2015 High School Football Tour: Stop #36 – Water Valley

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WATER VALLEY, Miss. (WCBI) — A staple of consistency in Mississippi hopes to continue their success in 2015.

Water Valley enjoyed another winning season and playoff birth last season but have much to replace going into the new season.

“We lost a lot of production from last year,” head coach Brad Embry said. “Everyone from our quarterback Jonathan Kent to our leading rusher Brandon Bounds and out leading receiver LJ Hawkins. We started the process of looking to replace them in the spring and looking for someone to step up.

“7 on 7’s is where those guys earn the right to play. I think this is a program where through 7th grade up you work those kids to fill those voids until they graduate.”

The Blue Devils don’t anticipate their success fading away in 2015: Water Valley has lost just five division games in the last six seasons and even with what they lost on offense, coach Embry has set the standard for his team to continue to turn out winning seasons.

“I think it’s a daily process,” Embry said. “Each day you have to do something to make yourself better as an individual. Coaches and players alike. That makes the team better. Resting on your laurels is easy to do. We want to try and get better each and every day.”

Down years don’t come around Death Valley too often: the Blue Devils have missed the playoffs just once since 1998.

For that run to continue, the youth must grow up quickly. The expectations though still remain.

“At Water Valley every year we have high expectations of making a deep run in the playoffs,” Embry said. “That’s where this program is at right now. That’s how we train. That’s how we prepare year round. We have a group of seniors that have established that this year.”

Water Valley will start the season with back to back home games versus Eupora and Coffeeville in the Railroad Rivalry.