The South Fork Cubs are poised for a big stretch run after opening league play with another dominating win on Thursday night.
The Cubs are putting up some incredible stats on offense right now and are one of the frontrunners in the race for a North Coast Section championship in eight-player football.
On Thursday night, after an “amped-up” start saw them commit four early penalties, they quickly settled in and scored 40 points in the opening quarter.
They would add 22 more points in the second quarter on the way to a 78-36 win over the No. 4 team in the NCS, Cornerstone Christian.
With the victory, which was the third time they have scored at least 68 points in a game this season, the Cubs improved to 1-0 in the NCL II and 5-1 on the season.
And remarkably they are succeeding without their starting quarterback and leading tackler from earlier in the season, Kael Puno, who is expected back in the lineup in three weeks.
In his place, head coach Karl Terrell has moved fullback Martin Navarrete to quarterback and he has been playing lights out since the switch.
Nararrete rushed for over 300 yards in Thursday’s win, as the Cubs amassed an incredible 500 yards on the ground, according to the coach, outstanding numbers even considering the high-scoring nature of eight-player football.
“He ran the offense very well,” Terrell said of Navarrete, who also finished with around eight tackles on defense. “He showed some speed last night that I haven’t seen, and he ran over kids. His game showed a lot of his maturity as a player.”
The Cubs’ success, which also included a 94-point performance in a win over Elite a few weeks back, has been founded on the play of the offensive line more than anything, and that unit continued to set a physical tone on Thursday night.
Sophomore Koda Walls and junior team captain Lucas Edwards anchored the unit, with the outstanding Walls also contributing around 10 tackles on defense.
“Our line did a good job which created our running game,” the coach said.
After a forfeit win over Roseland University Prep last week, the South Fork players had not played in two weeks and their eagerness to get back on the field showed with the four early penalties before the game had barely begun.
“They were amped up,” said Terrell, who called an early timeout to settle his players down, and they responded well with a dominating opening quarter.
But it wasn’t all perfect and the Cubs remain a work in progress if they want to secure a league title and a second NCS crown in four years.
“We did well in certain items, and other things we’re still working on,” the coach said. “We made some mistakes, but that’s how you learn.
“We’ve got to do our business at the back end of our defense, but we can stop the run.”
Toby Tennessee also had a big night running the ball and gained over 100 yards.
“I only give him the ball six or seven times a game, but he’s just a runner,” Terrell said. “He knows how to run.”
Sophomore Kaidyn Hendershot also impressed, both with his kicking and running.
“Again, he had four touchbacks,” Terrell said of the young standout. “My kickoff team didn’t have to make any tackles, because no one got the ball.
“And he’s running the ball well. His overall game, he’s grown as a sophomore.”
A pair of defensive backs — junior Sheyne Casey and freshman Byron Spear — each also made their presence felt.
Casey scored a pair of TDs, one on a 62-yard pass from Navarrete and one on a scoop and score, while Spear is playing beyond his years and also serves as the team’s back-up quarterback.
Next up, the Cubs will host Priory next Friday night.
