HSFT Stop #3: Smithville
Smithville, Miss. (WCBI)- The Smithville football team battled some adversity last season, but it could end up helping them out in the long run. Smithville won eight games in 2021, but after that campaign, the Seminoles lost a lot of seniors. Last year they finished 4-8- a four-win drop-off.
“I feel like we weren’t ready to step up. Some guys when asked to play positions weren’t ready but this year we’ll be ready to get a couple more,” senior receiver and defensive back Barker O’Brian said.
“We didn’t lose a lot of people this year so we should be better. We should be bigger, faster, and stronger. We’ve been pushing a lot of weight this year and I’m excited about that,” senior inside linebacker and fullback Braden Sanders said.
In 2022, Smithville had a junior-heavy roster. The team proved they were tough, winning three of the final five games after a slow start. Head coach Chad Collums, who is entering his fourth year, says his crew can build off that and use last year as a learning experience
“The resilience we showed was unbelievable,” Collums said. “I told them that every week especially when we started winning games. A lot of teams would’ve laid down but our guys kept coming to work and we started winning games.”
Another player benefitting from experience is senior quarterback Chandler Brunetti. His teammates have high expectations for him this season.
“He’s one of the best QBs I’ve had,” O’Brian said. “I’ve had three and he has been my favorite.”
Collums said they changed their offense to set it around Brunetti and a few others.
“I’m expecting him to ball out,” Sanders said. “He better ball out because he’s shown out a lot last year and I’m expecting the same this year”.
The senior-heavy team is more optimistic this year than in the previous few.
“Sky is the limit,” O’Brian said. “Depending on our division matchups, I think we can go far in the playoffs. If we do what I think we’re capable of, we can go pretty far.”
The Seminoles season begins August 25th for a home battle with Belmont
