Ricebirds Race Into Playoffs
'Birds facing La Marque, Hornets play Burni Friday
By KRIS BAGLEY sports@leader-news.com

The El Campo Ricebird football team is pumped up and looking forward to visiting Traylor Stadium in Rosenberg Saturday and entering the field once more through the varsity cheerleaders' inflatable helmet for a bi-district game with the La Marque Cougars. The game is set for 2 p.m. Ricebirds fans are asked to line up along the drive behind the field house and along Pecan Street to cheer the team when busses leave at 10:45 a.m. L-N Photo by Chris Barbee

The El Campo Ricebirds and Louise Hornets begin their quest for a state title this week with Louise playing Friday and El Campo taking the field Saturday.

El Campo will face the La Marque Cougars at 2 p.m. Saturday at Traylor Stadium in Rosenberg in a rematch of last year's first-round playoff game.

The Cougars are 4-0 against the Ricebirds in the post-season including last year's 24-17 defeat. El Campo has worked hard to get back to this point and the Ricebirds plan on taking advantage of their opportunity.

Both teams are 8-2 on the season. El Campo qualified for the playoffs with the first seed in the Division II bracket for District 24-4A. La Marque, with two district losses, claimed the second seed in District 23-4A

Bob Gillis, head coach of the Ricebirds, said this year's senior class has provided solid leadership for the Ricebirds. Saturday, the seniors' efforts will be on display as they take on the Cougars.

"We've got a bunch of good seniors in our program and some of these kids have been on varsity for three years now. Their sophomore year, we didn't make the playoffs and the last two years, we have.

"Sooner or later, El Campo needs to beat La Marque and this bunch really wants to do that and kind of make a mark for them in history. (La Marque) has got history and we feel like El Campo has got some good history too. We're not going to back down from them. We're going to go out there and play."

Louise will travel to Rockport Friday for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff with the Bruni Badgers.

The Hornets finished the regular season with a 7-3 record, including a 4-2 district record. They clinched a playoff spot Friday with a 14- 6 win over Pettus.

Bruni is 9-1 on the year and will challenge Louise in the first round.

Rodney Dowell, head coach of the Hornets, said he thinks there is a great chance the Hornets will claim their first playoff win in recent history Friday.

"I feel very confident," he said.

"It's not like we're going into a game where we don't have a shot. I feel like we've got a humongous shot to win this game. It will be nice to get that opportunity."