Under the direction of coaches Walter Dupriest and Scott Cain, the 7th Grade Football team played a successful season this fall, although they ended with a record of 2-1-4. To start the season, the team suffered a tough loss against Blessed Trinity. However, the last game of the season remains a lasting memory for the entire team. In a thriller that was down to the wire, the team secured an exciting win against rival Lovett.

Effective team practices only happen with good teamwork, and the 7th Grade Football team exhibited successful teamwork and chemistry. The group learned that training hard together on the practice field would result in success on the game field. Toward the second half of the season, the 7th Grade Football team really learned how to practice together. “The guys started to understand their role and ways to contribute,” Dupriest says. 

A typical practice schedule for the 7th Grade Football team consists of Monday off to rest or watch film, Tuesday through Thursday for intense practices, and Friday having a lighter practice before playing their games on Saturday. Dupriest explains how practices went for the team. “At the beginning of the week, we learn specifically about the opponent. Once we get deeper into the week, the energy level increases. We start focusing on game plans and being really specific scheme-wise for the games.”

Dupriest has coached football for seven years and is in charge of offensive plays, the play sheet, and calling plays. Through his seven years of coaching, he has experienced noticeable changes in the program. “I don’t know if I have coached with the same collection of coaches since my first and second years,” Dupriest says. Scott Cain, Head Coach for the team, has only coached the 7th Grade team for two years. Nonetheless, the players and coaches produced a successful season. 

The team’s last match against Lovett remains the most notable for the entire team. 7th grader Wyatt Garfinkle says not only did they end with a win, but the win came at the end. “My favorite moment this season was when there was a minute left in our last game against Lovett, and we got an interception and a safety to finish off Lovett and our season.” Similarly, player Samuel Torres agrees that the last game against Lovett stays his favorite game. “The best part of the season was winning against Lovett under the lights!”