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A1 | SUNDAY | AUGUST 16, 2015 |
Jessica Stewar t | St. Joseph News-Press
Benton coach Matt Tabor talks to his players after a recent practice at Sparks Field. The Cardinals have high hopes to build on last year’s three-win campaign due to a large amount of returning players.
CARDINAL LOYALTY E Benton players stick through tough time, losing streak ——— BY CHRIS BILS | St. Joseph News-Press ———
xpectations have not been part of the Benton vocabulary the past few seasons. While Matt Tabor’s squad struggled through two of the worst seasons in program history in 2012 and 2013 — followed by a 3-7 record last year — the Cardinals held on to one key component they hope can lead to a breakout season this fall. The team suffered 19 losses in two seasons and endured the many insults hurled toward the South Side, but the school’s best athletes stayed loyal. That loyalty and hard work led to game experience, and resulted in Benton winning two of its final three games of the 2014 regular season. That stretch included a 21-14 road victory at Bishop LeBlond, which broke a 20game losing streak in the Midland Empire Conference. An emphatic 49-27 homecoming win over Cameron the following week seemed to breathe new life into a program with three winning seasons the past decade. “This is a program that over the last three years has been consumed and worried about trying to win a game to now ex-
pecting to win games,” Tabor said, while watching his team go through drills under the hot July sun. “That’s the change of philosophy. … We expect every Friday to compete at a high level and win.” Why so much confidence? It starts with the athletes the Cardinals boast on both sides of the ball. Junior wide receiver Devon Burton led the MEC in receptions — 61 for 846 yards and nine touchdowns through 10 games to be exact — and has the potential to do even more damage if Tabor’s plan to get him more touches is executed. Burton’s brother, Cooper Burton, contributed last year as a freshman, and now moves to the quarterback position in place of Dominic Hill (1,690 yards, 17 TDs), who
is at Missouri Valley. Cooper Burton, a sprinter who made state in track for the Cardinals’ 4x100-meter relay team, brings speed as well as built-in chemistry with his best weapon. “We’ve been waiting since we was in elementary school to get out here and get that wide receiver-quarterback duo going,” Devon Burton said. “It’s here, so let’s get it going.” In the trenches, senior defensive lineman Ubong Udom has been garnering interest from college coaches during Benton’s summer camp tour, including being pulled aside while the team trained at Notre Dame. He is part of an experienced group of linemen on both sides of the ball, which includes three players who started as sophomores — two of whom started as freshmen. “Here’s the excuse we don’t have around here anymore,” Tabor said. “We can’t say we’re young, because we’re not young. We are old and experienced.” Of course, there are holes that need to be fi lled. Other than Hill, the Cardinals graduated running back Rye’ll Dydell (780 yards, 7 TDs), center/defensive lineman Gaige Reynolds — now in the military — and fullback/linebacker Tanner Dredge. Dredge and Dydell are now college team-
Please see BENTON/Page A3
MORE Injury riddled summer Central prepares for season with hurt starters everywhere see Page A2
New Juhl Christian makes transition to new head coach, with old one still helping see Page A3
Building up Bishop LeBlond Dudik’s weight training program paying off for Golden Eagles see Page A3