Cardinals Fall To Top Ranked Pirates

The Soda Springs Cardinals football team traveled to district rival West Side last Friday night to take on the Pirates at their homecoming game.  Once again the Cardinals defense made some solid plays throughout the game but a struggling offense put them in some tough spots all night long.  Much of the Cardinals woes on offense have been self inflicted by way of penalties, bad snaps and turnovers.  Friday night’s game had the Pirates on offense first.  West Side was able to slowly move the ball down the field behind their top tier run game, eventually scoring on a short touchdown run.  Disaster struck almost immediately for the Cardinals offense when on their first possession a high snap caused a big loss that led to a safety.  As the first half of play continued several more missteps by the offense led to giving up good field position to the Pirates.  The defense continued to work hard creating two turnovers in the first half.  The first turnover came by way of interception in the endzone saving a touchdown. Unfortunately on the very next play the Cardinals fumbled the ball and gave it right back to the Pirates.  West Side continued to score, driving the score to a thirty-one point advantage.  Late in the first half the Cardinals came up with their second defensive turnover.  A big hit on the Pirate quarterback knocked the ball loose and the Cardinals recovered it inside the redzone.  A few plays later Cole Garbett finally found paydirt with a short run but the Cards would still head to halftime down twenty-five points.  The third quarter started with the Pirates scoring on their first possession.  The Cardinals then turned the ball over on downs and gave West Side good field position that they capitalized on quickly.  From there the quarter was a bit of a defensive battle.  The Cardinals were eventually able to put together a drive that was capped off with a twenty-seven yard pass play from Browning to Zayden Garbett.  The fourth quarter started with the ball in the Pirates hands around midfield.  West Side moved the ball to the twenty-five yard line when the Pirate quarterback rolled out to the right and passed the ball.  Defensive back Zayden Garbett read the play perfectly and intercepted the ball returning it seventy-five yards for a touchdown.  West Side added one more score of their own the game came to an end with the Cardinals on the losing end by the score of 50-18.  

The Cardinals will be back home this week as they host another tough district opponent the Declo Hornets.  The Cardinals will need to continue to play tough defense and get a little more production out of the offense.  Dress warm and come support the boys Friday night.