Cats still on the prowl for first victory of year

Comfort dropped its season-opening football game last week against Johnson City and is now hoping to notch its first win of the year this Friday when the Cats host Ingram.

It’ll be back-to-back home games for Comfort before hitting the road for the next two. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. at Bobcat Stadium.

Ingram also lost its season opener, falling to Stockdale, 42-12, so one of the teams will earn its first victory of the year.

The two schools are about 30 miles apart and Comfort coach Brandon Easterly said it’s fair to call it a rivalry game because of the proximity but wasn’t too concerned about that.

“I believe (the team considers it a rivalry) but we try to make every week just as important as the last and the next one,” he said.

Comfort will need to take better care of the pigskin after the Bobcats’ offense turned it over three times, all through the air, but Easterly said there are other things they need to work on.

“We have to protect the ball better and we need to tackle better, two things that are both very fixable,” he said. “I think we have a chance to be explosive on offense and make plays on defense.”

Easterly said the younger players got better in Friday’s game. 

“Our guys that were new to varsity football adapted to the speed of the game as it progressed and they will only get better every week,” the coach noted.

Despite the loss, Comfort tallied 322 yards from scrimmage and tallied 237 rushing yards on 30 carries.

Jaydin Steward led the team on the ground with 115 yards on nine carries, Isaac Duran carried the rock 10 times for 51 yards and Mason West rushed for a touchdown.

West had a good all-around game and also caught four passes for 68 yards and a score and returned an interception 37 yards for his third TD of the game.

Ingram may have only scored 12 points in last Friday’s game, but Easterly said they’ll be a tough match up.

“They are big across the board and their skill guys are big as well,” he said. “They are multiple with formations on offense and do a great job of bringing pressure on defense.

“Their quarterback is very athletic and keeps plays alive with his feet,” Easterly said.