HSFT Stop #24: Starkville Academy

Starkville, Miss. (WCBI) — Starkville Academy football is coming off a 9-3 season that ended in the third round of the playoffs.

Head coach Chase Nicholson said it was a great season in which his team came together to win a district championship.

“They know what it takes to get that far,” Nicholson said. “I think that’s always the fun part about a football team is that you look at the past successes and the past failures of the team before and you know what not to do and what to do.”

As the Volunteers put together this year’s squad, Nicholson emphasized they are replacing the graduating seniors — not rebuilding.

“Every year, you lose great players,” Nicholson said. “That’s the thing we always talk about. We don’t rebuild around here. We refuse to do that.”

The Volunteers graduated plenty of three-year starters, but senior quarterback Luke McKenzie is ready to step up and fill that leadership role. He’ll be starting under center after serving as the backup last season.

“I’m very excited. I’ve been playing quarterback my whole life,” McKenzie said. “These past two years, I’ve really had to embrace not playing as much as my 10th grade year.”

The goal for this group of seniors is to get the Volunteers back to the state championship.

“This team can go as far as they truly want to, as far as we want to,” Nicholson said. “Will they get it done? We’ll see, that’s what we play the game for. That’s what we play each week for.”

Starkville Academy starts its season at Lamar on Aug. 30.