On Friday, November 3rd, Cambridge traveled to Grady Stadium to take on the North Atlanta Warriors. The Bears dominated from start to finish, winning 44-8. Despite the win, Pope defeated Northview 47-22. The win erased any playoff chances for the Bears. The win puts the Bears at 4-6 to finish the season (4-4 Region 7AAAAAA). After starting the season 0-5, Cambridge won four of their last five contests.
"I thought the kids handled their emotions well," said Bennett. "Our bus broke down on 400 and the seniors did not have time to soak it in, but with all that I thought we handled the adversity in a good way".
The offense exploded for 382 total yards and its highest point total of the season. Hogan Dykes threw for 178 yards and three touchdowns on the evening.
All three of these touchdown tosses fell in the hands of Ridge Polk. Polk shined yet again, catching seven passes for 107 yards. The junior added on a 55-yard punt return touchdown as well.
Matthew McCree posted his highest rush total of the season with 133 yards on 16 carries. The junior running back broke away for a 61-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter. A surprise runner took his place on the stat sheet. Kicker Victor Valentine took a fourth down punt into his own hands and ran 56 yards all the way to the end zone, showing an impressive display of athleticism. Valentine even tip-toed the sideline for the last few yards of the score.
The defense turned in another solid performance. 19 different players at least recorded a tackling assist as the Bears held the Warriors to only eight points. Will Covington led the group with 3.5 tackles. Junior Erik Kuykendall grabbed his first interception of the season, and junior Andrew Longo forced a fumble recovered by sophomore Gavin Kane. These young players will be pivotal in maintaining a strong defense for Cambridge next year.
Coach Bennett is extremely proud of the way his team finished the season. Bennett told his seniors after the game, "I appreciate you, thank you for staying through the good and bad". Commitment and resiliency are the two words that come Bennett's mind when describing the group.
When talking of the season, Bennett remarked, "Our culture was a little different than in past years, but each team is different. I love this team".
The Bears will attack the offseason with a group of young players looking to step up. "I told them the season starts in January, and we always are looking for more leadership" Bennett stated.
Congratulations to the Bears on a tremendous season. I enjoyed covering the team this year and am excited to see what upcoming seasons hold for Cambridge football.
Go Bears!
article by Jack Sadighian