Football is for the tough, the ready-to-go kids. Freshman on the varsity football team is rare.

This year, the football team had three freshman starters: running back Travon Pankey, safety Donavan Ross, and the big boy in the trenches, offensive lineman, Jalen Williams.

There can be pressure as a young star on a football team.

Ross said, “I felt high pressure, especially during the first game.”

Pressure can either break or make a student athlete and with the great play of these young kids, it has shown pressure has made them better.

Pankey said, “I felt pressure during my first run, but not as much pressure as I thought I would have”.

Each position holds a responsibility on a team. It will dictate how the game will go depending on a player’s responsibility.

“I had the responsibility of doing my job,” said Ross.

“My responsibility was to prove I can get the job done as a freshman,” Williams said.

“Do the job the other kids can’t, go make a play,” Pankey said.

After a long season, players prepare for the next year. For a freshman, a sophomore year can be the most important year, it will either be better than the last or be eaten by pressure.

“I want to help the freshman coming after me, so they can be ready to play if needed just like me,” Williams named as his goal.

“I want to have a breakout year; I want to lead this team to a great winning season,” Pankey said.

“I want to fill the shoes of the great defensive seniors, like D1 Jett Sutton,” said Ross.