#HSFT18: Stop No. 15 – Tishomingo County Braves

IUKA, Miss. (WCBI) — For a third consecutive year, a new head football coach takes over at Tishomingo County.

Meridian native and former interim head coach Jim McCay steps in to lead the Braves football program.

“I was excited,” said head coach Jim McCay. “Finally get to run my offense again, which is what I’ve always wanted to do. i think the kids are excited. I’ve been around all these kids ever since they’ve been on a football field here.”

Mccay spent time on the Braves staff last season as wide receiver’s coach before taking over mid way of the season for former head coach Ray Weeks.

The team says they are excited to see coach McCay lead the team.

“We did a lot of good things when coach McCay stepped in,” said senior running back Tayvius Duckett. “Won our homecoming game and won a division game, so plan on seeing good things with him.”

“Best thing about coach McCay being here is he’s always been here,” adds senior teammate Alex Cornelison. “It’s a family man. We’ve just had a great relationship with coach McCay. Just build off each other. We are going to win some football games this year.”

Speaking of winning games. The Braves are coming off a 3-8 season in 2017.

They are also looking to build off the division win over Byhaila to end the season and make the playoffs for the first time in a decade.

“I feel like if we just fix the little things we will be alright,” said senior lineman Seth Walker. “I feel like we’ve got and took all the big steps, and all we have got to do is clean up everything and we will be alright.”

“We will make the playoffs this year,” Cornelison said. “Last year we was only 3-8, which is what we’ve done multiple times past couple of seasons, but we won a division game and homecoming. Definitely momentum to build off of.”

Tishomingo County has had nine straight losing seasons, but coach McCay feels that his team has a chance to compete in the Region 1-4a division.

“Most of the teams in our division we played with them for about a half then their depth kind of kicked in and hurt us,” McCay said. “We had to play a lot of kids both ways, but I think if we can get enough depth going on both sides of the ball we’ll be able to compete a lot better.”

The Braves open their season on Thursday, August 16th at home against Alcorn Central.