Friday the 13th was scary for opponents of the Camden Fairview Cardinals and the Bearden Bears, who both notched their most decisive victories so far this season.
Camden Fairview took down the De Queen Leopards 40-0 on the road. It is the third time this season and second time in a row that the Cardinals have scored 40 points, considering Oct. 6's 40-14 victory over the Magnolia Panthers. Among the biggest standouts in the game was junior slot receiver/flex running back Trent Haygood.
Bearden, meanwhile, has come a long way from losing in significant blowouts.
Last season, the Bears won their first game in two years. This past Friday, the Bears accounted for their fourth win of the season by defeating the Baptist Prep Eagles 49-14.
This win was the team's most decisive since 2020. Many of the players that made an impact in all phases of the game were young, fresh faces. The most explosive and aggressive young player was freshman edge rusher Matthew Chambers.
Camden Fairview's Trent Haygood is the Camden News' Offensive Player of the Week. Bearden's Matthew Chambers is the Camden News' Defensive Player of the Week.
It never was going to take much for the Cardinals to defeat a Leopards team that had only won two of their last 55 games overall, but the Cardinals still accounted for big performances in the dominating win last week.
Haygood, who performs like one of the most productive players in the state, continued his great work this week with a stellar game. As a receiver, he caught four receptions for 113 yards and two touchdowns. His longest play was for 60 yards. As a flex running back in unique RPO schemes, Haygood rushed for 82 yards and two touchdowns on four carries. His longest run was for 35 yards.
Haygood accumulated 195 offensive yards in the dominating win over the Leopards. It is the second-highest total yards of offense accounted for since the Cardinals' 34-20 road loss at the Lakeside Rams. Haygood accounted for 255 total yards with 192 coming from receiving yards and 55 coming from kickoff return.
Chambers had an explosive emergence in his first game at the varsity level in the 20-14 win over the Episcopal Collegiate Wildcats. Chambers' first run at running back was a 65-yard touchdown. On the defensive side of the ball, Chambers accounted for nine total tackles, a sack and a tackle for loss. He also accounted for a fumble recovery in the end zone on a Bears' blocked punt for a touchdown. Chambers had three total touchdowns with his two coming on the offensive side of the ball.
His speed, strength and agility were key in chasing down the quarterbacks to make big stops in the backfield. He also possesses great size that collegiate scouts like to notice early in a player's high school career.
"He's kind of a man amongst boys," head coach Brandon Austin said of Chambers. "To be a freshman and playing that well, pretty much dominating the football field, he's just -- it's a great feeling to have that guy wearing a Bearden jersey."