Sure, they’re working on the fundamentals and putting in plays, but one other objective kept coming up for May River’s football team this preseason — getting meaner.
The Sharks played with a chip on their shoulder throughout their magical 2018 season, running through the regular season undefeated and reaching the third round of the Class 3A playoffs in just their third season. They’ve filled the holes left by graduating 11 starters, but they’re still trying to replicate their attitude.
SPONSORED BY
“We just need to be more aggressive,” offensive lineman Kailin Prescott-Ferguson said. “The last group we had, all those boys were as mean as I don’t know what. It was like playing with dogs out there.”
“Big Man,” as Prescott-Ferguson is known, is talking about former offensive line mates Gabe Long, Connor Kovacs, and Joe Whiteaker, but the sentiment is the same on the other side of the ball, as the Sharks look to replace leading tacklers Jordan Barrow and Kaleb Foulk.
“We have some guys who’ve got it mentally and are starting to get it physically — they’ve just got to get mean,” linebacker Eli Hall said. “Defense is a spot where you’ve got to be a bully on the field.”
The Sharks beat up on everyone in their path last season, but they know it won’t be smooth sailing at the start of this year, especially with eight new starters on defense. They also have to replace leading rusher Brandon Morales, a job that the trio of Donovan Ling, Cam Scott, and John Paul II transfer Melik Frost will share for the time being.
“We’ve got to use the pre-region schedule to tune-up and get better and get some guys some experience,” coach Rodney Summers said. “We know we’re going to have some hiccups with some new guys who haven’t been battle-tested, but the guys are working hard and I think they know what our expectations are.”
MAY RIVER S