LIBERTY CITY, Texas — Last year, Sabine High School opened the season with a loss to Spring Hill. This year, you can bet they came into their Week 1 game against the Panthers with extra motivation.
In front of their home crowd in Liberty City, the Cardinals put together a dominant performance, avenging last year's loss and more. Sabine won 64-20, led by an offensive outburst and the leadership of their head coach and our CBS19 Coach of the Week Cody Gilbert.
"We knew we had some guys coming back with experience. The biggest deal for us week one was just developing some confidence with our kids," Gilbert said. "We were able to win the toss, take the ball and go score in the first five plays. I think that really propelled us the rest of the evening."
The Cardinals featured standout performances from Colt Sparks and Cason Patterson. Also, senior running back Cade Silvertooth scored the first touchdown but also added a lot more to the game from a leadership standpoint.
Gilbert said that Silvertooth, as a senior team captain, adds a ton both on and off the field for the program.
"Silvertooth starts at running back and outside linebacker. He leads by example every day and is one of those kids that will do anything that we ask him to do," Gilbert said. "He's really out our locker room in a good situation because of the way he leads."
Silvertooth himself had nothing but the utmost praise for his head coach as well as the leadership and compassion that he exhibits for every athlete in the program.
"He's awesome. There's so much energy every day. Coach Gilbert always comes in every day fired up. He loves us and we love him," Silvertooth said. "Everyone really bought in this year, and I think that's been a huge difference through the offseason all the way to now."
Next Friday, the Sabine Cardinals will take on the West Rusk Raiders in New London in what's sure to be a very competitive matchup.