Some things in life are like clockwork.
Every year Christmas comes and goes.
Every year people get a little older.
Every year the seasons change, though some people would debate whether or not we’re in the middle of autumn based on the temperatures.
And it seems that every year Yazoo County’s middle school football team will be undefeated.
For the fifth straight year, the young Panthers have pulled off perfection.
While they make it look easy, head coach Frank Woods argues that it certainly was not, particularly when the pressure of keeping the train going is factored into the equation.
“This year was unlike any season that I have ever coached so far,” Woods said. “I literally felt the pressure of trying to remain unbeaten while teaching the game of football at the same time. This team was almost completely comprised of kids that didn't have much game experience.”
With a less experienced team that he has become accustomed to, Woods had to put his kids through the ringer, working them hard to prepare for the battles ahead.
The kids responded perfectly.
“These kids blew me away with the dedication to perfecting their craft,” Woods said. “They started practice, ran sprints, pushed each other, and held each other accountable without me having to say a word. We worked hard this summer because we knew that conditioning would have to make up for the overall smaller size of the players. They showed up and worked hard every minute of every practice, learning each play inside and out.”
Due to their lack of size, the Panthers had to rely on other characteristics to succeed, like intelligence on offense and aggression on defense.
But as important as those things were, Woods believed they had something more important.
They had heart.
“The pieces slowly started to come together over the course of the season,” Woods said. “The belief in each other is what caused us to bond. That bond we all formed was amazing, we became more than a team. We became a family. This team’s heart put them up there with some of the better teams I had the pleasure of coaching. They refused to be outworked by any team or dominated by anyone. I remember one game we were behind at the half, the team came to me with tears in their eyes saying that they didn’t want to lose... and they played the game of their lives so that we wouldn’t and the undefeated streak would continue.”
Jalen Carter was the quarterback for the Panthers this season, and he had a successful year as a dual-threat player. He rushed for 155 yards and passed for 151 yards and four touchdowns.
LaKevion Dixon had a big year offensively for the Panthers, rushing for a team-high 453 yards and eight touchdowns. He was equally as effective on defense with 22 tackles, five sacks, two forced fumbles, an interception and a fumble recovery.
When Carter had to throw the ball, he looked for KeJuan Frierson, who led the team with eight receptions for 177 yards. He also picked off a pass and 10 tackles.
William Noel was a ball hawk for the Panthers with four interceptions. He also scored three touchdowns.
Noble Newton was a big play guy on defense for Yazoo County Middle School. He had six sacks, three forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries.
Connor Shook led the team with 30 tackles to go with his four sacks. On offense, Shook took in six 2-point conversions and rushed for 117 yards and a touchdown.
Lucas Clark was a menace off of the edge. He led the Panthers with seven sacks to go with his 19 tackles, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.
John Scott also had a big year defensively for the Panthers with 25 tackles, three sacks, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and an interception.
Now that the proverbial dust has cleared and he has been able to look back on yet another super successful season, Woods has a lot to be thankful for.
“Thank you to the players, coaches, parents, and community for making this another successful year,” Woods said. “I have to thank Coach Grant Andrews, Coach Curtis Gainwell, and Coach Keith Fisher for their parts in the team’s success. I also have to give special thanks to Coach Larry Gibson for all the advice and support he has continuously given me over the years. A special thank you goes out to Frank and Beverly Woods. My parents drive at least three hours to come and support these boys no matter where we play. Without everyone supporting the way that they have over the years, I know we would not have been as successful.”
The only question remaining is a simple one.
Can it continue?
Woods believes that is a possibility.
“If the desire to be the best matches the talent that Yazoo County annually produces, the outlook on next year’s season is pretty good,” Woods said.
