#HSFT21 Stop #55 — Oxford Chargers
OXFORD, Miss. (WCBI) — The Oxford Chargers remember how to win. However, Oxford also remembers the feeling of coming up short.
It was only two seasons ago that the Chargers won the program’s first-ever 6A state title.
While Oxford made it back to the title game in 2020, Oak Grove became the champions.
However, there’s no denying the formula for success the Chargers have found to making back-to-back appearances.
“We’ve had some really talented players,” Oxford head coach Chris Cutcliffe said. “Some great young men and some great leadership on our team. Our coaching staff has been fantastic. We’ve had a lot of continuity there. I think that’s always a big advantage when you can have that.”
The expectation remains the same for Oxford as the Chargers head into the 2021 season. As the team returns a mixed bag of talent, all eyes will once again focus on returning to the state championship.
“We’ve got some guys with experience back in some spots, but we also lost a really good senior class. We’ll see some new faces on the field—some guys filling some holes. We’ve got two offensive linemen that will be returning—Stratton Smith and Bryce Mullen, who will both be three-year starters for us. We’ve got two quarterbacks back, two running backs back on offense. So we’ve got some experience there and some experience at linebacker returning as well,” Cutcliffe said.
While this year’s squad might welcome new faces, Cutcliffe says he doesn’t have to worry about this group of players putting in the necessary hard work.
“The strength of our team right now is their togetherness and their willingness to work and work for each other. I think I’ve been impressed with that with this senior group in particular–that’s kind of always been their M.O.,” Cutcliffe said.
While the Chargers always have a state title sitting in the back of their minds, it’s still game by game as far as Oxford is concerned.
“We talk about how there are 32 teams in 6A. I think all 32 of them would tell you that’s their goal. Really just talking about it doesn’t mean that much. You’ve got to do the work necessary to succeed as a team and to be playing your best when it matters the most at the end of the year,” Cutcliffe said.
Oxford begins the season with a home game against Brandon on August 27th.
