Adams fought back from injury
Saratoga senior returned to the field to help beat Shaker in semis
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. » Saratoga Springs’ Cam Adams went down with an injury in week four a 14-0 win over CBA.
No one was sure when he would make his comeback to the field or if his high school football career was over.
Last week he made that comeback in the Section II Class AA semifinals and helped lead his team to the Friday’s Super Bowl against Troy.
Adams said that being able to work back from injury was huge for him.
“It meant the world to me honestly,” Adams said. “My teammates helped me through it. It was a really rough time, not being able to play and having to sit on the sideline and watch and observe what is going on, but my teammates did a really great job to keep me motivated. I was working every day after school just to get to this point and be able to help my team as much as I could.”
Saratoga coach Terry Jones said it was great to be able to get one of his leaders back onto the field.
“It is huge getting him back because he is a senior and what he has meant to this program and how hard he has worked since we brought him up as a sophomore,” Jones said. “You never want to see anyone injured, especially a senior, and especially a kid who has worked so hard over the last few years.”
Adams managed to come back last week and contribute on the defensive side as a middle linebacker for the Blue Streaks, as the defense caused some key turnovers and Saratoga Springs earned a 29-22
win over Shaker.
Adams, who is also a running back, is limited to the defense in these last two games, but Jones said it is big for him to be there.
“We are obviously very happy to have him back on the defensive side of the ball,” Jones said. “He is our middle linebacker, he is one of our leaders there and it certainly adds depth to our defense. We wish we could use him on offense, but we just don’t think he is ready for that yet. I am more so happy for him as young man who has worked so hard to get back. He worked his butt off to get to this position. Speaking of his character, he stood up and thanked his teammates last week for them getting him the opportunity to get in this position by extending our season.”
Adams’ injury seemed to be something that would sideline him for the rest of the season. He was watching from the bench for the last couple games of the regular season and that first playoff game against Bethlehem. If the Blue Streaks (9-0) didn’t keep winning, his season would be over.
Adams said coming back and contributing to him team was a huge accomplishment for him.
“I knew that could be our last game on that field and it was and I was happy to be able to play in it with all my brothers,” Adams said of the Shaker win.
Adams has been a part of the Blue Streaks since his sophomore season and has dreamed of making it to the finals game during his senior season for years.
During his sophomore season, Adams was on the championship team that beat Shaker and learned a lot from watching them play.
“I think the biggest point it being able to watch, two years ago, that state championship game,” Adams said. “Those guys were awesome, great leaders for me. I watched them, saw how they were every day in practice, they didn’t take any days for granted and they knew it was win or go home when you get into these playoffs. They were not trying to go home; they were trying to go all the way. The biggest thing I saw was they taught me how to lead in the way they carried themselves around in front of the whole team.”
Adams has been playing with Mike and Wes Eglintine for years and the three of them have been dreaming of this moment.
“I have been playing with guys for so long and every year we were talking about senior season is going to be great and now to look back and say we really worked hard for this,” Adams said. “We worked harder than anyone could have imagined. Mike, Wes, they got guys in the weight room, Kevin (Toote) did a great job of getting guys into the weight room for this season and I think they did a great job of helping anyone to get prepared for this season and to get to this point.”