HSFT stop #46: Caledonia

https://cdn.field59.com/WCBI/1628811665-17f6d95d6015930d183c7993079473d680b6a173_fl9-720p.mp4   CALEDONIA, Miss. (WCBI)- Michael Kelly’s bunch at Caledonia won three games in 2020 and fell to Louisville in the playoffs. While Kelly is entering his fourth year as Caledonia’s head football coach, he figured this offseason he’d shake things up this summer. “We’ve changed a little bit of our offseason and our lifts and the way we did things. Our routine has really paid dividends,” Kelly said. “I see our kids are really more balanced and our core is better.” “We don’t miss any days. We’re out here working hard and you can tell this town as a whole is really trying to take that next step,” senior linebacker Will Donald said. Senior running back Darrius Triplett is arguably the Cavaliers’ most key returner. He accounted for over 1,200 all-purpose yards and 15 touchdowns in 2020. “Darrius Triplett is a great young man,” Kelly said. “He came in as a ninth grader and just worked and worked. He doesn’t talk a whole lot, he lets his play speak for himself. He’s a selfless leader. He leads by example and does it in the weight room. He’s getting recruited heavily in the country.” “Been working on my speed and agility,” Triplett said. “We will see a lot of improvement in the blocking and running game.” “I expect to see out of Darrius what I have seen since I was six years old,” Donald said. “He’s the best player on the field in my opinion. I don’t think anyone outworks him. He won’t get in anyone’s face and yell but he leads by example. What he does speaks for itself.” Along with Triplett, the Cavaliers have 18 other seniors returning. The experience factor has Caledonia positioned well. “On paper we have a really good football team. When you deal with kids every day you don’t know what you’ll get and obviously fighting through the pandemic you don’t know who will be out,” Kelly said. “These seniors this year are special. They were babies when we got here and they are really bought in to what we are doing.” The recent COVID-19 spike has Kelly concerned so he requires his players and coaches to wear masks in the field house and weight room. Caledonia opens its season August 26th at home against New Hope.