HSFT Stop #21: Choctaw County
One point.
That’s all that separated Choctaw County from another trip deeper into the postseason last fall. After winning the 2024 state championship, the Chargers followed it up with a 7-5 season in 2025. Their year came to an end with a heartbreaking one-point loss to Noxubee County in the third round of the playoffs. Months later, that finish continues to fuel the Chargers.
Head coach Dillion Mitchell enters his fourth season leading the program and knows this year’s team looks different. While several new faces will take on larger roles, he believes the standard established over the past few seasons remains the same.
“We’ve got a lot of new faces this year,” Choctaw County head coach Dillion Mitchell said. “We’ve had a lot of success over the past three years, so it’s kind of a transition period for us. But we’ve got a bunch of guys who have been in the program for a while. They might not have been out there much, but they know our standard. Our focus, our attention to detail, the little things — that’s what it comes down to.”
Those little details have become the emphasis throughout the offseason. After losing by just one point in the playoffs, the Chargers know every play, every rep and every mistake can make the difference between extending a season and watching it end.
For lineman Benjarvius Shumaker, that lesson has become personal.
“I really focus on the little details because we lost by one point last year,” Choctaw County lineman Benjarvius Shumaker said. “I really bore down on the little details, stay dedicated and commit every single day ready to work.”
Shumaker believes the team’s mentality has changed during the offseason.
“I feel like this team is much different from last year,” Shumaker said. “Last year they played around a lot. This year they’re more ready to work. They might play a little bit, but they’re putting the work in.”
One of the biggest adjustments this season comes at quarterback, where sophomore Marcari Holman is expected to take over the offense.
Mitchell says the coaching staff’s approach is to let the young quarterback develop at his own pace.
“He’s a smart kid,” Mitchell said. “He’s got a great attitude. We’re not going to give him too much. We’ll just go as he progresses, not try to overwhelm him, slow the game down for him and put him in a situation where he can be successful. It’s a very important position for us, but he’s going to be ready.”
While the offense adjusts to a new quarterback, the defense is relying on its veteran leaders to help bring along the next generation.
Defensive end Tavarion Pratt says helping younger players has become one of his biggest responsibilities.
“I’m really focusing on helping the young guys develop and get better,” Choctaw County defensive end Tavarion Pratt said. “We’ve got a lot of young guys, and it really ain’t about just me. It’s about the whole team. That’s why I’m helping them get better.”
Pratt says last season’s ending has only strengthened the team’s resolve.
“We’re really working on a lot of things,” Pratt said. “That game got us working on a lot of things and getting better. This group really wants it. They’re very hard-working. They’re dedicated.”
For Mitchell, the goal remains simple. He tells his team not to worry about results they can’t control, but instead focus on improving every week.
“Getting a little bit better each week,” Mitchell said. “I tell our kids all the time that our best is enough. You can’t control the outcomes all the time, but as long as we put our best foot forward and play with great effort and discipline, then we’re going to be proud of them.”
With a younger roster, a new quarterback and unfinished business from a year ago, the Chargers believe they’re capable of making another deep postseason run.
Choctaw County opens the 2026 season Aug. 28 against East Webster.
