Playoff-bound Gainesville beats Patriot for the first time
Even after the game, Tre Cage still put his team in the right position. After Gainesville defeated host Patriot Friday 21-14, the Cardinals' second-year coach directed his players to convene to the right of the goal post so everyone taking pictures could clearly include the scoreboard in the background. That was shift was significant. For the first time since it began playing a varsity football schedule in 2022, Gainesville beat the Pioneers. Coming into the game, Patriot had won all five matchups. So, before the scoreboard went blank, the players and coaches hustled toward the end zone to make sure they got the score frozen in time for posterity. The players initially set up camp in front of the goal post, but the crossbar blocked out the scoreboard. Recognizing the hold-up, Cage took matters into his own hands by having everyone congregate at an angle to capture the historic moment. It was a milestone worth savoring along with the fact that the Cardinals are still playing, something Cage reminded them off by telling them to 'Be back Monday." They had another week of practice as another game awaited. After a one-year hiatus, Gainesville is back in the playoffs. A win
