25 teams in 25 days: Vancleave Bulldogs
The Vancleave Bulldogs have a sour taste in their mouth coming off of last season. A year that saw the Bulldogs finish 4-7 with their season coming to an end in the playoffs against Brookhaven. There may be a chip on Vancleave’s shoulder the size of a Bulldogs, but they understand that this is a new year with new challenges.
“I think there is a very big chip on our shoulder,” Kyle Capers said. “We lost a good group of seniors last season and we have a lot of stuff to prove this year and go further than we did last year.”
“Well, I mean as coaches we try to forget about last year,” head coach Kevin Fant said. “Whether you win the state championship or get knocked out in the playoffs there is only one school that is happy in the end. Everybody else but that one school has that bad taste in their mouth.”
For this Bulldogs team to get where they inevitably want to be at the end of the season – it will take leadership from top-to-bottom. From the head coach and coaching staff to the seniors and all the way down to the freshman.
“I am really excited look at all the freshman as they look up to us,” senior Daylan Moore said. “We have to lead a big role and make sure they are alright while coming up and watching us play.”
“I am excited to lead the team again,” senior Scott Toothman said. “I led it last year and hopefully the younger guys look up to me and get something from it.”
The “hunger” box is checked off. The “leadership box is checked off. The only box left to make sure is checked is getting to the first Friday night lights of the year on August 30th. Both Capers and head coach Fant say they are scratching and clawing to get through the next few weeks.
“I’ve been thinking about it since the end of last season when we played Brookhaven and lost in the playoffs. It’s just that feeling you get walking under the lights and that adrenaline rush, not having to hit your feelings every day, it is the best feeling I have ever experienced.”
“From the football side of it we just have to keep working and keep our head down,” coach Fant said. “We have a tough schedule this year and we have to be prepared. As long as these guys put the work in out here and give us everything that they’ve got we will always be happy with them.”
Coach Fant and his Bulldog program will get the chance to showcase everything they have worked on over the summer on August 30th when they open their season on the road against St. Martin high school. Their first home game of the season comes in week 2 when they welcome the Gulfport Admirals to town.
