#HSFT16: Stop No. 1 – Coffeeville Pirates

COFFEEVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – The Coffeeville High School football team was out flipping tires on a hot June morning. It’s just one of the ways the Pirates are getting prepared for the upcoming season.

“We’re just getting ready to play football,” head coach Christopher Suggs said. “We want to get them ready to play.”

Suggs is in his first year as head coach. He’s been an assistant at the school for the past three seasons. He played at Coffeeville before playing at Alcorn State.

The team says goodbye to 12 seniors from last year. That’s a lot for a 1A school. But Suggs says there’s plenty of talent left.

“Everybody has to be a leader this year,” Suggs said.” Everybody has to step up. It’s a simple motto; do your job.”

And part of that job will be playing on both sides of the ball. The Pirates say it’s a part of their mindset.

“You know you can’t be tired,” Stantavious Spearman said.

“Being a smaller team, we have to hold up,” Henry Moore said.

They’ll get a chance early. Calhoun City and Water Valley are first for Coffeeville, two larger schools with a history of winning.

The Pirates say their strength is in their lines. They’re going back to the run game more this season. Maybe that tire flipping will come in handy.