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October 24, 2008

TYLER (3-4) at TVCC (4-3) - Cards still in control of playoff destiny

By Benny Rogers Sports Editor

The Trinity Valley Community College Cardinals are still in control of their own playoff destiny.

Really, they are.

Mired in a three-game losing streak, the Cardinals will still make the Southwest Junior College Football Conference playoffs by winning their final two games, starting at home Saturday against Tyler.

Second-year coach Brad Smiley’s Cardinals, 4-3 overall, are locked in a four-way tie for the fourth playoff spot with Tyler, Arkansas Baptist and NEO. All are 2-3.

TVCC owns a win over NEO, so with wins over Tyler at home and at Arkansas Baptist next week, the Cardinals would make the playoffs for the first time since 2005.

Tyler is 3-4 on the year after a 26-22 loss to Arkansas Baptist last week. The Apaches have had a roller-coaster season, winning one week and losing the next.

The Apaches are led by Whitehouse freshman running back O’Bryan Bell. He is the conference’s fifth-leading rusher with 554 yards and five touchdowns on 80 carries.

Tyler is averaging 297.3 yards of offense per game and surrendering 301.0. By comparison, the TVCC offense is averaging 350.6 and the defense is allowing 330.1

James Brady leads the Tyler defense with 45 tackles and two sacks.

In Saturday’s other conference games, Arkansas Baptist is at Navarro, Blinn is at Cisco and Kilgore is at NEO.

NOTES — Saturday’s game is the final TVCC home game of the season ... Chad Winbush is the leading Cardinal rusher with 504 yards on 80 carries. He has scored four times ... Chris Young is the top receiver with 277 yards on 18 catches ... Saturday’s game will be broadcast by Palestine radio station KYYK (98. 3 FM).

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