Pikeville, KY – UPIKE football put together an outstanding performance on Friday afternoon at Hambley Athletic Complex, burying the Cumberland Phoenix 38-13. The Bears win their second straight after racking up 436 yards of total offense, the team's highest mark of the season.

In a shortened season that only includes eight matchups against conference opponents, every win is vital and Friday's win evens the Bears' record at 2-2 as they hit the halfway point.

Junior and first-year starter Trevon Wofford has been coming into his own in the last two contests, Friday no exception as the Cedartown, GA native totaled a career high 199 passing yards. Wofford completed 11 of 20 attempts including a pair of touchdowns.

The young and talented Jayden Neace piloted the Bears ground attack in his first career start, churning out 129 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The sophomore averaged 6.2 yards per carry on 20 attempts. Ardrian Medacco totaled 70 yards including a 31-yard breakout run that set the Bears up to score on the next play.

Victor Johnson was the primary target for Wofford and snagged five catches for 94 yards and a touchdown. Arties Clark continued to showcase his veteran talent with four receptions for 65 yards, adding a TD and an incredible catch on what should've been a broken-up play in the 3^rd quarter.

Defensively Elijah Richardson led the Bears with 11 tackles including three solo. UPIKE's secondary held the Phoenix to just 57 yards through the air while Trevaughn Barnett recorded the Bears' lone sack in the contest. Virgil Long was a predator for the Bears as well tallied 10 total tackles.

On special teams the story was Cedric Thomas who fielded and returned a trio of punts, breaking one off for 36 yards. Later in the contest, Thomas blocked a field goal attempt by the Phoenix that was recovered by the Bears, marking his second straight contest with a field goal block.

Ben Henson opened the game in a big way for the Bears, wasting no time hanging seven on the scoreboard with a 88 yard touchdown return on the opening kick-off. UPIKE held the Phoenix for almost six minutes of play before they would score to make it 7-6 after missing the PAT.

Cumberland took their first and only lead of the ballgame in the last minute of the first quarter after a 38 yard drive, capped by an eight yard run into the endzone. The second quarter began quietly until UPIKE forced a punt to take over at the Cumberland 20 yard line before the Bears strung together an 80 yard drive that included a 37 yard completion to Victor Johnson and a pair of carries from Jayden Neace, the latter of which would put the Bears ahead 14-13 following Jakob Headley's PAT.

The Bears forced another punt from the Phoenix and once again struck on the following possession, taking over on their own 15 before going 85 yards to score. This time it was the Wofford to Johnson connection that got the job done and put UPIKE up eight after a 25 yard toss.

Cumberland would not score again and it was the Bears' ground game that produced mostly in the second half, featuring Neace and Medacco. UPIKE's next score came from Neace before a TD pass to Clark with 10:00 to go in the third would give the Bears plenty of insurance with a 35-13 lead.

Finally, Jakob Headley legged a 19 yard field goal with under 10 minutes to go in the fourth to seal the 38-13 win for the Bears.  

UPIKE football is on the road for their next two matchups, starting with the Wildcats of Bethel next Friday, March 26^th. The Bears will travel to Williamsburg, KY to take on the third-ranked Patriots of Cumberlands on April 2^nd before returning home for their final game of the regular season – Senior Day against Georgetown on Friday, April 9^th.