#HSFT18: Stop No. 17 – Belmont Cardinals

*District games

BELMONT, Miss. (WCBI) — Belmont is ready to return to the postseason.

And that’s the goal for the Cardinals every season.

“We want to have a winning season,” head coach Jason Coker said. “We want to get into the playoffs and try to get past that first round.”

The Cardinals came into this year after going 5-6 a season ago but the challenge for Belmont recently hasn’t been getting into the playoffs; the challenge has been getting past that first round.

“We lost some great seniors and we’re going to try and replace them the best we can,” Coker said. “We’re bringing back more experience this year than the previous two years so we’re looking forward to that.

Returning this season with an upperclassmen dominant team, Coker and his players hope their experience will be the difference.

“It’s going to take a lot of hard work,” Grayson Witt said. “But we can definitely get there.”

“We’re working harder,” Mydrione Brock said. “We’re working to get stronger, faster and smarter every day.”

Even with all the experience, the upperclassmen say not to count out the talent from their younger guys.

“They have a die trying mentality,” Jared Rodriguez said. “It’s something I’ve never seen of anyone else. Not even our seniors. I think whenever they get up there they’ll be doing pretty well for themselves.”

The Cardinals open the season against Smithville on August 17th.