HSFT Stop #34: Calhoun Academy
Calhoun City, Miss. (WCBI) — Calhoun Academy made a run to the state championship in head coach Benny Bryant’s first season at the helm but the Cougars came up just short losing 32-26. The sour taste from that game is the driving force for this season’s team.
“They’ve been talking about it ever since the season ended last year,” Bryant said. “I can see the motivation, they got a taste of it last year. I think they know what it takes to get there and they’ve been working to achieve that.”
The Cougars lost their two leading rushers from last season but senior running back Layton Logan is returning after rushing for 1,000 yards in his junior campaign and he’s ready to take over as the lead back with only one thing on his mind.
“I’ve noticed this is my last year and I really want to carry my team to state because I felt how bad it hurt and I really want to win it this year,” Logan said.
Every morning Bryant’s team has grueling workouts but the players know in eight-man football conditioning could be the difference between winning and losing.
“You’re on offense, defense, kickoff, everything,” Logan said. “You don’t get any breaks so if you take off one play that play could cost you.”
The Cougars have to replace multiple skill players but up front they are almost the exact same group from last year. The run game is going to lean on the big guys up front.
“We have a good line,” senior tight end Noah Clark said. “We all know what we are doing and we all have good chemistry with each other so hopefully we can make it work this year.”
That chemistry and experience on the offensive line makes Logan’s job as a back much easier.
“I don’t have to worry about getting new people to block for us we know how we run and we know how we block,” Logan said.
Like every head coach, Benny Bryant is taking the season one game at a time but everyone on the team has the same goal to get back to the state championship and win it this year.
“I haven’t really thought about it a whole lot,” Bryant said. “I try not to look that far ahead but it would mean the world.”
Calhoun Academy kicks off its season on August 23 at home against DeSoto.
