Sports

   Bay City will again test its resolve to shed past mistakes as it faces the Sealy Tigers there this Friday in a District 13-4A-1 contest. 
   Bay City is 0-7 going into this matchup against Sealy (1-2, 4-2). 
   The Blackcats lost to Brazosport 35-20 last Friday, while the Tigers were shut out by El Campo 28-0. 
   “Things haven’t gone our way and we are continuing to work on those things we’re not very good at,” said Blackcat Head Coach Patrick Matthews. 
   “Sealy is very good football team. Most people don’t realize they’re in a rebuilding phase as well and the (Sealy) coach is trying to put together a good football team,” Matthews said. 
   Sealy started the season strong, but had some upsets. 
   While Bay City and Fulshear are exceptions, the rest of District 13-4A-1teams have been ranked at some time in the state 4A division, Matthews said. 
   “We trying to be in position to make plays. 

   The Schulenburg Shorthorns used a ball control offense, and an opportunistic defense to outscore the high-potent Van Vleck offense in a 49-34 win last Friday night.
    With the loss, Van Vleck has to win out the rest of the way in order to have a chance to reach the playoffs.
   Things went Van Vleck’s way early in the game, with the Leopard offense attacking quickly. 
   After Van Vleck forced a Schulenburg punt on their first possession of the night, the Leopard offense needed only one play to get onto the scoreboard. 
   Van Vleck runningback Sam Bree took the first Leopard handoff of the night from the Van Vleck 47-yard line and raced untouched for a quick touchdown. 
   Slade Huerta booted the extra point through, and the Leopards were up 7-0 with 9:02 left in the first quarter.
   The Leopard defense forced another Shorthorn punt on the next series, but a Van Vleck miscue got Schulenburg going. 
 

   Bay City Parks and Recreation Department is looking for help to stop the zombie horde from invading Riverside Park beginning at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 26.
   “Since Hurricane Harvey hit in 2017, Zombies have started to infiltrate the Wilderness Circle in Riverside Park,” said Kelly Penewitt, Parks and Recreation Supervisor.  
   Zombies and Zombie hunters are wanted to run – on and off road- this wilderness course that starts off on the pipeline, continues the Wilderness Trail, then down the road onto the jogging trail and finishes at the Riverside Ranger Station.  
   Zombies will have to be careful as there are obstacles along the way.  
   Zombie Hunters will be armed with marshmallow guns to “stun” the zombies.  
   At the end of the run, there will be a Riverside Liberation party with light refreshments.
   Event registration is now open, with current early registration and day of run fees at $35.

   It’s Blackcat Homecoming Week and Head Coach Pat Matthews said his team will build on improving rushing and passing attacks as it prepares for the Brazosport Exporters this Friday at Memorial Stadium.
   “We’re getting closer and closer but not getting over the hump,” Matthews said about last Friday’s game with Fulshear, where Bay City (0-3, 0-6) led in most categories except the final score, 21-14.
   Bay City had 16 first downs to Fulshear’s 14, while the Blackcats had 290 total offensive yards to Fulshear’s 247 yards.
   The Blackcats had 175 rushing yards to Fulshear’s 156 yards.
   Bay City’s running game was paced by senior running back RJ Mitchell with 69 yards and Blackcat quarterback Carlos Lara’s 68 yards.
   In the passing game, Lara was 12-22 for 129 yards and no interceptions.

   Tidehaven defeated Van Vleck 21-14 in a cross-county rivalry and District 14-3A-2 game that included a ribbon-cutting ceremony for stadium improvements at the Delvin L. Taska Tiger Stadium at El Maton last Friday.
   The final score accurately reflected a tight ball game where momentum often shifted with key turnovers – both quarterbacks threw pickoffs that ended promising drives.
   Rushing was the order of the day between the teams, with Tidehaven (2-1, 3-4) rushed for 291 yards and Van Vleck (0-2, 2-3) for 206 yards.
   In passing yardage, the Tigers had 60 yards, while the Leopards had 42 yards.
   Tidehaven had 351 total yards to Van Vleck’s 248 combined yards.
   Tidehaven quarterback Blake Garcia had a team-high 164 yards rushing.
   Jose Martinez compiled 68 yards on the ground and Ben Ruiz had six carries for 33 yards.
   Leopard junior Sam Bree had a team-high 125 yards rushing.

   Bay City will face Fulshear in a Thursday night game between two teams thirsty for a win.
   “You’ve got two teams looking for a win coming out of weekend where both teams played well,” said Blackcat Head Coach Patrick Matthews.
   In the seven-team District 13-4A-1 race, Bay City (0-5, 0-2) Fulshear (0-6, 0-2) are at the bottom.
   Bay City lost to Needville last Friday 48-27 at home, while the Fulshear Chargers are coming off a closely fought 29-33 loss to El Campo (5-1, 1-1) last Friday – the score was 20-20 to start the fourth quarter.
   “I think they’re looking for a win,” Matthews noted about Fulshear, which can “throw the ball around and is a good team defensively.
   “Right now, we’ve got to get a win. Before we get a win, we can’t possibly think about post-season,” Matthews added.
   “That’s the whole goal - playing four quarters and getting a win and a win after that.”

   Tidehaven will host Van Vleck in a rivalry clash Friday night between intra-county teams vying for playoff berths in a highly competitive District 14-3A-2 race this season.
   Van Vleck (2-2, 0-1) is coming off a bye week, while Tidehaven (2-4, 1-1) had 176 yards rushing and 155 yards passing against the district-leading and state-ranked East Bernard Brahmas in a 34-24 battle there last Friday. 
   The Brahmas (6-0) piled up 304 yards rushing in that game and 38 yards passing.
   Tiger quarterback Blake Garcia was 9-15 for 155 yards – the longest was 36 yards - with a TD and an interception.
   Garcia’s targets included Mason Perales with five catches for 72 yards – longest 25 yards – and a TD.
   Kaden Henry had three receptions for 47 yards and Austin Smith had a 36-yard catch.
   Garcia led Tidehaven rushers with 17 carries for 85 yards and a TD, while Jose Martinez had 19 carries for 70 yards and a TD.