#HSFT19 Stop #4 — Nanih Waiya Warriors

NANIH WAIYA, Miss. (WCBI) —  All eyes yet again on Nanih Waiya, but for the first time, it’s the Warriors sitting alone at the top.

The Warriors are fresh off the first football state championship in program history…and are hungry to run it back.

“The goal is back to back,” senior wide receiver/outside linebacker Tylan Glass said.

“I mean, when you’re at the top, everyone tries to dethrone the king, you know what I mean.”

“It never changes, and that’s why we love it here as a coaching staff,” head coach James Courtney said of the expectations.

“We like those expectations. You don’t want to be in a place where they accept mediocracy. Our people are hungry.”

Nanih Waiya will have some big holes to fill, especially in the trenches, but the Warriors return 75 total touchdowns from key skill guys from that title team.

That includes the Turner twins, Donovan and Devean, Shia Moore, and Austin Sanders.

“Last year it was the offensive line that we leaned on, now we’re going to lean on those guys,” Courtney said, “instill in those guys the desire to challenge those young lineman to get done what we need to get done.”

The defending champs will need them, as the new division is arguably the toughest in the state.

Nanih Waiya moves into the loaded region 2-1A, featuring familiar faces like Noxapater and French Camp, and adding the likes of TCPS, Okolona, and Smithville.

“I mean, it’s brutal,” Courtney said. “It’ll be every week, it’ll be a battle. The teams are going to be really well coached, so we’re going to have to bring our best each and every week.”

“I don’t need to know a lot about them,” senior fullback/linebacker Devean Turner said.

“We’re just going to play hard, do what we’re supposed to do every snap, every ball.”

The Warriors begin its title defense at home against West Lauderdale August 23rd