CAMBRIDGE CHRISTIAN LANCERS

2016:  9-1, Class 2A District 5 Champion (2-0), Regional Finalist

Last Playoff Appearance:  2016

Head Coach: Bob Dare- 9th year at Cambridge Christian (55-28)

Key Returners:  LB/RB Scott Ater (78 tackles), RB Andrew Cunningham (1,446 yards from scrimmage, 20 total TD), OT/DE Richard Gouraige (4.5 sacks, 54 tackles), QB Jaylin Jackson (1,383 pass yards, 660 rush yards, 27 total TD), C/G Will McNichols, WR Darryl Mercer, Jr. (14 receptions, 205 yards, 4 total TD), WR/DB Caleb Young (2 interceptions, 6 receptions, 154 yards, TD)

The Scoop:  The Lancers have a 31-4 combined record over the past three years, and most of the players who’ve been part of that run return for one more shot at glory.  They’ll get a big boost with senior Caleb Young healthy again.  Young missed most of last season with an injury, and the explosive playmaker will be a difference maker on both sides of the ball at wide receiver and defensive back.  Cambridge Christian could have seven of its 10 seniors play football in college.  Running back Andrew Cunningham has more than 60 Division I offers on the table, and OT/DE Richard Gouraige has more than 25.  The biggest question mark for the Lancers will be depth.  Their roster is small in numbers, and more players than usual will be asked to play significant time on both offense and defense.  Head coach Bob Dare says what he’s looking forward to the most is having seven more months to impact the lives of his seniors.  But the key to the Lancers’ success may be how well their underclassmen step up to make their own contributions to this senior-led squad.  The expectations will be sky high, and as Cunningham told us, the best way to keep them from being a distraction will be to never get too high or too low throughout the course of the season.  The new playoff format will make every game more important than ever, and the Lancers will face a pretty difficult schedule.  But they have everything in place to make a march toward their second consecutive unbeaten regular season.

Quotable:  “They’ve bought into the themes.  This year may be a little harder to buy in.  I’m not sure if we’re going to wash each other’s feet or not, but that’s the model.  Jesus is the example.”- head coach Bob Dare on his team’s latest Biblical verse for inspiration, Mark 10:45, which focuses on Jesus coming to serve rather than be served.

2017 Schedule:

Game 1- 8/18- @The First Academy

Game 2- 8/25- @Foundation Academy

Game 3- 9/1- Twiggs County (GA)

Game 3- 9/15- @Trinity Christian Academy

Game 4- 9/22- @Admiral Farragut

Game 5- 9/29- West Park Preparatory

Game 6- 10/6- @Seffner Christian

Game 7- 10/13- Clearwater Academy International

Game 8- 10/20- Victory Christian Academy

Game 9- 10/27- @Carrollwood Day

Story: 

Three years ago, a group of talented freshman stepped onto the campus of Cambridge Christian School with a bright future.

Now, it’s time to write the final chapter.

“It’s bittersweet,” Cunningham said.  “We’re already here.  We’re seniors.  I remember yesterday we were in ninth grade just getting this whole thing started.”

“We all have the same mindset, which is get in, work, and go to states, and nothing less,” senior wide receiver/defensive back Caleb Young said.

After making an appearance in the Class 2A state title game two years ago, an undefeated Lancers team was upset in the regional final last year.

Soon after that, star running back Andrew Cunningham sent a text message out to his teammates to pick their heads up and encourage them heading into 2017.

“We’re not going to sit around and think about how we lost, but we’re going to work hard and gain back what we lost.” senior offensive lineman Will McNichol said.

 “I want to go out with a bang with all of my brothers and finish the year strong and know that we tried all our best throughout our whole four years, and we really gave it our all in all of those games.” senior offensive tackle/defensive end Richard Gouraige said.

The talent is there for a title run, with top tier recruits like Cunningham and Richard Gouraige mixed into a ten-player senior class that’s seen it all.

But winning a championship is far from the top goal for this season on head coach Bob Dare’s checklist.

“We want them to be character guys,” head coach Bob Dare said.  “If they go to play college football or go to the NFL, that means nothing if they don’t have character.  They can’t lead their families.”

Dare says character produces perseverance, and perseverance creates hope.

We’ll see if it spurs a run to Orlando this fall, too.