Cedar Creek: A Team to Watch Out For

Finishing the 2023 season with an 8-4 record and a loss to Camden in the central Finals, Cedar Creek may be the biggest team to worry about in their entire conference. They had a few tough losses in 2023 but are coming back with a lot of fire power returning with experience. Cedar Creek will need to replace their talented QB in Billy Smith, but all of the other pieces are there for them to build around. Don't be surprised if this a state championship program by season's end. Cedar Creek opens the season on Thursday against Camden Eastside at the Battle at the Beach. This game has the potential to set the trajectory for the rest of each team's season.    If there is one player on Cedar Creek's offense that the team can rely on, it is [player_tooltip player_id='402188' first='Aamir' last='Dunbar']. In only his sophomore season Aamir was able to run loose for 1371 yards and found the end zone 10 times. Primed for a big junior year, Aamir is ready to extend on his success from a year ago and carry is offense on his back if needed. There is a lot to like in how [player_tooltip player_id='402188' first='Aamir' last='Dunbar'] carries the rock. He is a one cut kind of back, making one move early on in the play and accelerating into the open field. Aamir is a bigger, explosive back that can lower his shoulder and deliver a punishing blow to a defender but can also make a quick cut to separate himself from would-be tacklers. I think Aamir's build combined with his open field speed will make him very challenging to stop in 2024. I wouldn't be surprised one bit if he surpassed 1500 yards on the ground and 15 touchdowns this fall.        Returning for his senior year after an extremely successful junior season, [player_tooltip player_id='389371' first='Darius' last='Benjamin'] is that weapon on the outside that balances out Cedar Creek's run game. A receiver with exceptional concentration and hand-eye coordination, Darius showed time and time again that he can stay composed with defenders in the vicinity and come down with the ball in traffic. If you want to be a dangerous downfield threat, you need to be able to track the ball well and adjust on the fly. That is exactly what Darius can do. However, with the speed Darius has off of the line there are times when he has no one around him because he beat his man right from the start of the play. Darius may not be the tallest or biggest receiver, but he can play a pivotal role in an offense he lines up for. Racking up 683 yards and 6 touchdowns in 2023, look for Darius to take control of the pass game and exceed those numbers in 2024.        A weapon on both sides of the ball, [player_tooltip player_id='973797' first='Gyan' last='King'] will look to continue the success he had on defense last season and will look to play a larger role on offense this season as well. Returning in 2024 as one of the top ball hawks in the entire state, Gyan was a nightmare to opponent's pass games last season as he picked the ball off 7 times. Gyan is one of those DBs that sit overtop and really see the entire field in front of him. He has great anticipation for which direction the ball will be thrown, and can even bait the QB into making a mistake. Gyan has that turn and run speed that gives him the ability to sprint from one sideline to the other, making it tough for any QB to feel confident throwing the ball deep downfield. Offensively, I view Gyan as a secret weapon that can be utilized early on in a play on so he can tear through secondary's with precise cuts and nifty juke moves.      One of the reasons I believe Cedar Creek has a good shot at a state championship are the seniors returning on defense in 2024. With a ton of experience under his belt, [player_tooltip player_id='354978' first='Mandel' last='Pettiford'] is leading the charge for Cedar Creek's defensive front. Mandel is a physically demanding defender lining up interiorly for the Pirates. Equipped with upper body strength and a low approach towards blockers, Mandel specializes in bull rushing the pocket and collapsing it from within. Not only does he have the strength to impose his will on linemen, but he has the finesse, quickness, and hand technique to get past blockers with speed. This showed last season as he was able to sack the QB 7 times. A rock in the middle of the field, good luck trying to shake Mandel from his position in the middle. He does not get moved often, and with that can swallow up any run heading his direction. Mandel is extremely skilled in both the pass rush game and in run defense, and any team would be lucky to have him on their roster.        The second 2025 D-lineman that is bolstering Cedar Creek upfront, [player_tooltip player_id='995366' first='Aiden' last='Jinks'] is another player to keep a close eye on if you need are looking for an all around talented defender. Racking up 44 tackles and 5.5 sacks in 2023, [player_tooltip player_id='995366' first='Aiden' last='Jinks'] is right up in the mix with [player_tooltip player_id='354978' first='Mandel' last='Pettiford'] as a notable DL prospect in the state. As Mandel holds down the fort in the middle, Aiden is that speed rusher coming off of the edge. An athletic frame with longer arms, Aiden is known for extending blockers away from his body and giving him total control of where they are in space. I think we are going to see a big jump in sacks this upcoming season. Aiden not only excelled in rushing the QB, but he showed containment when needed and often found the QB or runner running right into his arms. Impressively, Aiden can be engaged with a blocker and with his long reach can get one hand on the runner, reel them in, and bring them to the ground. This will be a tough defensive front to find success against.

Finishing the 2023 season with an 8-4 record and a loss to Camden in the central Finals, Cedar Creek may be the biggest team to worry about in their entire conference. They had a few tough losses in 2023 but are coming back with a lot of fire power returning with experience. Cedar Creek will need to replace their talented QB in Billy Smith, but all of the other pieces are there for them to build around. Don't be surprised if this a state championship program by season's end. Cedar Creek opens the season on Thursday against Camden Eastside at the Battle at the Beach. This game has the potential to set the trajectory for the rest of each team's season.