By Caleb Adams
The Orange Leader

HAMSHIRE — The Bridge City Cardinals opened their regular season play against the Hamshire-Fannett Longhorns Friday night on the road and made it look easy as they scored 49 first-half points on their way to a 56-15 victory.

The Cardinals (1-0) look to make a deep playoff run with multiple starters returning from last season, most notably on the offensive and defensive lines. The game was won in the trenches with the line making gaping holes in the defense and the running back group taking advantage with over 400 yards rushing as Bridge City canned the Longhorns.

Cardinal senior running back Cayce Draper was definitely a thorn for the Longhorns.

Draper zipped through the H-F defense for 191 yards and four touchdowns as the Cardinals gained 482 yards, 431 coming via the red-hot ground game.

Max Baker had an excellent game as he had 96 yards and a touchdown while Ethan Hamm bolted for 77 yards and a score.

Cardinal junior Hunter Denton started the game off with a 103-yard kickoff return, putting Bridge City up early as the track standout showed plenty of speed on his trek to the end zone.

Hamshire-Fannett fired back with Tyrese White cruising on a 76-yard touchdown run, evening up the score at 7-7.

The next drive Bridge City came back with a flurry of runs from multiple backs, most notably Patrick Morris, who zipped 44 yards and a touchdown.

Draper had his first carry of the night with a long 56-yard touchdown, putting the Cardinals up by two touchdowns still in the first quarter.

The next Cardinal drive was capped off with another Draper run, as he went 51 yards for a touchdown, putting the Cards up three touchdowns in the first.

The Longhorns had a successful drive on the back of running back White, who had a total of 78 yards on the ground and a touchdown, and the Longhorns connected on the two-point conversion making the score 28 -15 in favor of the Cardinals. White finished with 184 yards and a pair of scores.

Bridge City answered quickly again, getting the ball back at their own. Draper made the Longhorns pay again, this time breaking loose for a 62-yard touchdown jaunt.

The Cardinals keep using what worked and handed the ball to Draper again and the bulldozer of a back went for 54 yards and another touchdown making it 42-15.

Adding yet another back to the pool, the Cardinals’ quarterback Byron Trahan gave Ethan Hamm a handoff and Hamm exploded for a 59-yard touchdown romp as the Cardinals cruised into the half with a 49-15 edge.

The second half of the game was full of both teams trading unsuccessful drives. Bridge City found one last score with a Max Baker 88-yard touchdown run to make it a 56-15 final.

The Cardinals look to continue their winning ways next week when they welcome Houston North Forest to Larry Ward Stadium.