Cardinals strive for perfect district record

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SHINER — After taking a late bye week, the Shiner St. Paul Cardinals (8-0, 5-0) are back in action as they take on a struggling San Marcos Academy (1-8, 1-4) team to end their TAPPS District 5 – DIV III/IV season.

The Bears’ lone win of the season was in Oct. 7, a 21-20 tilt over the San Antonio St. Gerard Royals (2-7, 0-5).

Despite that, the Cardinals remain focused, and will continue to strive toward their ultimate goal of improving week after week, no matter who lines up across them.

“We gotten better with penalties, we gotten better with turnovers,” St. Paul head coach Jake Wachsmuth noted. “We just want to keep making improvements in those areas.”

The Bears’ offense will come out of a spread, with two players at quarterback. Senior quarterback Ethan Schlittler and junior back Joshua Burich splits duties under center, with both athletes capable of running the ball.

Defensively, the Bears will show an eight-man, split formation.

As for the late bye week, Wachsmuth noted that it may be an advantage for a Cardinals team coming off a tough game against their rivals, the Hallettsville Sacred Heart Indians.

“That was a hard game, a tough game,” he said.

Football athletes this late in the season have their fair share of bumps and bruises. As Wachsmuth said, “any kid that’s been playing probably has something,” so any sort of rest helps.

Now the Cardinals have to get back in the swing of things, and this week will be a good test to make sure they are ready for the playoffs.

Kickoff for the Cardinals district finale is set for 7:30 p.m. at home.

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