ORANGEFIELD, Texas — As we inch closer to the kickoff of the 2024 football season, we visit yet another strong Southeast Texas program.
The Orangefield Bobcats come off the 2023 season that saw them begin the year 1-3 before submitting a strong district presence going 4-2.
The Bobcats finished the year 5-6, dropping their final two games to the East Chambers Buccaneers and Kirbyville Wildcats before losing in round one of the playoffs to the Woodville Eagles.
However, its a new dawn in 2024 as the Bobcats wish Josh Smalley farewell and march on with Head Coach Jeff Breaux.
Inside of the talented program Breaux inherited lies a weapon at the running back position in Junior Mason Manning who ran for over 1,100 yards in 2023 looking to enhance his game this season.
"I expect to trust my offensive line, trust my quarterback, trust my coach, and I expect it [the offense] to open up so that I have a lot more yards and all purpose [yards]. Kind of be an army knife for the team," Manning said about this upcoming season.
Also within the ranks of the Bobcats roster is a Sophomore quarterback getting his shot at the Varsity level and poised to take over the offense in 2024, Carson Gonzales.
"We're all buying in, conditioning, putting in extra work, film study, just knowing what we're supposed to be doing," Gonzales said in talking about Breaux's program.
Orangefield hosts the LCM Battlin' Bears for a scrimmage on August 16 at 7 pm.
The Bobcats will begin the regular season hosting the Woodville Eagles on August 30 for what could become a revenge game.