#HSFT22 Stop #11 — East Webster Wolverines

The East Webster Wolverines have had a bad taste in their mouths ever since last November. That’s when they fell in the third round of the playoffs for the third consecutive year.

It was an unlucky bounce on an unlucky play against Leflore County.

“We lined up for the two-point conversion. Their running back lined up at quarterback, we hit him in the backfield and he fumbled the ball into the end zone into an offensive lineman’s hands,” East Webster head coach Ron Price said. “And that ended up being the game-winning play for them.”

The Wolverines fell 14-13 to the Tigers.

“I would rather lose by 40 than one because when you lose by one point, you question everything that you call,” Price said.

Price’s incoming seniors have been in that position all three years they’ve been on the team. That’s why he thought that group was the one that could’ve gotten them over the hump. Instead, it proves a challenge for this year. But that doesn’t change the fact that they knew they should’ve beat Leflore County.

“I know for a fact we should have won that game,” senior center Britain Burleson said. “That’s really stuck with me and the rest of the team knowing that we had a chance last year, and we dropped the ball. So this year, we’re just really inspired to try and get past that point.”

Price said other coaches started to count his team out from the minute they lost that game. Their loss in the playoffs marked the final game for 12 of his seniors — including 2A Mr. Football Zy Ford.

“As soon as the season, we started to hear the rumors and all the talk that we’re not going to be any good,” Price said. “As a coach that, that motivates me. I’ve tried to use that as motivation for our kids. When somebody tells you, you can’t do something, it’s a lot of fun to try to prove them wrong.”

One way Price plans to prove his doubters wrong is through his defense. His starting 11 men on defense will look plenty different from last year since he lost 10 of them — but he is instilling that same mindset to create another hungry defense.

Price has his kids run a drill they call “Road Rage” at every practice. They run as fast as they can at blocking bags and take them out.

“It’s pretty fun. You get tired after about five,” junior wide receiver Briceton Johnson said.

This senior class is smaller than the ones Price has coached in the past, but they’re not worried about that.

“The younger kids have to step up and I think we’re going to make that happen,” senior tight end Judd Azlin said.