HSFT Stop No. 8: Baldwyn

Baldwyn, Miss. (WCBI) – Last year’s Baldwyn team showed a lot of promise. It was Dy’Lan Johnson’s first year as a starting center and he led the Bearcats to seven wins. Head coach Michael Gray knows Johnson has a lot of potential and expects him to show a lot of progress this season.

“He’ll be able to control our offense better, be a leader on and off the field, get a little better in the passing game and run the ball more,” Gray said. “He continues to progress and get better and we expect a lot from him.”

“It was good. I opened a lot of people’s eyes last year, if I can say so,” Johnson said.

While the Bearcats’ season was full of positive moments last year, it ended with a 27-20 loss to Vardaman in the third round of the playoffs. Gray said that put the heat on his guys.

“Kids read all the time. They know there were a lot of turnovers in that game and a lot of self-inflicted injuries and it could have easily gone the other way. It didn’t. You have to take what you learned and move forward.”

“Everybody knows what we’re capable of,” Johnson said. “We have the talent to go to state and win, so it’s gotten very serious in the weight room and out of the gym.”

Gray is entering his 16th season as the Bearcats’ head coach. He says there’s some quality in this year’s team that could lead them to a strong playoff run.

“This group of kids really likes each other. It’s important for the team and to be able to count on each other. We’re working hard on that this year and it will help us become a stronger team.”

The Bearcats’ season begins Aug. 30 against Kossuth.