CFCA's completed puzzle is soaring the Eagles to production

Football doesn’t have team in its name, but it probably should. 

With 11 players on the field at once, it’s a team sport first and individual accomplishments second. All the pieces need to work together like a puzzle; they need to fuze together to accomplish success. 

At Central Florida Christian Academy, the puzzle is glued together and new pieces this season have expanded the picture. 

CFCA’s offensive coach and assistant head coach, Ben Owens, has been with the program for 11 years. 

Owens said he’s seen the good, the bad and the ugly of the Eagles’ program. He remembered when the team used to score 60-plus points and when it hoped to just get a first down. 

This year feels different. 

“They genuinely care for (one another),” he said. “They’re teammates first. Their leadership. It’s just all about the team. … We’re trying to build a family and let them know that this is a Christian school first, so it’s God first.” 

CFCA’s freshman center Junior Dwight reflected his coach’s sentiments.  

“I feel like we all believe that we put in the work, and we know that we deserve to make it to the playoffs and go to the … championship,” Dwight said.

CFCA already has surpassed its 3-6 record from last season. The team holds a 5-0 record this year and doesn’t intend to stop. Owens said he hasn’t seen the full capabilities of the team yet, but there are moments he’s seen the picture of what they can be. 

“I haven’t seen the whole potential, but this offense is something special,” he said. 

Owens is working on teaching his players that when they score 33 points in one quarter, that’s something they can strive to achieve each quarter. The team is capable of it and needs to realize it’s a realistic goal.

Owens said it’s a blessing to have an abundance of players who are interchangeable and they can step up to fill any role. The curse is because of their talents, it means they want to stay on the field to have the ball and the spotlight. But the players are learning they have to share the field with the new group of talented teammates. 

IT ALL STARTS UP FRONT

The Eagles’ 5-0 season starts with the O-line, which creates the groundwork that allows freshman running back Jahmari Hammonds to produce.

“They are blocking down the field,” Owens said. “We didn’t have that last year. Last year, we had the point where they would just stand still and let the running back come to them. But now they’re actually like, ‘Hey come follow me.’ They are one of the best O-lines I have ever coached.”

Hammonds noticed how the O-line has improved from the summer. He said they weren’t moving as much at first, but during the summer, head coach Kevin Blackman prioritized their growth and “got them right.” He trained every day too, starting at 5 a.m. and utilizing a sand pit to help with his speed.

“I feel like no one knows how much work we put in,” Dwight said. “We have to do a lot to keep our running back safe and our quarterback, because we do a hurry-up offense. You have to be very well nourished and always be ready.” 

Owens asks his O-line to give him 4 yards of blocking to give the running back 5 yards. He wants them to give him three seconds of blocking for the quarterback so the receivers can get open. 

“They do it every week,” he said. “Every week and they’re tremendous.” 

It’s much easier from a coaching standpoint to have players who are “moving” on the O-line and can rotate with one another so they don’t tire out. Owens makes a deal with Dwight, aka Junior. 

“I say (to him), ‘Junior, look: If you don’t get my quarterback sacked, I’ll get you some wings,’” Owens said, smiling at the fact his incentive pays off.

Dwight said he loves the role he plays on the team, and the most challenging aspect is snapping a perfect ball to his quarterback.

“I feel great; I love helping my teammates,” Dwight said. 

He isn’t only helping teammates. He’s also helping family. 

Dwight and Hammonds are second cousins. They’ve been playing together for years, and he’s used to having a blood tie on the field. 

“I love blocking for him,”Dwight said. “I love seeing him get all these yards and him get college interest and stuff.”

YOUNG STAR

Hammonds is making his mark as a freshman. 

“We’ve had a couple of good running backs since I’ve been here, but he’s by far probably the best,” Owens said. “The reason I’m saying that is because he’s a freshman. … He understands how to wait and find those holes, but he’s just as smart in the classroom. Everybody respects him.” 

On the field, Owens appreciates Hammonds’ character. In CFCA’s game against Bronson, Owens told Hammonds after his third touchdown the coaches were going to pull him out of the game, and he accepted it. 

“He said, ‘OK, cool,’” Owens said. “He’s not one of those guys (who) goes, ‘No, no, no.’” 

After Owens saw Hammonds make a cut in a scrimmage during practice for the first time, he immediately pulled over Blackman and said he’s going rush for more than 1,000 yards and do it in six or seven games. 

In CFCA’s first four games this season, Hammonds has recorded 641 yards, averaging 160 per game and eight rushing touchdowns. 

Hammonds said he has one goal each game: dominate. 

“That’s all I think about,” he said. 

His favorite part of being a running back is how physical the position is. Each touchdown motives him to continue working hard to achieve another one and to continue playing the sport he loves. 

The running back is producing well, but he knows there’s been moments where he’s struggled and he needs to grow from that. 

“There’s been a lot of plays I was supposed to score on that I didn’t score on and I can’t blame anyone but myself,” Hammonds said. “I’ll just find a way to get better.” 

Owens said Hammonds will call the coaches on weekends for some advice.

“I tell him,‘Hey, look, sometimes when you go for a pass, look for your quarterback’s blind side,’” Owens said. “But other than that, he’s been unstoppable. Last week (against Bronson), he ran 15 plays and he scored on the first three and it was 70 yards, it was 35 and it was four. He’s going to be something.”