2025 HSFT Stop #59: Tupelo
TUPELO, MS (WCBI)- The 7A state trophy came home to Tupelo last fall. But, that was last year. And around here, that only means one thing: it’s time to do it again.
“The standard is the standard now. I mean, I would think it’s championship or bust,” Head coach Ty Hardin said. “With our school and community. We know it’s going to be a totally different challenge this year because the target is on our back. We see it all the time. Everybody wants a piece of us, and we’re going to get everybody’s best.”
With a team full of returning seniors and a deep, talented group of underclassmen, the message is clear.
“We’ve got to keep the same goal, being 1-0 every week,” senior running back JJ Hill said. “I feel like if we keep working hard, like we worked hard throughout the summer, I don’t think any team in the state of Mississippi works harder than us. So, I feel like if everybody gets their mind right, and wants to work hard, I don’t see anybody beating us.”
“Have the same energy we had last year,” senior corner Iverson McCoy said. “Last year, everybody doubted us. So, we just have to keep building on it and make sure that we’re just 1-0 every week.”
Although the mindset is simple: one week at a time, the path isn’t. It’s anything but easy.
“It’s going to be the toughest thing these guys have ever done,” Hardin said. “So we want to be a tough group that’s going to come out and face a lot of adversity throughout the season and see where it takes us.”
And for the Golden Wave, staying on top takes more than talent. It takes leadership.
“Watching and seeing older guys from last year and years before being leaders, it encourages us to be leaders for the guys we’ve got,” Hill said. “I feel like we’ve done a good job at it right now.”
This team knows what they built and what it takes to protect it. They’re ready to stay present, hungry and prove themselves once again.
“It’s about the journey. It’s about the week by week,” Hardin said. “It’s about the every day lessons and doing your part everyday. I think that’s what it is: just focus on what’s in front of you, be where your feet are, and not worry about later on. You don’t have a chance to look ahead. You don’t have a chance to let your guard down because you’ll be embarrassed.”
Tupelo will kick off its season on August 29 against Brandon.
