BUNA — Buna refused to go quietly Friday night, battling through offensive miscues and leaning on a determined defensive effort in a tough road loss to Orangefield during the Bobcats’ homecoming game. Orangefield jumped ahead 14-0 in the first quarter, but the Cougars continued fighting despite the early deficit. Buna’s biggest problems came offensively. Bad snaps and penalties repeatedly put the Cougars behind the chains and killed promising drives before the offense could establish a rhythm. The defense, however, continued answering the call and kept Buna within striking distance. The Cougars forced Orangefield to settle for a field goal to make it 17-0 and continued making the Bobcats work for points. Sophomore Jaythen Fachorn, No. 4, prevented a deep Orangefield completion from turning into another touchdown. Official Varsity Football Roste… Orangefield eventually carried a 20-0 advantage into halftime, but Buna never surrendered. That mentality produced the Cougars’ biggest play of the night after halftime. Junior Alex Soileau, No. 0, broke through the Orangefield protection and blocked a field goal attempt. Official Varsity Football Roste… Fachorn scooped up the loose ball and took it the other way for a touchdown, cutting the deficit to 20-7 and giving the Cougars new life. Soileau helped lead a tough defensive effort that prevented a talented Orangefield team from running away with the game. Even when Buna’s offense struggled to overcome mistakes, the defense continued competing and looking for opportunities to change the momentum. The loss sends Buna into an important week with little margin for error. The Cougars return home for a must-win matchup against Anahuac after consecutive losses to East Chambers and Orangefield. Buna has shown it can compete defensively against strong opponents, but the Cougars will need to eliminate the penalties, bad snaps and other mistakes that have stalled the offense. With the district race moving deeper into October, Buna needs to turn its defensive toughness into a complete performance against Anahuac and get back into the win column.