CAK 3A State Champions

[cncgonzo]

Congrats to the Warriors. That Gold Ball will look good in the case. Another one to match next year will be wonderful

[cncgonzo]

I know this is about 6 months early to start but CAK should be the preseason #1 in 3a in 2012. I would expect that the 5F wind will be just behind them. Milan should open as a strong #3 in 2012.

[ACMAVERICK22]

Congrats to CAK. Top notch first class coaches, staff, players, program, facilities, students and parents. Hope I didnt forget anything. Way to bring the 3a gold back to east tn. Watched the game in its entirety, total domination of a very good Milan team. Crazy as it sounds, it will be exiting for our program to take another shot at the defending 3a state champs next year in week 1.

HOOK EM HORNS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ACMAVERICK22]

I forgot CAK fans, congrats to the Warrior faithful also.

HOOK EM HORNS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[StarRaider]

Hats off to CAK. Great team, classy coaches and fans.

[GREENEDEVILPRIDE]

Congrats on the hardware keep it up from the Greene devils

[pistolpete]

This Greene Devil fan wants to congratulate the coaching staff, players and all of the CAK fans on winning the 3A State Championship.

[Warriors2011]

This Greene Devil fan wants to congratulate the coaching staff, players and all of the CAK fans on winning the 3A State Championship.

 

Congrats to the Greene Devils as well!

[greengreen22]

Congrats to the Greene Devils as well!

A BIG CONGRATS TO CAK!

[FootballDad]

Very proud of what these young men and their coaches achieved this season. I would be less than honest if I said I knew CAK would win a state championship this year. I dreamed it, felt like it was a possibility, but honestly I had doubt. Alcoa had dashed our hopes so many times that it was challenging to keep the faith that this year could be different, BUT it was! We lost 20 seniors off last years team, and they were good ones at that. There were only 8 seniors returning and only 4 of them had seen significant playing time. We had gapping holes in our defense with only 2 returning starters and one of them tore his ACL in spring practice. Not to mention that we had what appeared to be a tough schedule facing us. It was apparent when the season started that we were going to have some struggles on defense. But through some very gutty performances and some tweaking by the coaches the defense improved. The Grace game was a pivotal moment for the defense. After being destroyed up front they could have just rolled over and put all the pressure on the offense, but good leadership didn't let that happen. A group lead by some hard nosed and determined seniors decided to bare down and keep the dream alive. The results were noticeable and momentum started to build. THEN LaVergne happened. A late season loss in overtime just before the Alcoa game, and to make things worse, one of our big time play makers got injured along with a number of other players. Broken spirits rode home on that long bus ride to Knoxville that night. Bruised and battered bodies & dreams, and now we had to face the beast from the East. But something special happened, and those beat up boys showered away any doubts my mid-week and brought an intensity to the field against Alcoa that was inspiring. Not only did they beat Alcoa for the first time ever, they did it in an unconventional to CAK style, by running the ball for over 200 yards and limiting Alcoa to just 14 pts. Wow. From that moment forward this team just seemed to click and the dream was alive again. Even the offense, which had been exceptional most of the year, seemed to kick into an even higher gear and away we went. After beating Sweetwater and then a good Polk County team, the table was set for a rematch with the Tornadoes. It was a game of never ending twists and turns and required our boys to come back from a 21-7 deficit at one point against the 7 time defending state champions, and proudly our boys answered the bell and then again against a talented bunch from AE. Then on to the schools first ever state title game in football with traditional power Milan. Coach reminded some of us that this would be the first time much of the state had ever seen CAK football, and boy did the team make an impression. I couldn't be any prouder of a bunch of young men!!! A group that was supposedly rebuilding, but one that was able to seize the day and the opportunity. Congratulations again to all you young men and thanks for all the great memories from this season. You gave me ulcers and turned my hair grey, but you gave me the thrill of victory and the joy of watching my boy and "my boys" hoist a gold ball above your heads. You are now apart of something special, there will never be another "first time" state champion in CAK football history, you are it!

[Rebels5star]

CONGRATULATIONS CAK 3A STATE CHAMPS

 

Glad to see Cory Rathbone get a ring. Watched him play a lot of RB for the Lil Rebs (grasshopper).

I helped coach that team and Cory was one of the hardest working kids I had ever seen......8 yrs old working every day during the off season to get stronger and faster......

 

Great year CAK

[blitzinbuc]

Very proud of what these young men and their coaches achieved this season. I would be less than honest if I said I knew CAK would win a state championship this year. I dreamed it, felt like it was a possibility, but honestly I had doubt. Alcoa had dashed our hopes so many times that it was challenging to keep the faith that this year could be different, BUT it was! We lost 20 seniors off last years team, and they were good ones at that. There were only 8 seniors returning and only 4 of them had seen significant playing time. We had gapping holes in our defense with only 2 returning starters and one of them tore his ACL in spring practice. Not to mention that we had what appeared to be a tough schedule facing us. It was apparent when the season started that we were going to have some struggles on defense. But through some very gutty performances and some tweaking by the coaches the defense improved. The Grace game was a pivotal moment for the defense. After being destroyed up front they could have just rolled over and put all the pressure on the offense, but good leadership didn't let that happen. A group lead by some hard nosed and determined seniors decided to bare down and keep the dream alive. The results were noticeable and momentum started to build. THEN LaVergne happened. A late season loss in overtime just before the Alcoa game, and to make things worse, one of our big time play makers got injured along with a number of other players. Broken spirits rode home on that long bus ride to Knoxville that night. Bruised and battered bodies & dreams, and now we had to face the beast from the East. But something special happened, and those beat up boys showered away any doubts my mid-week and brought an intensity to the field against Alcoa that was inspiring. Not only did they beat Alcoa for the first time ever, they did it in an unconventional to CAK style, by running the ball for over 200 yards and limiting Alcoa to just 14 pts. Wow. From that moment forward this team just seemed to click and the dream was alive again. Even the offense, which had been exceptional most of the year, seemed to kick into an even higher gear and away we went. After beating Sweetwater and then a good Polk County team, the table was set for a rematch with the Tornadoes. It was a game of never ending twists and turns and required our boys to come back from a 21-7 deficit at one point against the 7 time defending state champions, and proudly our boys answered the bell and then again against a talented bunch from AE. Then on to the schools first ever state title game in football with traditional power Milan. Coach reminded some of us that this would be the first time much of the state had ever seen CAK football, and boy did the team make an impression. I couldn't be any prouder of a bunch of young men!!! A group that was supposedly rebuilding, but one that was able to seize the day and the opportunity. Congratulations again to all you young men and thanks for all the great memories from this season. You gave me ulcers and turned my hair grey, but you gave me the thrill of victory and the joy of watching my boy and "my boys" hoist a gold ball above your heads. You are now apart of something special, there will never be another "first time" state champion in CAK football history, you are it!

 

CONGRATULATIONS, my friend! It was God's will for these young warriors to prevail!