Craig Bennett, Cambridge head coach
Today’s interviewee is Cambridge coach Craig Bennett, whose team defeated then-No. 5 Kell 42-24 on Friday to take sole possession of first place in Region 6-5A. Cambridge can clinch its first region title in school history this Friday at Northview. Bennett started the Cambridge program in 2012.
1. What did your team do well Friday that allowed you have the edge? “We really focused on establishing the run game early. We knew they had a really good defensive line, so we challenged our guys up front to buy in to the run game, and they did a phenomenal job. Obviously, Christian Isibor had a great night, rushing for over 200 yards. Anytime you have a 200-yard rusher, your offensive line did a really good job as well for paving the way for over 400 yards in rushing and almost 500 yards of total offense.”
2. You're a victory from your school's first region title. What would that mean for your team? “It has been 11 long years since Cambridge was built, but the work it took to get here I wouldn’t take back. So many kids through the years have helped make this happen and want this for this team. We’ve had ups and downs, and we were so close last year. It would be a huge accomplishment for these kids, the school and the community.”
3. You've had teams the past two seasons that advanced in the playoffs. What's the story or personality of this team that makes it different than others? “Honestly, it comes down to experience and leadership. We returned 18 starters from last year’s team, and most of them started or played a big role when they were sophomores. We talked about raising our standards this season, not goals. We talked about not just making it to the second round but pushing past the second round. Most of these kids have had to play Buford and Lee County the last two years in the second round. Not sure of a tougher draw than that.”
4. How did last season, the ups and downs, affect this year's team, in particular, losing 42-39 to Lee County on the road in the second round? “As much as it hurt to lose that game, it helped us decide where we were and where we wanted to be. They have an elite program and are always one of the top teams in the state. We walked away from that with a chip on our shoulder to know that we can play with those teams, and we want to be in the mix come playoff time.”