When CHS Head Football Coach Terry Gerik met with his players at the start of summer practices, he listed out a series of three goals for the season.
He wanted them to make it to the playoffs, he wanted them to win another district championship, and he wanted them to have the chance to practice over Thanksgiving break.
Fast forward a few months, and he can now scratch two of those three goals off of the to-do list.
Members of the varsity football team had a chance to take in the end of the regular season after their win over the Robinson Rockets on November 3. That win completed their undefeated sweep of competition in District 11-4A D2 and brought their current record for the Fall 2023 season to 7 wins and 3 losses.
“Winning district is great for a couple of reasons,” Coach Gerik said. “Yes, it helps us reach one of our goals, but more importantly, it demonstrates what our expectations are. It’s about more than the players out on the field on Friday nights - it shows our sub-varsity athletes and all of our elementary aged students what our intentions are and what the standard is that we hope to uphold in the future.”
The Cadets’ impressive showings on Friday nights have been anchored by stellar performances from major playmakers on the roster.
“We’ve had a really good season so far,” senior running back Kiefer Sibley said. “Every time that something big happens on the field, it’s exciting, but it’s not necessarily surprising. The team has been working hard and we’re capable of making those big plays happen.”
Throughout the season, the team has dealt with a variety of injuries that have forced them to revamp some of their strategies. Fortunately for the CHS coaching staff, they had no shortage of players capable of stepping up to the plate to make major contributions.
“There’s no doubt that our seniors are talented,” junior running back Ethan Els said. “We’re lucky that every graduating class that we have playing has some real ball players. When something happens, most of the younger dudes can step up to the plate. We’ve got some depth.”
This year’s team is led by sophomore quarterback Jamarion Vincent. Much to the chagrin of the Cadets’ opponents, his youth does not equate to a lack of talent.
“It means a lot to know that my teammates and coaches trust me enough to be the quarterback,” Vincent said. “At first I felt a lot of pressure about being able to deliver some big plays, but as the season went on, they helped me find my confidence. It feels awesome to be heading into the playoffs as the district champs in my first year on varsity.”
In order to prepare for the rigor of a competitive district, Coach Gerik intentionally scheduled a series of tough opponents for his athletes to face in non-district play. Those trials, which include the only three losses that the team has faced, paid off when the time came.
“We scheduled tough games because we want tough challenges,” Coach Gerik said. “All three of the teams that we lost to are ranked in the division above us. Those non-district games gave us the opportunity to grow. They helped all of our players get some chances to improve and gain confidence.”
Winning the district championship represents a significant payoff for the team after months of hard work. Now, they are shifting their focus away from that source of pride and on to the next series of goals.
“Our job now is to focus on one game at a time,” senior defensive back Kobe Black said. “We’ve got to work hard and survive. Not every win has to be pretty, but it has to be a win. That mentality can keep the season going all the way to state.”