The Camden Fairview Cardinals (7-1, 4-0) made history during it's 62-3 win at DeQueen (1-7, 0-4) last Friday when the team amassed over 500 passing yards in the first half.
The previous single game passing record was 427, but quarterback Martavius Thomas (23/30 for 536 yards, 7 TDs, 1 INT connected with four wide receivers - Michael "Pete" Suell, Brandon Copeland, AJ Alsobrook and Jarvis Reed - and running back Jacoriae "Bug" Brown to shatter the record.
CF scored on all but 2 of their first half possessions including a Hail Mary TD pass from 37 yards out that bounced off of Suell and into the hands of Alsobrook at the half time buzzer.
The Cardinals defense clicked on all cylinders as well shutting out an underrated physical DQ offense. Jacovey Barker was able to get to the QB twice and classmate Austin Lindsey recovered a fumble in the second half that set up a Cardinal touchdown a play later when Ezekiel Darrett scored on a four yard run.
It was a big night for special teams too. Nasir Khan was 8/8 on PAT's and Copeland returned a punt for a 60 yard touchdown - the first special teams touchdown that counted for the Cardinals since a 95-yard kickoff return against Joe T.Robinson in 2018.
CF scored on the second play of the game when Thomas hit Copeland or a 47 yard TD at the 11:15 mark. CF defense forced the Leopards to punt but the Cardinals fumbled it inside their own 10-yard line. The Cardinals defense would limit the damage though as DQ would have to kick a field goal.
Thomas would hook up for Suell for a 44 yard touchdown pass on the Cardinals next offensive possession. The snap on the ensuing PAT went awry leaving CF ahead 13-3.
The hits would keep coming as Thomas would find Reed on a 44 yard TD, then Copeland for a 34 yard TD, then Suell for a 55 yard TD, Reed again for a 15 yard TD then Alsobrook for a 37 yard TD. Brown added another 5 reception via short passes that went for 56 yards.
It was a total team effort as the Cardinals celebrated just as much in the fourth quarter as they did in the first when some of the team's reserves made big plays.
CF Head Coach Jake Monden said after the game that the team's running backs had tallied around 150 carries since conference play began against physical teams like Lakeside, Texarkana and Magnolia so the Cardinals wanted to make their load light against DQ and get them some rest. JaToney McGehee has seen more time on the field every week since going down with a leg injury to Lakeside but has primarily been on defense in spurts.
Believe it or not, there were faults in the Cardinals epic win over DQ, it would also be realistic. CF knows they didn't execute as well as they could have. There was a season high of two turnovers in the game including its first lost fumble and its first interception since Week 0. There were several dropped passes, a bad snap on a PAT and 8 penalties.
However, CF is at its most confident heading into next week's game against Hope having bolstered its best Week 8 win-loss record since 2013.