All-American Cleaning & Restoration Athlete of the Week – Hawke Cordero – Nov. 5, 2026

REXBURG, Idaho (KIFI) – The Madison Bobcats secured a first-round playoff victory against Capital last Friday, led by a dominant rushing performance from Hawke Cordero. Cordero posted 24 carries for 169 yards and scored a touchdown to help push the Bobcats through to the next round. He is our All-American Cleaning & Restoration Athlete of the Week.

Cordero's impact extends far beyond last Friday's win, as he has played a major role for the Bobcats across multiple positions all season. Head coach Matt Pancheri praised Cordero's physical running style in the playoff win. “I just thought he absolutely ran like he would not be stopped,” Pancheri said. “He was putting his nose down and hitting holes hard.”

Cordero expressed gratitude for his role in the game. “I'm thankful for the opportunity I was able to get in there and... be a big part of the game and have a big impact,” Cordero said. He emphasized that he embraces the call to play wherever and whenever he is needed. “I'll say I'm pretty hard-working and I'll just do what's best for the team for sure,” Cordero said. “I don't care where I'm at, but I'll just do what's best.”

Coach Pancheri noted Cordero's adaptability throughout the season as his position shifted from running back to quarterback and back to running back. “He's played a major role in every game we played this year,” he said. “Running back, he played quarterback, then back to running back… he does a ton of stuff for us, and all of it's been super positive... I just loved his attitude this year. I love how physical he's been.”

The Bobcats now prepare for a playoff rematch against the Rigby Trojans. In their last meeting on Oct. 23, Madison suffered a 35-3 loss to Rigby in the pouring rain. Cordero highlighted the team's mental approach heading into the rematch. “I feel like we all have to trust each other... not [get] upset if someone makes a mistake,” Cordero said. “I mean, we all make mistakes, so we're going to keep going.”

The Madison Bobcats will face the Rigby Trojans on Friday, Nov. 5. Head coach Pancheri emphasized that running the ball and continuing to be a physical team will be key in the game. “Well, we have to be physical and run the ball, you know, and we have to stop the run game. If we do a good job of both those things, you know, we're giving ourselves a chance."