News 25’s 25 Teams in 25 Days: East Central Hornets
Continuing our award winning 25 Teams in 25 Days series, News 25’s Ansley Brent heads to East Central High School as they battle it out for a major title and open positions on the gridiron.
Now that classes are officially back in session for East Central High, the summer practices for the Hornets are finally coming to a close, but the summer workouts aren’t officially complete until the Hornets hold their annual tradition, the Baddest Hornet Competition. Inside Linebacker Michael Hudson said, “This is it. This is the biggest day of the summer. After today is when it all starts for real. This is my favorite day out of the whole year. It’s the first day of Baddest Hornet.”
Quarterback Caleb Garner said, “It’s a good opportunity to see who has gotten better over the summer and it’s also a great opportunity for all of us to work together for sure and hype each other up and you know even if we fail, we get back up and we pick our brothers up and it’s a great opportunity to get better as a team.”
Defensive Tackle Gabe Miller said, “Everyday during the summer, we wake up at seven in the morning and hurry our way over here just to get better every single day. Really what we are looking forward to is the Baddest Hornet this week, and it just makes the summer come to a complete end. It makes it way better for us.”
The competition tests the team based on different skill level events and is totaled up by points once the testing is complete. Head Coach Sam Huff said, “They get a point for every pound they lift. They also get points for the 40’s. The fastest kid gets the most points and just like for the vertical and the broad jumps. You want to see kids grow and they look forward to getting their names on the board and we hope to blow the board up and make it explode.”
The Baddest Hornet board in the East Central weight room is the highest and biggest banner and dates back to 2013. Center Jonah Barfield said, “It’s a really good achievement. The most famous players from East Central, well I wouldn’t say famous but our most well-liked players have always been on that board. They’ve always worked the hardest, always been the strongest, that’s where they’re from.”
East Central Defensive Tackle Gabe Miller says he’s looking for a repeat. “I won it last year and it would be amazing to win it again. There’s only been one other guy to win it twice, and I’d like to be one of them.”
He’s off to quite an electric start, tying the school’s record with a 350-pound power clean and by watching this clip, it’s evident that the only thing stronger than this team is the bond they have with one another, especially between the 2024 graduating class of 27 seniors. “I’m very excited for this senior season. It’s just something that we’ve all really looked for, this senior group, ever since we were in sixth grade, coming and watching the Friday night games just ‘hey, that’s gonna be us one day’ and it’s finally here and I’m looking forward to being able to strap up again and come out here and support the whole town. It’s going to be exciting.”
Outside linebacker Antuan Wells said, “We’re tight, a very close-knit group, really a family. A family of brothers.”
Outside Linebacker Preston Robinson said, “We’ve been together since middle school football, most of us, and we’ve built a really strong bond as a team. A lot of work in the off season and it’s something I really hold dear.”
Even if a member of the class hasn’t been a Hornet since middle school, the group welcomed new additions with open arms. Caleb said, “I’ve only been here for three years, not as long as most of the guys, but as soon as I came you know it was like they just took me in as one of their own and it really is a brotherhood, and every day when we come out here, we work together and it’s going to be cool this season to see that brotherhood really work together as a team and pull out the W.”
This season, the Hornets have five starters returning on the defensive side and six returning on offense, which means they’ll have experience coming back to the gridiron as well as positions up for grabs. “We have a few critical spots that we’re replacing so we’ve got to look into some kid’s to really jump in there and own their new position and one’s that are stepping in those new roles, we’re excited about what they can do.”
One senior stepping into a critical role is former outside linebacker Caleb Garner. Gardner has been spending a lot of time in the QB slot, hoping to help lead not only the offense, but the team as a whole. “Having good character on and off the field is a big thing and I believe that if I really step up and be a leader for my team and show them that I’m confident in what we can do as a team and I feel like we definitely work together and it’ll be a great season.”
Last year, the Hornets had an impressive record of 8-3. They’ve also participated in the playoffs the past nine years, but haven’t won a playoff game in the past four years.
With this group never winning a playoff game in their personal Hornet careers, they have extra motivation going into this season. “This year I feel like we have a great chance. We’ve got a great group of seniors, we’ve got great underclassmen, and this year will be one for the books.”
“We’re very, very hopeful about this season. Lots of work has been put together. Everybody’s worked well together, and I think that this team is going to do really well.”
“I’m excited to play with these boys one last time. We need to make it deep into the playoffs. That’s what I’m excited for. For us to get to those playoffs and work and make it deep.”
East Central kicks off the 2023 season on the road at old district rival George County on August 25th.
