#HSFT17: Stop No. 54 — Lafayette Commodores

OXFORD, Miss. (WCBI) — The Lafayette Commodores were on top of the world in 2016, earning the title of reigning champions heading into 2017.

With the title comes the target, as teams will look to take down the defending 4A champs, but that kind of pressure is nothing new in Lafayette County.

“This is Lafayette, and folks have been trying to take down Lafayette for a long time, long before I got here,” head coach Michael fair said.

“There’s been a lot of tradition here, and a target on these guy’s back is nothing new. The expectations are nothing new, and to be honest, they haven’t changed.”

“We know we have to live up to the expectations that the last team left,” senior defensive tackle William Woodall said, “and we have to keep what’s running going, like a train, have to keep it going.”

Year one was full of success for head coach Fair, but year two presents a brand new set of challenges.

The Commodores move up to Class 5A, and will take on a loaded division that includes the defending 5A champs from West Point.

“It turns into a matter of depth and how much depth you’ve got on your team,” Fair said.

“I think our guys one through twenty-two are going to be really good, are we going to develop those guys twenty-three through thirty that are going to have to come in and win those tight ball games. We’re worried about us right now and all those Friday nights are big, and I’m sure that Friday night against West Point will be big as well, but we have a long ways to go before we get to that point.”

“[We’re] just looking forward to proving everyone who says we can’t do it, that we can, and we’ll be just as good in 5A as we were in 4A,” senior left guard Nick Onsby said.

The Commodores will be a young team in 2017, losing a very talented senior class that led them to the title that included current Mississippi State Bulldog freshman Tyler Williams.

But opponents beware, because number seventeen will roam the backfield for another season.

The Commodores return senior running back Jamarcus Quarles, who rushed for 2,140 yards and nineteen touchdowns in 2016.

“If I can hold my block for two seconds, he’s gone,” Onsby said.

“I feel great with him back there. I know he makes me look good sometimes, and I can make him look good sometimes”

“He’s been a joy to coach,” Fair said.

“His maturity level has really come on this year. He was a great player for us last year. He’s trimmed up a bit, gotten stronger, probably a little faster than he was this time last year. I think the sky is the limit for Jamarcus and it’s going to be fun to watch him play.”

The Commodores begins its title defense with back to back road games against Cleveland Central and Charleston.