ORRICK – Defensively, the Bearcats are improving, Orrick varsity 8-man football coach Kirk Thacker said Monday. Or at least Thacker saw improvement in Orrick’s 68-26 Sept. 24 win over visiting Northwest of Hughesville/ Sacred Heart of Sedalia when compared with the team’s performance in the Sept. 17 homecoming win over Braymer/ Breckenridge. That was particularly the case with Orrick’s pass defense, he said. “That was a very good Northwest team we played the other night. … With as well as Braymer passed against us, I was very worried because I feel that … Northwest is a better passing team than Braymer – has a lot more weapons,” Thacker, a Richmond High School graduate, said by phone. “And we did a fairly good job of containing their quarterback.” Northwest/Sacred Heart used two quarterbacks, official stats state: juniors Tanner Damlo and Isaac Nieters. Nieters went 5-for-12 passing for 77 yards and a touchdown. Damlo went 5-for-7 for 67 yards and a touchdown. The 144 passing yards…