News 25’s 25 Teams in 25 Days: Pass Christian Pirates

Pass Christian Head Football Coach Chase Carmody says Tuesdays are reserved for best-on-best team drills which is where we find the Pirates at stop number 24 on News 25’s 25 Teams in 25 Days.

“We’re trying to better ourselves. Discipline. Last year we had a really bad problem with the discipline. I think that’s what killed us most.”

Safety Cooper Schatzle said, “I’ve just noticed since the spring; we’ve come together a lot as a team. Last year, I don’t know how I would say, a negative mindset. This season, I think we’re more positive. And when we face adversity, I think we’re going to be able to take that well.”

Pass Christian found itself behind the sticks on several occasions last season. After starting 3-0, the Pirates lost their next three games, including their first two district match-ups. Head Coach Chase Carmody said, “The thing I was most proud about was after those three losses, we go to Stone County and we find a way to come back from 21 points down at halftime, and start that three-game roll to get in the playoffs. So that team rallied, and they came together when a lot of teams would’ve laid down.”

Ensuing wins over Stone and Greene County, good enough for 2-2 third place finish in Region 8, sending the Pass to Newton County for the first round of the 4A playoffs, but a quiet bus ride back for the Pirates, who lost 3-0 in their first shutout defeat since 2018. “Yeah, it hurt. It hurt us. But I feel like as a team, we could have done better.”

“Terrible to see something you worked all season for, all off-season, lifting weights and all that, everything adds up to that one night, sad to see it all go.”

“One misstep here on a down block and the guy crosses our face and we don’t score on third and goal. Things like that you look back and that haunts you throughout the off-season, so that helped us emphasize doing the little things right.”

The Pass going 5-4 overall, still the program’s second winning season in the last three years. Plenty of reason for optimism heading into 2022 with the Pirates returning 15 starters, nine on offense, including top running back Jacquez Alexander-Dedeaux and top wideout Terry Patton Jr. alongside first year Quarterback Ladd Scriber protected by an offensive line that Coach Carmody refers to as the best position group he’s had since taking the job in 2020. “I think our O-line is going to do something special this year.”

“I like the way we’re getting physical, rallying to the ball. We stop the pass really well, so I think it’s going to be hard for those offenses to put some points up.”

Cooper Schatzle, one of those names to look out for on defense as well as Jayden Acker, Malik Cherry, Micah McKay, and Aiden Dedeaux.

Last year, both sides of the ball were all in now taking that a step further this year. They call it ‘burn the boats.’ “We took it from Hernando Cortez when he went and took over the Aztec empire. The first thing he did with his crew when they landed, he said burn the boats. He said if we’re going home, we’re going home on their boats. So, there was no way out. There was no backing down, so that’s the kind of attitude we want our guys to have during a game.”

“Leave everything out there on the field, don’t hold back and just give it your all.”

Offensive/defensive lineman Xavier Henderson said, “Really, just hard work. Don’t let anything distract us, that discipline. When it’s time to step on the field, we’re focused.”

Pretty fitting for a band of Pirates, eight of them seniors, matchbooks in hand, finally ready to set fire to Region 8 Class 4A for the first time in school history. “All about being the first team to make the district championship and hopefully win it. Just trying to make history.”

“That’s what I’ve challenged them to do is be the first senior class that wins a region championship. We’ve never done it before in the school’s history, and I think that’s within our sights this year. I think if we get better and we come together every week, we’ve got a chance at it. So that’s what I’ve challenged them to be remembered as that first senior class to ever do that.”

Pass Christian kicks off its 2022 season at Long Beach for the Oyster Bowl set to kick off Friday at 7:30 p.m.

Time for some coach’s picks, Chase Carmody going with Bacchus on the Beach for the best Pass Christian meal. Coaching idol, going with his grandfather Jim Carmody, who spent time at Southern Miss, Mississippi State, and Ole Miss. Favorite championship moment was just a few years ago as a defensive coordinator at Pearl when the other Pirates won the 2017 state championship for Class 6A.