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The Kenmore Bears have started their 2014 gridiron Queensland campaign off strong, surging to a 2-0 start.
The Bears boast five players from the National Championship winning Queensland Sundevils offence covering the quarterback position and receivers. With an ultra-talented offensive roster the Bears have been near unstoppable so far as they have dominated their opponents and sent a message to the rest of the league.
The offence run by quarterback Jared Stegman started on fire and has just gotten stronger. Stegman, through two games, has the gaudy numbers one expects from a national champion quarterback going 38/55 for nine touchdowns and only two interceptions and 550 yards.
With a completion of 69 per cent and an average of 14.4 yards per completion Stegman is enjoying the best start to a season of his career. While his accuracy and decision making have been impeccable, he has enjoyed the luxury of great protection from a revamped Bears offensive line.
The unit consists of some returning starters mixed in with some new faces who are catching on quick and providing excellent protection and a clean pocket.
The receiving corps for the Bears, who are aptly named “The Recepticons”, have shown they are a class above the rest. A group consists of four Queensland players including Mitch Besse, Kyle Bowpitt, Brendan Stanley and Josh Kent. They have been playing out of this world. With solid production from new faces Derick Thompson and Daniel Walker the group has an incredible amount of talent and depth.
Mitch Besse has exploded this season after missing most of 2013 with a broken ankle. But the only broken ankles this year are from opposition defenders that attempt to cover him as Besse has notched seven catches for 230 yards and three touchdowns.
Josh Kent has continued to shine in his second season with a number of fantastic grabs and big plays in tight situations. A constant deep threat, Kent is showing he has a lot more to offer than just a set of wheels as he is being utilised often in underneath routes and screens. With eight catches and two touchdowns, Kent is just warming up.
Kyle Bowpitt is having his best season ever as the speedy slot receiver has left defenders in his wake en-route to 12 catches for 120 yards and four touchdowns. Burning defenders one-on-one, Bowpitt is a threat to any defence and is proving to be the problem that teams cannot solve.
Brendan Stanley has continued to own the middle of the field as the dominant tight end/slot receiver has brought in a number of big catches between the hashes. With the versatility to play in tight or split out wide, Stanley is a nightmare for defensive backs. The wild card in an offence full of stars, Stanley is a big play machine who delivers in the clutch regularly.
Derick Thompson and Daniel Walker have been stout when they have been on the field, showing there is very little drop off between them and the starters. Thompson is a legitimate deep threat on the outside with an ability to go up and win the jump ball. Walker has only seen limited time but hasn’t taken a backward step and looks to be a solid addition to the team. Both these players are guys to watch as they will play pivotal roles in the offence down the stretch.
The Bears’ offensive juggernaut also boasts a solid running game driven by rookie running back Matt Aitken. The rookie has been a hammer between the tackles as he simply punishes defenders who attempt to take him front on. With a nice combination of size and speed, Aitken gives the Bears an explosive presence in the backfield to balance out the offence.
For all of the offensive stardom that the Bears have they wouldn’t be able to be so dominant if not for a great defence. Only giving up eight points in two games is an incredible feat and they have also created a number of turnovers that gave the Bears a short field to work with.
Safeties Zain Ghaznavi and Christian Arnold have created a no fly zone in the secondary as they have blown up any attempt at a deep completion. Benefitting from a pass rush generated from the defensive line through Greg Wardrop, Finau Vilitau and Koala Moala the Bears defence has been stifling.
Cornerback Jordan Desbrow has shut down all receivers that have come his way. His ability to shut down half the field is a big part of why the Bears defence has been so opportunistic in creating turnovers.
Kenmore are off to a strong start and are showing no signs of slowing down. After already dispatching reigning champions the Gold Coast Stingrays in Round 1, the Bears are full of confidence. While it is a long season and there are plenty of tough games ahead, the Bears are preparing to go on a run in 2014 and have their sights firmly set on the sunbowl.
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