MANY – Positioning in both the district and playoff races. Sustaining momentum. Personal bragging rights.
All of that and more is on the line when Many (3-3, 1-0 District 3-2A) hosts Winnfield (2-4) in a Week 7 showdown on Friday.
A healthier Many team returned to its early-season form in a 56-13 shellacking of Lakeside (3-3, 0-1) to open District 3-2A play.
“We challenged our guys all week to come out with intensity and set the tone early, and they really responded,” Hassell said. “Offensively, we were sharp right out of the gate, and defensively, we didn’t flinch after giving up that early score.
“A big part of it was finally getting some key guys back healthy. We’ve been banged up in spots, and when you’re trying to build consistency, it’s tough when you’re shuffling the lineup every week. Getting those guys back helped with chemistry.”
While district titles aren’t won in early weeks, an early loss could doom one’s title chances.
Many certainly didn’t take that chance with Lakeside as the Tigers scored the first two touchdowns on a Daniel Thomas 56-yard run and a 32-yard pass from Kellen Cox to Evan Wilson.
Lakeside answered with a Brock Case 49-yard touchdown run, but Many scored 34 of the next 40 points to bury the dagger.
Thomas ran for five touchdowns and returned a kickoff for another score in a career night.
Lakeside had a sliver of hope after a score cut Many’s third-quarter lead to 35-13, but Thomas’ kick returned quickly extinguished any hope for the Warriors.
Interceptions by Jonas Hendrickson and Demarion Sepulvado as well as fourth-down stops by the defense halted Lakeside drives.
Winnfield counters with their own explosive running backs in Detavious Williams and Richard Williams.
The Williams boys helped the Tigers snap a four-game losing streak with three long touchdown runs in a 49-28 win against Rosepine.
Winnfield piled up 459 rushing yards and added an 87-yard touchdown pass to weapon Craig St. Cyr as the Tigers have the ability to score anywhere on the field.
“Winnfield is physical and disciplined, and they’ve got some guys who can make you pay if you’re out of position,” Hassell said. “For us, it’s going to come down to tackling well in space and being gap-sound up front.
“We’ve got to win first down and put them in tough down-and-distance situations. Offensively, we’ve got to sustain drives and take care of the football. It’s going to be a four-quarter fight, and our guys are excited for that kind of challenge.”
The personal bragging rights come into play as Hassell served on Winnfield coach Byron Keller’s staff at Red River High this past year.
Now both coaches are in their first years at new places, although both Hassell and Keller served as assistants on these respective staffs in the recent past.
Both programs are attempting to rebuild to their former glory, although Many’s glory was in the much more recent past as state champions in 2022.
“Byron and I are friends, but this one is for bragging rights,” Hassell said. “We’ve got a lot of respect for each other and how we run our programs.
“Obviously, once that whistle blows, it’s all about our players competing. But before and after, it’s fun to catch up with someone you’ve gone to battle with over the years. That mutual respect makes games like this even more meaningful.”