HSFT Stop #13: Eupora
EUPORA, Miss. (WCBI) — Eupora football is looking to get back to its winning ways this season. The Eagles made it to the North Half Championship in 2022 and they know the grind to make it back starts right here in the middle of the summer.
“That’s been the message this year, embrace the work and don’t be resentful of it and these guys have done a great job of that,” Eupora head coach Brad Gray said.
There are 41 players on the roster and only five are seniors but they are stepping up in a big way showing the underclassmen what it takes to perform at the highest level
“Those are the guys that on the bad days are going text and get on the phone and get kids to come back to practice the next day,” Gray said. “You’re going to have bad practices, ballgames and you’re going to have bad things happen. As coaches sometimes you think you’re the one who glue all that together but we’re not, it’s that core group of seniors.”
This senior group knows how important it’s role as a leader and mentor is and their embracing it every single day.
“I think over time we’ve seen what it’s like to be a leader and what it’s like not to be a leader so over time it has built us into what we need to be,” senior Ethan Stephenson said.
Being a leader is a big responsibility but this years senior class is taking it in stride.
“It’s a lot of pride that comes with it, these younger guys look up to you,” senior B.J Cork said. “You’ve been here for four years and are more experienced so of course they are going to look up to you.”
Like always with young players there is uncertainty about how they’ll perform underneath the Friday night lights but the entire team has confidence they will rise to the occasion and contribute in a big way this season.
“We tell them every year when we do play young guys, when the weeks go on you aren’t young anymore, you’re growing up fast and growing up in the best way possible in a sink or swim situation,” Gray said.
Eupora kicks off its season with a Thursday night matchup against East Webster.
