2025 HSFT Stop #33: Belmont
BELMONT, MS (WCBI)- Belmont finished last season with a solid 6-4 record, but the year ended earlier than they wanted with a first-round playoff loss that taught them a lot about their team and themselves. This season isn’t about starting over. It’s about closing the gap.
“We were really close to kind of getting over the hump,” Head coach Michael Jackson said. “This year, we’ve got a different group of seniors, so we’ve got to work to finish and finish that game we need to finish. Our attitude was really good last year with the young guys was really good, so we’re hoping that continues this year.”
After losing a lot of seniors, this year’s roster has its fair share of new faces with a mix of young players and guys returning to the program. That brings some uncertainty, sure, but also a lot of potential.
“This is a different kind of group and team. It’s kind of exciting in a way because this group is made up of 5 or 6 guys on both sides of the ball,” Jackson said. “That’s either freshmen coming into our program or guys coming back out. So for us, that’s very exciting. It’s scary because they’re inexperienced in a way, but their growth throughout the season, they have more room to grow.”
One of the biggest changes for the Cardinals, though? A quarterback. Peyton Pharr is taking his first snaps ever this fall. A former shortstop on the baseball team, he’s stepping into a brand-new role and learning fast.
“A lot of the throws are the exact same,” Pharr said. “The footwork is the exact same. Arm strength is a really big thing.”
Pharr isn’t the type of player who’s going to yell in the huddle. He leads by showing up on the field, in the classroom and wherever else he can.
“I’m not much of a vocal leader, but I really try to lead by example and just not only on the field but in the classroom and off the field and in the community and stuff,” Pharr said.
Leadership shows up in other ways for Belmont, too. Senior wide receiver Aden Waddle brings a physical edge and holds his teammates to that same standard.
“The more physical team wins it,” Waddle said. “All the teams that we beat, we were more physical than. And what’s what Coach Jackson taught us. The tougher team wins in high school 100% of the time. I’m trying to push everybody to do their hardest and trying to push them past what they think they can do.”
This year, Belmont is focused on getting better as a team and as men. Belmont will start its season on August 29 against McNairy Central.
