HSFT Stop #28: Mantachie
Last fall, it felt like every week brought a new challenge for Mantachie. The Mustangs finished the 2025 season with a 2-8 record after losing their starting quarterback, starting running back and several other key contributors to injuries throughout the year. By Week 5, just 14 players were able to dress out, and the season finale featured only 21 players in uniform. Head coach Ken Adams said it was unlike anything he had experienced in his coaching career.
“I was very, very proud of our kids,” Adams said. “Wins and losses are going to come. It’s how you adjust to it. Going through what we went through, the kids that finished out the year and the kids that worked throughout the whole season and into the summer, it shows a lot of pride. That’s something I’m most proud of. People go through tough years, but it’s how you come out of it that matters.”
Despite the setbacks, the Mustangs never stopped competing. Young players were thrust into starting roles, including freshman quarterback Canon Jones, while the team’s senior leaders worked to keep the locker room together. Now, those players believe the adversity they faced could become one of their biggest strengths heading into 2026.
“We learned a lot from last year,” starting quarterback Maciah Morgan said. “A lot of young guys had to step up, and that’s pretty much the big plan for this year. We had a lot of injuries last year, including to me and my running back. We’re going to get stronger in the weight room and hopefully prevent that from happening again.”
Jones said the unexpected opportunity accelerated his development.
“I feel like I learned a lot last year and grew as a player,” Jones said. “Just grinding every day and seeing the people who were injured trying their hardest to get back makes you want to work harder.”
Safety Carson McMillen said the season reinforced just how important depth is to building a successful program.
“I learned that key players do make a difference in games,” McMillen said. “It’s all about building a program, looking toward next year and seeing what can happen when there aren’t injuries.”
The Mustangs missed the playoffs for the first time since Adams took over the program, but no one inside the locker room allowed that disappointment to define the team.
Instead, players say the season taught them perseverance.
“People stepped up, and they didn’t quit,” running back John Luke Hood said. “They just kept going every day. Last year was the first year we didn’t make the playoffs since Coach Adams has been here, and we’ve got to come back from that.”
Linebacker Eli Michael said the team’s close-knit culture helped carry everyone through the difficult season.
“It’s special,” Michael said. “We’re a family. We help each other, pick each other up and get stronger. We just have to keep pushing, help this team out and learn from our mistakes.”
Right tackle Deacon Knight echoed that message.
“You go through some hard patches, but it’s all about how you react to them,” Knight said. “It was disappointing that we weren’t fully healthy, but we came back those fourth and fifth weeks and gave everything we had.”
As the Mustangs prepare for a new season, the focus isn’t on last year’s record. Instead, it’s on the work that’s done long before Friday night. Adams believes success is determined by the team’s preparation throughout the week.
“Success to us is how we prepare for Friday night,” Adams said. “Monday through Thursday matters a lot more than Friday night. Friday nights are when everybody’s in the stands, they see the scoreboard and that’s what they remember. But if our Monday through Thursday isn’t good, then Friday night doesn’t matter. If our Monday through Thursday is good, Friday night’s scoreboard will take care of itself.”
After surviving one of the toughest seasons in program history, Mantachie believes the foundation has already been built. Now, the Mustangs hope the lessons learned through adversity will translate into success on the field.
Mantachie opens the 2026 season on Aug. 28 against Holly Springs.
