HSFT Stop #48: South Lamar

Millport, AL. (WCBI)- South Lamar’s 5-5 2022 campaign ended with a 35-7 playoff loss to Spring Garden. If you were to say it provided the Stallions with a chip on their shoulder heading into this year, that’d be an understatement.

“We talk about it every day,” senior running back and safety Charles Neal said. “We don’t want to live that moment again. We’ll come harder this year. We don’t want to have that feeling we had on the way back ever again.”

The Stallions have 10 seniors, which is a big number for them. Clay Gilliam has a deep and experienced skill group and believes the overall experience will go a long way.

“We haven’t had that in a few years. We need to be really good this year with our seniors,” senior quarterback Brooks Wright said.

“They’ve worked their tails off in the weight room,” Gilliam said. “They’ve done everything we asked them to do in the spring and summer and we couldn’t ask for anything better.”

One of those 10 experienced seniors is Wright. He expects to take a big step forward in his second year at the helm.

“Last year we went 5-5 with me as a first-year starter. I got the nerves out of the way and I’ll be ready,” Wright said.

This is Gilliam’s eighth year as head coach, and he has a special connection to the job.

“I’m from here. The community thrives on football and feeds off it. It’ll feed into us this year with the kids.,” Gilliam said.

South Lamar’s season opens up on August 18th against Northside.