HSFT Stop #52: Pontotoc

PONTOTOC, Miss. (WCBI) — Pontotoc football missed out on the playoffs in its first season at the 5A level. Moving up a classification was a huge change for the Warriors and the transition was not always smooth.

“The team last year, we weren’t quite prepared for what 5A had to offer,” sophomore athlete Courtland Pass said. “This year now that we have the experience we will be ready for whatever faces us.”

This offseason the Warriors knew they had to work even harder to match the level of other 5A teams. They are accepting the challenge that comes with competing at a higher level.

“I think they all got to see the level of play in 5A last year so they already know what to expect so it shouldn’t be a shock,” head coach Jeff Carter said.

Carter is entering his tenth season as the head coach and he says this is one of the smartest groups he’s been around. That intelligence gives him confidence that his team will be able to make crucial adjustments on the fly.

“It carries over from practice to game,” Carter said. “We don’t have to repeat ourselves a lot and I think they will be able to adapt as the game goes which will be a benefit for this team.”

Carter is putting a lot of faith in some of his leaders to play multiple positions but there is no doubt in his mind, they are up for the challenge.

“It’s challenging not only on the physical side but on the mental side,” junior athlete Isaac Patrick said. “Learning all the plays on each side of the ball and just staying mentally ready, say I’m going from quarterback to cornerback, just changing the mindset.”

The Warriors are going to lean players like sophomore Courtland Pass who got valuable experience last season and is ready to take the next step in 2024.

“I feel like it has slowed down for me,” Pass said. “Freshman year it is so fast and this year it is going to go by a lot slower so I’m glad I got that experience my freshman year.”

Pontotoc has its eyes set on a playoff berth and they start the grind towards the playoffs on August 30th on the road against Amory.