HSFT Stop #36 — Baldwyn Bearcats

Baldwyn, Miss. (WCBI) — The Baldwyn Bearcats made the jump to 2A last season but it did not faze the team at all. Winning double digit games for the first time since 2016. The team’s success fires up the whole town.

“It is a tradition here to play a good brand of football,” head coach Michael Gray said. “I’m not saying it’s expected, it’s expected on our end as far as coaches are concerned. It lightens up the town a little bit.”

The defense last year was dominant, not allowing more than 14 points all season until the final playoff game. This year they could be even better.

“We’re going to play a high level of defense,” Gray said. “We got most of our guys back from a defensive standpoint that are really good quality players.”

A leader on that side of the ball is defensive end Rodney Stewart who recorded 48 tackles for loss last season. He stressed just how valuable it is to have so many starters returning.

“It’s very important because nobody has to learn anything new, we’re more experienced,” Stewart said. “It’s the same thing as last year.”

The Bearcats feel like they get overlooked and want to prove everyone wrong by making another deep run.

“It would mean a lot actually, we get doubted a lot and looked over by the state, you know,” running back Braylon Pippin said.

Confidence is high but consistency from week to week is the focus because down the stretch every game is going to be tough.

“Once you get in the playoffs you’re going to face a quality each week,” Gray said. “That’s the great thing about high school football, the competition level once you get into the playoffs is really stout.”

Baldwyn will start out their season August 26th at home against Kossuth.