#HSFT17: Stop No. 45 – New Hope Trojans

NEW HOPE, Miss. (WCBI) — A new class, new opponents, new faces, new challenges await New Hope in 2017.

The Trojans will make the leap down to 4A after spending the past eight seasons in 5A.

“Anytime you can get away from Oxford and West Point, it’s always good. I get tired of playing them,” head coach Kris Pickle said with a smile.

“It seems like they’ve been a thorn in our side. But it’s still new challenges. You’ve still got Noxubee, you’ve still got Louisville, and they just happened to fall in our division. We’ve seen it before in the past, it’s not something we’re not used too. We’ve been there with Oxford and West point, and we accept the challenge and we’re ready for it.”

“I got the same thought as in 5A…,” senior offensive lineman Jaylen Johnson said, “…I just want to win all of our games, make it to the playoffs”

If there’s one thing that won’t be changing for the Trojans, its finding the big fella, 6’5 wide receiver Jeremy Tate, in the endzone.

A big year is in store for the Memphis Tigers commit, and head coach Kris Pickle is excited for one more year with number thirteen.

“It’s really nice when you get down to the fifteen yard line, because it’s easy to throw the ball up to a guy that’s 6’5 and has great ball skills like he’s got,” Pickle said.

“Jeremy has what a lot of people don’t, is he’s a great kid. He’s a leader out here for us. ‘Yes sir, no sir’ kind of guy. We don’t have any trouble out of him at all. You can’t ask for anymore out of a guy like that.”

“Go out a state champion,” Tate said of his goal for 2017.

“I didn’t get it my freshman year, sophomore, or junior year, so senior year, we’ll get a ring. It’s been on my goal list for a while, we didn’t make it last year or the year before last, and just get there this year.”

One of New Hope’s deepest playoff runs in school history came when the the Trojans battled in 4A.

This year’s team believes they can be the first to reach a state championship in New Hope history.

“I just want to go out with a bang, go out with a state championship,” senior defensive back Tyrece Jackson said.

“We’ll set the tone around the community for the younger ones coming up, and we’ll be down in history as one of the best classes to come through New Hope”

“That’s what we talk about all the time, let’s advance this thing and take it to the next step,” Pickle said.

“We’re so close in doing it and I don’t think they realize how close they are. I think Coach Chambliss at West Point told us last year after their state championship game, man, you all played us harder than anyone the whole season, including Laurel in the state championship game. That was a big encouragement for our guys to go out there and play them at such a high level and whenever you’re able to do that, hopefully it gives confidence moving forward.”

The Trojans kick off their gauntlet schedule on the road against Forest before heading home to take on West Lauderdale and Houston.