Troup visits Cards for home opener

FIRED-UP REDBIRDS — Sabine High School's players ran out onto the field last weekend in Redwater in new uniforms. The Cardinals lost their opener, 34-12, but play their first home game of the 2008 season on Friday night against Troup. It will also be the first home game for new head coach Jerry Baker. Friday night will be the firstever home game for Jerry Baker as head coach of the Sabine High School Cardinals.

He's hoping Troup isn't in sync when the Tigers come to James Bamberg Stadium for the 7:30 p.m. kickoff.

Troup, which was a bit down last season, is normally an East Texas Class 2A power, and proved to Baker last week that they could be good again in 2008. The Tigers lost to ninth-ranked Elysian Fields, 21-7, on Saturday, but it wasn't for lack of effort, Sabine's first-year coach said.

"We've seen the film," Baker said, "and they're better than pretty good. They got after Elysian Fields, and that's saying something. They're well-coached. And they're looking for another good year."

Troup brings back seven starters on offense and seven on defense. Against Elysian Fields, Troup was trying to pull a major upset, and did go into the locker room tied with EF at halftime, 7-all. Troup's second-quarter touchdown completed a six-play, 67-yard drive, and took 4:38 off the clock. Ryan Nichols scored on a 4-yard run, but the workhorse for Troup was Cody LePelley, who had 112 yards on 24 carries.

The Tigers went for it on fourth down six times during the game, converting two of them, and did almost pull the upset.

Not so with Sabine, who lost Baker's SHS coaching debut in Redwater, 34-12. Redwater scored four first-half touchdowns, led 27-0 at halftime, and allowed just 110 yards of total offense to the Cardinals, while racking up 328 of their own. Redwater tailback Jerrell Meadors rushed for 97 yards and two scores on 12 carries.

The Cardinals scored both of their touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Quarterback Jacob Kenna scored on a 6-yard run, and Laramy Barber scored on a 5-yard catch from Kenna. The extra point try following Kenna's touchdown was no good, and the twopoint conversion following Barber's catch failed. Redwater recovered an onside kick by Sabine and added a touchdown late.

Sabine has an open date next Friday, Sept. 12, then visits Beckville Sept. 19.