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Lucky Spandex behind Cammon’s big game
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ELLIE HERNER
Noteworthy efforts:
The libero is one of the few starting seniors for coach Don August and helped lead the Huskies to a 7-3 start on the season.LLOYD YATES
Noteworthy efforts:
The sophomore QB continues to flourish, leading OPRF to one of its highest point totals in years with a 55-41 victory over York Friday night.
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Updated: October 21, 2012 2:11PM
OAK PARK
When the Oak Park-River Forest football team is involved in an offensive battle like it was against York, the Huskies know they can rely on senior running back Jakari Cammon to lead the charge.
Cammon ripped through the York defense as he rushed for 300 yards on 23 carries and scored three touchdowns in the Huskies’ 55-41 victory Friday night. The yardage was more than Cammon had accumulated in his three previous games combined, improving his season totals to 572 yards on the ground with six touchdowns.
“This has to be the best game he has ever had, and I know it’s the best effort I’ve ever witnessed,” OPRF coach John Hoerster said.
Cammon, who also is on the varsity basketball team, confirmed it was his career high in rushing yards and touchdowns in a game.
“I didn’t get a lot of touches in the first half, but coach told me the ball would be in my hands more after halftime,” Cammon said. “After a few carries I started reading York’s defense and making the right cuts.”
Cammon said he wants to play football in college and has dreams of making it to the NFL.
As for a secret to his success thus far in high school: “I wear the same pair of Spandex since I was a sophomore,” he said, laughing. “Every time I wash them, someone will say, ‘Why don’t you buy some new ones?’ but these have worked for me so far and I don’t want to give them up.”
OPRF (3-1 overall, 1-1 West Suburban Silver) lit up the scoreboard with 28 points in the first and 27 more in the third – when Cammon crossed the goal line three times.
Cammon capped the Huskies scoring with 1 minute, 40 seconds left in the third quarter with an electrifying 82-yard scoring romp to put OPRF ahead 55-34. That touchdown came after he found pay dirt with a 7-yard scamper up the middle at 11:30 of the third and plunged over left tackle for a 3-yard TD at 7:52.
Hoerster credited the passing and running of OPRF quarterback Lloyd Yates with contributing to Cammon’s success.
Yates completed 7 of 11 attempts for 180 yards versus York, including touchdown tosses of 62 yards to Tom Odell and a 66-yarder to Samora Nesbitt, both in the first quarter. Yates also ran one in from 20 yards out in the first to give the Huskies an early 21-7 advantage.
“We threw effectively against York and our quarterback also is a running threat so that really opened things up for Jakari,” Hoerster said. “When a defense has to respect the pass and others in the backfield (Yates had 102 yards rushing and Michael Hayden ran for 93) that balance opens things up for everyone.”
The Huskies have outscored their opponents 160-80 over the first four games, but Hoerster expects Saturday’s 1:30 p.m. road matchup with conference foe Glenbard West (4-0, 2-0) to be a real test for both the offense and defense. Glenbard West has put up 154 points while it has allowed only 34.
“They are the top team in the conference right now,” Hoerster said. “They are well-coached and they play really hard-nosed football on offense and defense.
“However, I think if we execute offensively and defensively and on special teams I believe we have the playmakers on both sides of the ball to make things happen, and we should be able to put some points on the board. We need a great week of practice and we have to show up ready to play on Saturday.” ~.
