HSFT Stop #55: Pontotoc
Year two of the Baylor Dampeer era is underway at Pontotoc, and after a seven-win season that ended in the second round of the playoffs, the Warriors aren’t satisfied with simply building momentum. They’re looking to take the next step.
“Year one, you know, we were able to build a little momentum. But, you know, we obviously didn’t get done what we want to get done,” Pontotoc head coach Baylor Dampeer said. “And so going into year two, guys got a chip on their shoulder.”
Dampeer says the Warriors are focused on improving on both sides of the ball while taking the season one game at a time.
“We’re hoping to make a jump offensively. Same thing on the defense side of the ball,” Dampeer said. “The kids have responded well, and we’re looking forward to it.”
That chip on the shoulder starts with something every coach wants: experience. Pontotoc returns a group of players who have been in the program together for years, including senior quarterback Courtland Pass, who has been the team’s starter since his freshman season. Several other key Warriors have also been playing together since their early high school years.
“I think we have a great team overall,” offensive tackle Gage Luther said. “Our quarterback, who has been starting since his freshman year, me and another boy on the O-line have been starting since freshman year. So overall, we’ve had a lot of years under our belt as a team. So we’ve got experience.”
Those years of experience could prove especially valuable in a division loaded with familiar opponents, including West Point. The Warriors’ season ended against the Green Wave last year, but Luther says the lessons learned from those games have helped prepare Pontotoc for another challenging schedule.
“Most of us have played West Point four or five times, whatever it has been now,” Luther said. “So everybody’s ready. And if it’s West Point, New Hope, any of the tough people we’re playing in the division, we’ll be ready.”
The Warriors are also feeding off the energy of their second-year head coach. Pass says Dampeer’s leadership has helped set the tone for the team, and now the players are trying to return that energy.
“The group of coaches are very vocal of what they want, and Coach Dampeer is a really good leader,” Pass said. “So we try and build up his energy as a team and try to get the energy we get from him and give it back to everybody else.”
Pass believes Dampeer exceeded expectations in his first season, and now the Warriors want to do the same.
“We’re trying to improve on what we did last year for our first year of being a coach, Dampeer being here,” Pass said. “I think he exceeded expectations. So we’re trying to exceed those expectations as well, trying to bring the momentum from last year over to this year.”
That collective mindset is what Pontotoc believes can turn last year’s progress into something more. The Warriors aren’t focused on one specific moment or a particular goal just yet. Instead, they’re emphasizing improvement, staying together and finding a way to win when it matters most.
“We learned always to stay together no matter what, no matter what happens later,” receiver Kyan Robinson said. “That means a lot to us because we’ve always worked hard. We’ve all played together every year. So we feel like if we work hard together, we can do big things.”
For Dampeer, the formula for reaching that next level isn’t complicated.
“At the end of the day, it’s about blocking and tackling, taking care of the football,” Dampeer said. “So it’s just find a way to get the job done. They’re willing to do whatever, whatever that may be. So we’re just looking to find a way to have more points in the game and come out with the win.”
Year one gave the Warriors a foundation. Now, in year two, Pontotoc is looking to build something bigger on top of it. The Warriors open their 2026 campaign August 28 against Amory.
