Cambridge Bears Football Strong 3-0 Start to Season

Head Coach Craig Bennett said the talk all week was about believing in themselves, believing they could win.  The players exceeded his expectations in a game where the Bears beat the Wolves 38-21.

Senior standout, Brock Neilson, was dominant throughout the game. He recovered an early Wolves fumble and was key in the drive setting up a 30 yard touchdown pass from Quarterback Brian Moore to the wide open Hunter Smith. Along with successful defensive efforts by Nathan Kish and Michael Pellegrino, the Bears held the 7-0 lead into the second quarter.

Highlights of the second quarter included a pass reception by Neilson and more stellar play by the linebacker Michael Pellegrino, who took the ball away from Rome to end their drive. Sophomore running back, Kaelyn Bird, proved repeatedly he is a force to be reckoned with, charging 18 yards for a first down, followed up by a 12 yard rush. A pass from Moore to Smith for 25 yards then resulted in another touchdown. A clean PAT kicked in by Senior Clayton Hammer finished off a four play, 67 yard drive which gave the Bears a 14-0 lead.

Craig Carter made his impact known in a big way. It’s always a team effort to stop the opponent, but with other exceptional tackles by the tenacious Garrett Walton and highly visible Trey Wolfe, the Bears held the Wolves to a 28-14 score in the 3rd quarter.

Rome’s very tall, athletic, wide receivers were challenged by the pressure put on them by Senior Tate Prezzano. In the fourth quarter, Carter and Kish stopped the kickoff return cold on an effective squib kick by Hammer. A gutsy 30 yard run by QB Moore led the Bears with a mix of plays to another touchdown. Bird had a 25 yard rush, followed by a couple of determined goal line rushes by JD White, who finally pushed in for the 6 points. The point after kick by Hammer made the score 35-14. Wolves scored once more before the Bears ended it with a combination of notable plays including a hard earned first down pass play when Moore kept the play alive and connected with Smith. Key tackles by Devin Kane, Prezzano and Wolfe, gave the Bears offense a final chance to score with a 34 yard field goal by Hammer. The Bears are 3-0 overall and 1-0 in Region play.

Come support Bears Football at the Bear Growl Community event with great music and fun on Sept. 19 at Chukkar Farms.

Next game is on Sept. 26 at Kell High School in Marietta.