#HSFT20 – Stop #6 Okolona

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OKOLONA, Miss. (WCBI) -The youth movement makes its way to Okolona in 2020. The Chieftains are a young bunch returning only 2 starters on offense, but head Coach Lamart Harvey loves the energy this team brings day in and day out.

“Our young guys are eager,” Harvey said. “We push them. They put the work in. We’re excited for this year. We want to compete. The big thing we’re teaching in football is we want to compete in life. I don’t know what’s going to happen but we’re excited to get it going.”

“A lot of ones from last year that played we can show the young guys how to come out,” senior fullback and linebacker Money Fields said. “Just pay attention to us and we just show them how to do it.

Harvey says he’s known this freshmen class since they were in 6th grade and is excited to bring them in and show them Chieftain culture.

“I like to have a lot of fun with them and we do have a lot of fun,” Harvey said. “Football is supposed to be fun. It’s a tough, disciplined sport that teaches life lessons, but if kids come out and don’t have fun then they don’t want to be out here anyway. We like to have fun in Okolona.”

“Come out here and he’ll treat you like its his own,” Fields said. “You go in the gym and talk to him. Chop it up. Laugh. He’s a great guy. Come out here and teach you everything you need to know just like a father.”

Okolona will rely heavily on its defense. The three starting linebackers from last season are back and hungry to reek havoc on the field.

“They make the calls,” Harvey said. “They get the calls from my defensive coordinator on the sidelines. They’re the quarterback on defense to be able to make the calls and get our guys lined up in the correct position. That’s big. That’s going to be our strong point this year. Linebacker and defensive line play.”

“You got me, Money, and Davon,” senior middle linebacker and fullback Daylen Ezell said. “The three linebackers. That’s it right there.”

The senior leadership will be needed as Okolona competes in the toughest region in 1-A. This young squad enters the season under the radar but wouldn’t want it any other way.

“No one is talking about us,” Harvey said. “That’s the way we like it. We’re lowkey, and hopefully, we’ll surprise some people this year.”

Okolona will host Aberdeen August 21st to start the season.