The News staff report and The Orange Leader

SABINE PASS — Go ahead and say it, Sabine Pass: Playoffs.

The Sharks qualified for the UIL 2A playoffs for the first time since 2011 on homecoming Friday, beating Colmesneil 46-22. The win also secured the first winning season for the Sharks (6-3, 2-2 in District 12-2A Division II) since 1983, their most recent district championship season.

All of this came after an 18-game losing streak dating back to 2014.

But there was nothing easy about this homecoming win, despite Colmesneil’s (0-9, 0-4) last-place standing. The Bulldogs pulled within 24-22 in the third quarter before missing a two-point conversion.

Brayden Miller recovered a Colmesneil fumble in the end zone, and the Sharks added two points to extend the lead to 32-22. Jamyus Jones took charge from there, coming up with three of his four interceptions in the second half.

The first pick led to a D’Coven Turner rushing TD and extra two points. Jones then returned another pick for a touchdown to fashion the final score.

Turner also ran from 35 yards out for the game’s first score, followed by a Glenndell Walker conversion. The Bulldogs tied it up before quarterback Dominique Wilson kept the ball for a TD and pitched to Turner for the extra two. Sabine Pass led 24-16 at halftime.

Sabine Pass will close out its regular season at Evadale next Friday.

BRIDGE CITY 49,

NAVASOTA 31

BRIDGE CITY — It’s been over a decade in the making, but the Cardinals of Bridge City have captured their first district title since 2002.

Since head coach Dwayne Dubois took the reigns in 2015 the Cardinals are 13-6 overall and Friday’s 49-31, win over the Navasota Rattlers secures the team’s second consecutive trip to the postseason.

The Cardinals’ (6-2, 4-0 District 10-4A Division I) rushing attack was too much for the Rattlers to handle as they garnered 537 yards on the ground with two players topping the century mark.

Despite four fumbles and three of those lost for turnovers the Cardinals held on for the win, but will need to clean up the turnovers before the postseason rolls around. They will polish off the regular season on the road traveling to Huffman Hargrave next Friday.

W. ORANGE-STARK 32,

LIBERTY 7

WEST ORANGE — It wasn’t as easy sledding as the final score indicated, but the West Orange-Stark Mustangs snared yet another district title as they took down the Liberty Panthers 32-7 in District 12-4A Division II action at Hooks Stadium on Friday night.

The Mustangs (9-0, 3-0), Class 4A’s top-ranked team, only ran 27 offensive plays compared to the Panthers’ 62 but still prevailed.

Liberty (8-2, 2-2) used a bruising running game featuring a huge offensive line and big backs to move the ball against a WOS defense that only had been allowing 89.3 yards a game coming in.

The Panthers ran the ball 60 times for 271 total yards, but the Mustang defense rose up when it had to.

ORANGEFIELD 17,

HARDIN-JEFFERSON 15

SOUR LAKE — The Orangefield Bobcats went on the road and picked up a huge win Friday night by downing the Hardin-Jefferson 17-15 at Hawk Stadium in District 12-4A Division II play.

The win secured the third-place playoff spot out of 12-4A with the win.

Orangefield received a huge game from back Christopher McGee and a stout defensive effort to thwart the Hawks.

The Bobcats pushed their mark to 5-4 overall and more importantly 2-2 in 12-4A play. H-J slips to 6-3 overall and 1-3 in district.