There are three more weeks left in the regular season for the Camden Fairview Cardinals (5-2; 3-1 in 5A South Conference play), and only three teams stand in their way fortheir second conference title in three seasons.
The Cardinals will continue their season at the Hope Bobcats (2-5; 1-3) this Friday night; at home against the Hot Springs Trojans (6-1; 3-1) next Friday night; and at the Parkview Patriots (7-0; 4-0) on Nov. 3.
The Cardinals are coming off a dominating 40-0 win last Friday night over the De Queen Leopards, when Camden Fairview had near-perfect performances on both sides of the ball.
Offensively, the Cardinals accumulated 541 total yards last Friday, with 214 coming from the rushing game. Junior Justin Frazier had his best game of the season by rushing for 133 yards on 15 carries.
Junior slot receiver/flex running back Trent Haygood continues to show why he is one of the top offensive players in the state. Haygood caught four receptions for 113 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for 82 yards and two touchdowns on four carries. Half of the times that Haygood touched the ball on offense, he scored. He accounted for 195 total yards, which was his second-most yards accounted in a game after his 255 yard performance in the Cardinals' 34-20 road loss to the Lakeside Rams.
Junior quarterback Darrell Atkins Jr. continues to develop as a passer in his first year as a starter. Atkins completed 18-of-33 of his passes for 327 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions. This was the most yards and touchdowns that Atkins has thrown this season. Through seven games this season, he has thrown for 105-of-171 of his passes for 1,654 yards, 15 touchdowns and five interceptions.
As a team, the Cardinals' defense accounted for seven tackles for loss, one sack and two turnovers. Senior defensive end Xzayvion Morris accounted for three tackles for loss and a sack. The Cardinals possess the fifth-ranked scoring defense in the state (5A play), jut behind Little Rock-Parkview, Shiloh Christian, Southside and Pine Bluff.
The Cardinals possess some of the most dynamic talent in the state. The defensive line is made up of big run-stoppers and quick, twitchy pass rushers off the edge. At the linebacker corps, there may be only two players in their regular fronts, but junior linebackers Maliq Musa-Dennis and Jerome Williams are highly efficient and becoming All-Conference caliber players by the week. Finally, there is rarely a concern with the experienced and loaded secondary led by senior nickel Jabauree Lockhart and cornerback Matt Davis.
The Cardinals are coming off their first shutout of the season. Outside of the win over the Leopards, the Cardinals have only held opposing offenses to under ten points scored once this season, in their 28-8 home win over the Arkansas High School Razorbacks on Sept. 29.
Last season, the Cardinals held opposing offenses to shutouts four times, including once in the first round of the 5A State Playoffs, over Vilonia, who they beat 30-0. One of the reasons for the slight drop in productivity is the pass rush. The Cardinals' defense has had to face much more impressive offenses this season in both conference and non-conference play.
The Cardinals certainly have the ability to contend for conference and state titles this season. They will have to win out the rest of their three games to accomplish this.
They will start with the matchup at Hope, a team that has given the Cardinals trouble in the last few matchups. Afterwards, it will be a fight for the 5A South Conference title between the Cardinals, the Trojans and the Patriots. Camden Fairview will show how tough they are in these final three weeks.
Photo By: Michael Hanich
Camden Fairview quarterback Darrell Atkins Jr. making a pass in practice on Tuesday, Oct. 17.