By game’s end, the Sabine Pass Sharks were down to a dirty dozen in their Friday road football match-up against mighty Hull-Daisetta.

“We just couldn’t compete,” said Sabine Pass coach Jason Thibodeaux. “We had two kids go to the hospital, one with a stinger, the other with a hand injury.”

That added to the hardships for the winless Sharks, who fell behind 28-0 after the first quarter, en route to a 50-0 loss.

The home-standing Bobcats, ahead 44-0 at the half, may have shown some mercy by adding just 6 points in the second half. Thibodeaux said his team’s injuries included offensive back Austin Smith, a senior, and Terry Brown, a junior offensive and defensive lineman.

That left just a lone substitute on the bench after Smith was injured in the third quarter.

“When he goes down, you shuffle the desk,” Thibodeaux said. Smith plays running back, quarterback and “wherever we can put him,” Thibodeaux said.

The coach said he talked with the injured players’ parents Friday night and they may recover in time to play in two weeks when Sabine Pass travels to play West Hardin in Saratoga. The Sharks have another bye, their second of the year, next week.

West Hardin beat Warren 22-20 Friday night.

Thibodeaux had feared that a soggy field might affect the game, but he said Saturday that the field was not a factor. The Bobcats were.

“They’re big and they’re fast and they have two platoons,” he said. “Our kids go from one side of the ball to the other.”

The Bobcats suit up about three dozen players.

Thibodeaux said despite the big loss, senior Logan Odom played a great game.

“He’s leaves it all on the field every play,” he said. “He’s a senior; he loves the game. No matter the score, he plays hard.”

Looking ahead, Thibodeaux said he expects West Hardin to provide another stiff road test. He said West Hardin dropped a Week No. 2 game 34-0 to the Bobcats, but “gave them a good game.”

He said the small roster size is affecting how the Sharks practice. He said he cannot afford to lose players to injury during practice, so much of practice is limited to “walk-throughs,” without much full contact.

He said the Sharks won’t play another opponent with a comparable sized team until Oct. 19, when they travel to Burkeville.