Starke Fl- Bradford’s 2026 season has reached a point where the conversation around the Tornadoes is changing. Coming into the year, there were questions about whether Bradford’s schedule would provide enough competition to show what the team could really do. Six games into the season, the Tornadoes are answering those questions on the field.
Bradford Turns Doubts Into Dominance
The Tornadoes entered the season with a new head coach in Ross Baker, who took over after Jamie Rodgers left Bradford for Baker County. Baker brought 15 years of coaching experience to Starke, including time at Valdosta High School. Bradford also returned much of the talent from an 11-2 team that reached the Class 2A regional finals in 2025.
Still, Bradford’s early schedule gave skeptics something to point toward.
The Tornadoes opened with a 65-0 victory over West Port, followed it with a hard-fought 16-9 win at Baker County, then shut out Zarephath Academy 56-0 and Trinity Catholic 49-0. Bradford then traveled to Tocoi Creek and came away with a 48-10 victory.
The Baker County game was particularly important because Bradford had to win a physical, low-scoring contest on the road instead of relying on its explosive offense. The Tornadoes rushed for 223 yards in that game, with quarterback Cy Cubbedge contributing 100 rushing yards and a touchdown while also throwing for 128 yards.
It also was a game against former head Coach Jamie Rodgers, who went back to Baker County this year. The win showed that Bradford could overcome a challenge from a staff that knew their current players like the back of their hands.
Then came Madison County.
Tornadoes Take Over in the Second Half
Bradford’s trip to Boot Hill Stadium started competitively. Madison County scored 24 points and kept the Tornadoes from immediately running away with the game.
But Bradford completely controlled the second half.
After Madison County’s final score, the Tornadoes responded with 28 unanswered points, turning what had been a competitive game into a 52-24 statement victory. The Tornadoes led 15-6 after the first quarter, trailed the Cowboys’ momentum heading into halftime, but dominated the final two quarters. Bradford outscored Madison County 21-0 in the fourth quarter alone.
Cubbedge delivered his best passing performance of the season, completing 20 of 24 passes for 224 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. His 83.3% completion rate showed the junior quarterback’s efficiency throughout the night.
Big win over Madison County last week!
— Cy Cubbedge 2028 QB (@CyCubbedgeQB) September 28, 2026
52-24
20/24 224 yds passing 3 TD
23 yds rushing @BHSTornadoFB @Baker_A_Ross @presnick13 @QB_DNA @Andy_Villamarzo @TomLoy247 @Andrew_Ivins @Stumpf_Brian @Elite11 @DemetricDWarren @TheUCReport pic.twitter.com/MKbqQNx7a7
Senior running back Iyen Addison continued his outstanding season by rushing for 111 yards and three touchdowns on 17 carries. It was his fifth consecutive game with at least one rushing touchdown and his first three-touchdown rushing performance since at least last season.
Sophomore receiver Calvin Mosley also produced a breakout performance. Mosley caught six passes for 113 yards and two touchdowns, including a 40-yard reception. It was his first 100-yard receiving game and the best statistical performance of his young career.
Week 6 , 6 receptions , 110 yds , 2 tds@BHSTornadoFB @Baker_A_Ross @sampson_BHS @Cslocum04 @Kennydinkins pic.twitter.com/NpzjbjMIAt
— Calvin Mosley (@Cfye386) September 26, 2026
The Tornadoes also made plays defensively. Bradford intercepted Madison County quarterback K. Lee three times, with Bryan Tyson, Jordan Cason and freshman Raef Cubbedge each recording an interception. Tyson’s interception was returned for a touchdown, while Parviele Lee added seven tackles, four tackles for loss and a sack.
Bradford improved to 6-0 Friday night with a convincing 52-24 victory over Madison County in Madison. The win was especially significant because Madison County represented one of the more established programs on Bradford’s schedule and gave the Tornadoes an opportunity to show that their impressive start was about more than simply piling up points against overmatched opponents.
Stars Driving Bradford’s Success
Bradford’s success has been a team effort, but several players have emerged as major pieces.
Cy Cubbedge has been the engine of the offense. Entering the Madison County game, he had thrown for 651 yards and nine touchdowns according to his game-by-game totals; after Friday’s performance, his season totals stand at 875 passing yards and 12 touchdowns with only one interception.
Iyen Addison has been one of the Tornadoes’ most consistent weapons. He entered the season after rushing for 1,073 yards and eight touchdowns in 2025, and has continued that production in 2026. Through five games, he had already rushed for 492 yards, and his 111-yard performance against Madison County pushed his season rushing total beyond 600 yards.
Senior Drew Simmons has provided Bradford with another powerful option in the backfield. He had accumulated 474 rushing yards through the first five games and added 92 yards against Madison County.
On defense, Parviele Lee continues to make an impact in the middle of the Bradford defense. Lee entered the season after recording 84 tackles, 16 tackles for loss and six sacks in 2025. He now has multiple sacks this season and produced one of his best games against Madison County when he changed the dynamic of the game with ha safety.
Danny Torres, another senior defensive lineman, also returned after recording 90 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss and two sacks last season. He remains one of the leaders of a Bradford defense that has allowed only 43 points through six games, an average of just over seven points per game.
The Test Is Getting Bigger
Bradford has now scored 286 points while allowing just 43, and five of its six victories have come by at least 28 points.
The Tornadoes’ next challenge comes Friday when they travel to Gainesville to face Eastside, which enters the matchup at 1-5. After that, Bradford will face district opponent Newberry before closing the regular season with undoubtedly their toughest games of the season against a tough University Christian team, and talented Ed White squad.
Those games will provide additional opportunities for Bradford to prove itself.
But the 52-24 win at Madison County already delivered a clear message: whatever questions existed about the toughness of Bradford’s schedule, the Tornadoes are not waiting for outside validation.
At 6-0, Bradford has taken care of every opponent placed in front of them—and the Tornadoes are doing it with a balanced offense, an aggressive defense and a group of playmakers that believes it can go all the way to a state championship.
