couple of games earlier this year. He had three carries for 26 yards during the drive. Friday he appeared to have his running legs under him. He scored his first touchdown of the game during the Tigers’ third possession of the game. Silsbee took over at the Bobcat 37 and Yancy Brydson immediately carried all the way to the 5-yard line. Spearman scored the next play on a 5-yard run. The kick for PAT was no good but Silsbee held a comfortable 20-0 lead with 8:55 left in the half.

The Bobcats consistently avoided the big run back on punts by kicking the ball out of bounds. These led to some short punts and good field position for the Tigers but it did limit the Tigers ability to set up the big return.

While trailing 20-0, Orangefield finally managed to pick up a first down in the game when Tyron Como picked up 11 yards on a run to the 36-yard line. The drive then stalled and the Bobcats punted to the Silsbee 41. This was only the second time all game that Silsbee had started a drive on its end of the field.

Patrick Reed who has developed into the Tigers top runner, broke into the clear and ran 36 yards to the Orangefield 23.

Reed, a lanky looking quarterback from last year, has put on 20 pounds and now appears to be a much more physical individual. He is the Tigers leading rusher this season.

Zayon Jackson sliced through the line and ran 23 yards for a touchdown.

Silsbee had one more chance in the half. This was set up when Orangefield went for it on fourth and four at their 45. The run turned into a 4-yard loss and Silsbee had a first-and-10 at the Bobcat 41.

Silsbee had only thrown two passes in the half, completing one for 11 yards. Reed dropped back and hit his top receiver Jordan Holmes, as he ran through a group of defenders inside the 10-yard line. Holmes scooped up the ball and ran into the end zone to give the Tigers a 34-0 lead at the half.

Neither team scored in the third period and on the first play of the fourth period a Bobcat fumbled and Coy Bird recovered the ball for Silsbee at the Bobcat 14-yard line. Spearman immediately went to work. It took him three plays before he battered his way into the end zone on a 1-yard run.

Silsbee did have one incomplete pass. The pass was to Ladavian Barnes but it went to an Orangefield defensive back and Barnes was able to successfully turn into a defender and knock the ball away.  

The Tigers super quick defense had the Bobcats shut down at this point in the game. They failed to move the ball and for possibly the first time in the game, the Bobcats punted the ball in the field of play.

Holmes and Chris Elam were both back deep for the punt. Holmes fielded the punt at the Silsbee 44. He zigged and zagged and then ran down the sidelines almost untouched for a touchdown.

The kick was good and Silsbee had a 48-0 lead with 8:28 left in the game.

Silsbee then went to its bench. Orangefield which had been bottled up all game was able to put together back to back first downs to move from the shadow of their own goal post (11-yard line) to the Bobcat 33. Then Carl Wiley found a seam and raced 67 yards for a score. The kick by David Rainey was good and the final score was 48-7.

Silsbee played well defensively as a team. Seth Adams had what Coach Bobby McGallion described as an exceptional game. Adams has been a team leader all season. However nose guards usually do not lead a team in tackles. That honor usually belongs to linebackers or defensive ends. Friday Adams was in on 10 unassisted and eight assisted tackles to lead the Tigers defensive effort.

Karl Elers was in on seven unassisted and four assisted tackles. Roderick Harper, Colby Leblanc and Elijah Miller participated in 10 tackles (unassisted and assisted). Adam Valencia was in on nine tackles. Defensive back Coy Bird was in on six tackles.

Offensively Reed had eight carries for 118 yards. Spearman had 10 for 43. Brydson one for 32, Tristan Grisham one for 15, Jackson one for 23 and Kendrick Scott one for 13.

Silsbee had 224 yards rushing and 96 passing.
Defenively the team allowed 173 yards rushing and six passing.

After the game Coach McGallion stated that "We did not throw much. We got up quick." He went on to say…. "This was one of the games we came out and did what we were supposed to do."
He had words of praise for the Tigers offensive line.

One of the few unexpected things that happened in this game was that the Tigers introduced a new offensive set with bigger lineman and a fullback that they tried out successfully in goal line situations.