HSFT Stop #22: Oak Hill Academy
WEST POINT, Miss. (WCBI) — Oak Hill Academy football is entering its first year with Tom Goode as head coach. After a 3-8 season last year Goode is looking to lead a drastic turnaround and that starts with being the toughest team physically and mentally.
“Along with getting in shape comes mental toughness as well and that’s what we are working on and they are stepping up to the challenge,” Goode said.
One of the biggest changes from last year is the emphasis on the little things. The team wants to be ready for anything that can happen on a Friday night.
“Last year there wasn’t much preparation, this year it’s a main focus,” senior running back Hazard Zepponi said. “It’s been a pretty good change.”
The first six weeks of summer workouts have been solely focused on conditioning. It has been a grind but going through these tough practices as a team has brought everyone closer together which is a change from 2023.
“Nobody ever came to communicate, everybody just did what they wanted to do so after those first two losses we never looked back up we just looked down,” senior wide receiver Mason Pruden said.
This season seems to be different.
“Everyone is more committed to grinding their legs off and burning their legs off for this season,” senior lineman Aiden Nguyen said.
Oak Hill only has six seniors on a roster of 30 players but each one of them have proven themself as a leader in some way this offseason.
“You couldn’t ask for six better young men and they have really stepped up in their leadership,” Goode said.
The Raiders aren’t shy about their goals, they want to compete for a state title. To achieve that goal every player on the roster will have to make an impact, embodying the true definition of a team.
“Everybody is going to push everybody, we’re all going to work as a group,” senior lineman Chip Ballard said. “We got some new kids but we have all bonded together.”
Oak Hill Academy kicks off its season in just over a month on August 23rd at home against Central Holmes Christian.
