HSFT19 Stop #5 — Smithville Seminoles

SMITHVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) — Unexpected is the word the Smithville Seminoles used to describe the run it made in 2018.

With a much younger squad last year, the Seminoles were surprised that the lack of experience didn’t hold them back.

Now for the upcoming season, they’re setting the expectations even higher.

“What they did last year to step up and play hard it really surprised us a little bit but we’ve got good kids that just outwork everybody and that’s kind of what we did last year,” head coach Michael Campbell said.

“I think we’re all on a revenge trip,” senior RB/SS Jabril Smith said. “We’re ready to get after it. I think we want a state championship. We want to get past north half because we’ve been there for three years. Our senior group has been there three years and hasn’t gotten past there. So we want to get past that this year.”

That younger squad has grown older.

Smithville returns over 10 seniors this season but also has some important holes to fill on the field.

Regardless, these Seminoles aren’t concerned.

“Everybody talks about how we’re losing lineman,” Smith said. “That’s the talk every year but we still come out and put thousands of yards up in rushing”

“We’ve got some young guys that are going to have to step up just like the guys last year stepped up,” Campbell said. “We’ve got some other young guys we’re going to have to fill and replace and move on. We’ve got some talent we feel like can do that. It’ll just be a learning experience. So game one we’ll be learning and hopefully by the end as we’re finishing up division [play] we’ll be where we want to be and those guys will be playing the type of football we think they can play.”

An important key to this year’s success is going to be focusing less on the past and more on the present.

“Llast year was last year and it’s over with,” Campbell said. “We can’t lean on that. We’re not north half contenders anymore. We’re a brand new team and we’ve taken on a new identity. It’ll be interesting to see how that takes off. We’re playing fast and physical. That’s been our brand of football.”

The new season for Smithville begins August 23rd against Belmont and it might be a different team but its still Smithville against the world.

“Just like last year we don’t want to overlook anybody. We want to take every week seriously, prepare for it and then move onto the next,” Campbell said.

“We never take anybody lightly,” senior WR/OLB Jordan Wardlaw said. “We’re trying to get into everybody’s head and have each other’s back.”