Sabine, Harleton face off Friday

Photo by Lester Murray TRYING TO MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN — Sabine quarterback Jacob Kenna (7, left) scrambles against Union Grove. The Cardinals hope to get their first District 18-2A win Friday night at home against Harleton. Three weeks ago, there was plenty of excitement around the Sabine High School football program.

A 39-7 win over Beckville made it evident that first-year coach Jerry Baker and his staff are doing things right. But since that time, the Cardinals have ran into a couple of good teams in Union Grove and Winona to open District 18-2A play, maybe the two best teams in the district.

But Harleton might have something to say about that.

Sabine (2-3 overall, 0-2 in 18- 2A) will try to get back in the thick of the district race when the Cardinals host Harleton's Wildcats on Friday night, a 7:30 p.m. kickoff at James Bamberg Stadium.

Not much went right last week for the Cardinals, who found out the hard way that Winona is for real. The Wildcats rolled to a 48-3 win over Sabine, remaining unbeaten in the process.

On the very first play from scrimmage in the game, Winona tailback C.J. Petty ran for a 92- yard touchdown, and that was about the way the game went for Sabine. Winona only led at the half 13-3, but got off to a good start in the second half with a 67- yard kick return by Petty that would lead to another score.

Petty had 168 yards and two scores on nine carries, and another Winona back, Brian Waters, ran for 119 yards and had two touchdowns as well. Winona's rushing game was so effective (to the tune of 432 yards) that the Wildcats threw only one pass in the game. Sabine, who had the passing game going well against Beckville, completed just 2 of 19 passes.

Harleton, meanwhile, was impressive in a 14-3 win over a physical, tough, Roger Adams-coached New Diana team last Friday night. The Wildcats — the Harleton version — are now 4-1 overall, the one loss in the season opener to now 5-0 West Rusk. Harleton is 2- 0 in 18-2A.

Harleton scored two touchdowns, the first one a 72-yard pass play from Connor Lloyd to Billy Smith, the old flea-flicker. The Wildcats scored again in the second quarter on an 8-yard run by Greg Beham.

New Diana was able to stay with Harleton for much of the game, enough to keep things interesting.

The Cardinals have the bulk of the district schedule in front of them, and plenty of time to right the ship. Remaining games have Sabine at Harmony Oct. 17, at home against Elysian Fields Oct. 24, at New Diana on Oct. 31 and

Playoffs or not, Sabine's football program has already made strides under Baker, having ended a lengthy road losing streak and already having won more games this season than they did in the last two seasons combined.