By: Sara Sanner

This season has been one of success for the Boys Junior Varsity basketball team. With a record of 8-3, the Warriors have proved that despite their limited practice time, they are definitely a team to be feared.
The team consists of eight 10th graders who are eager to get playing time on the court. “Starting players are the best five on the team, so you have to work to prove you are the best to get that playing time,” junior Nick McLendon said. The sophomore players include Devin Hebert, Dra Ellis, Nathan Sims, Connor McNellis, Christopher Bolton, Larry Thomas, Christian Hathorn, and Ron Simmons.

Head coach of the Junior Varsity Warriors Edmond Bradley seems to be impressed with the team’s achievement, although his ultimate goal is to train the boys for the varsity team. “In JV, it is all about becoming good enough to play for Varsity and we have set a goal in the JV program to win a state championship for them,” Bradley said. For most players on the Junior Varsity team, a spot on Varsity would be a dream come true. “It takes a lot of hard work. You also have to show Coach everyday that you have what it takes to play with the older guys and that you can play on that higher level of competition,” McLendon said.

With the team’s victory came many obstacles. “We’re limited on practice time [fourth block]. Also, the roster is always changing because there’s a chance of moving a player up to Varsity,” Bradley said.

Although winning more games than the previous season has generated much excitement for the players, that’s not the only thing they are enthusiastic about. “The highlight of our season was not only winning more games, but also getting to play with new teammates,” sophomore Ron Simmons said.

While the team has had an overall successful season so far, they would like to see an improvement in student participation. “Some students come to watch, but parents are our main supporters. It’d be nice to have more students cheering us on in the future,” sophomore Connor McNellis said.

The Warriors have fought through this season with two victories over their rival, Hattiesburg, a noteworthy accomplishment. The Junior Varsity Warriors’ season concludes on February 5, with a home game against Petal.