HSFT21 Stop #6 — Myrtle Hawks

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MYRTLE, Miss. (WCBI) — It’s a brand new year with brand new challenges for the Myrtle Hawks football squad.

Myrtle prepares to enter into their third season of high school football, led by head coach Jeremy Smithey. This year will be under a new classification for the Hawks as they switch to play 2A ball.

“We had a tough division last year in 1A. I’m sure this division this year will be a little bit tougher but it’s like anything else in life. It’s just a challenge and you try to rise to the challenge.”

For coach Smithey — he looks to continue building his Hawks program.

“I’ve been around other programs where we really try to progress and build. Seeing this kids grow and develop, especially the younger ones, as they continue in the program. Just how they develop a work ethic at a young age and progresses as they move along,” Smithey said.

The 2020 season was up and down for the Hawks. Myrtle finished the year with a 3-6 record in 1A-Region 1.

The Hawks also have to replace 12 seniors along with former lineman Connor Coleman, who graduated and moved onto play Division I at the University of Memphis. Smithey says his younger guys learned a lot from Coleman.

“That’s always good. You can always sell that to a lot of kids based on work ethic, investing in the program and what the results can be,” Smithey said.

“We had 12 seniors last year and that’s pretty tough to come back from but I think were good because we have some young guys in there. I think we’ll do good,” senior quarterback Jackson Mayer said.

“They can work really hard and they’re going to be the stars of this team for years to come,” senior linebacker Blake Morman said.

Myrtle begins the season at Vardaman on August 27th.

“I hope we set such a big tone that other teams are scared to come play us,” Morman said.

“These kids really understand how to come to work. It doesn’t take a lot of frills. Doesn’t take a lot of bells and whistles . You don’t need a motivational speech every day. They show up, we put a lift on the board, we talk about it. They get right after it,” Smithey said.