BUNA — Last week the Bridge City Cardinals were shutout. Friday night the Cardinals scored early, often, and in a diverse number of ways as they defeated the Buna Cougars 42-6 at Cougar Stadium.

Bridge City (3-1) scored six touchdowns by running for one, passing for three, returning a punt, and running a recovered fumble for scores. Cameron Dishon contributed four of the touchdowns each one using a different facet of the game.

The Cougars (2-2) were a little too gracious of host, turning the ball over four times in the first half and five times overall. Bridge City turned the turnovers into 21 points, 14 in a five-minute span that broke the game open in the second quarter.

Buna’s defense forced a Bridge City punt from the Cardinals’ 44. Devin Bertrand’s kick was a little short and bounced once before hitting one a Cougars’ player in the back. The Cardinals’ Dakota Risinger recovered at the Buna 25.

On first down Josh Lemoine looked right, then threw left to Mitchel Hubbard all alone behind the Buna secondary for the touchdown. Bertrand added the point-after to make the score 14-0 with 7:25 to play in the half.

Starting deep in their own end the Cougars drove from their own 19 to the Bridge City 26. Josh Clark broke off a 28-yard scamper to spark the drive. However, on first down from the 26 a bad exchange on a hand-off resulted in a fumble which Risinger of the Cardinals was once again glad to snap up.

A short run and an incompleted pass moved the ball to the Bridge City 30. Dishon took a direct snap from center, ran left, followed a convoy of blockers, and then cut back to his right finding daylight that led all the way to the end zone to complete a 70-yard touchdown run. Bertrand made the score 21-0 with 3:50 left until the end of the half.

That was almost enough time for Buna to cut the Bridge City lead. Starting at their 40, the Cougars drove to a first down at the Cardinals’ 12. Jacob Craft ran for two first downs. Clark completed a pass to Kolby Baxter to get the ball to the 12.

With the clock ticking down Craft carried the ball twice, the first was good for 9 yards. The Cardinals’ defense held Craft shy of the goal line as the first half came to end with Bridge City leading 21-0.

The Cardinals scored on the game’s first possession. Josh Lemoine completed a 19-yard pass to Dishon on the drive’s first snap. The two teamed up again for the touchdown, Dishon catching a 3-yard pass for the score with less than three minutes gone in the first quarter.

The dynamic duo initiated the scoring again in the second half. The Cardinals drove to a first-and-goal at the Buna 5 before the Cougars’ defense stiffened and forced a third-and-goal from the 13. There Lemoine found Dishon in the end zone for the touchdown with 4:45 to play in the third quarter.

Dishon’s last touchdown was maybe the most spectacular. The Cougars had moved the ball to near midfield before they were forced to punt. The kick was fielded by Dishon at the Cardinals’ 10. He dodged a couple of tacklers and then broke free down the Bridge City sideline until he only had one Cougar to beat, which Dishon did to cap a 90-yard punt return as the third quarter clock expired. Bertrand’s kick made the score 35-0.

The Cardinals’ defense got on the scoring sheet just 90 seconds later. Buna fumbled on its second play after the kickoff, and Bridge City’s Jacob Howard picked up the loose ball and rambled 30 yards for the touchdown.

Bridge City returns home for Beaumont Kelly next Friday.