Football started the season with a win against Cosby in their preseason scrimmage with a score of 21-14. They continue their in-season record with a big 20-13 win against Mechanicsville on Aug. 29. Although there are early wins on the books, some players believe the outcome could have been better.
“We should have scored way more times against Mechanicsville. It was closer than it should have been,” junior Keston Ransom said.
The team attended a jamboree event in the off-season where they played Goochland and Riverbend high schools. Due to mental errors, people not knowing their coverages, letting up big passes, and jumping offsides, the team ultimately could not come out with wins. Players used the jamboree losses as a lesson and a way to motivate themselves to do better. Players believe their strong start will follow with strong praise.
“I feel like our energy is a lot higher this year, and I feel like now that a lot of people can see what we can do, I feel like there is more confidence around the team,” senior Jackson Hawkins said.
In the past, there were a limited amount of players so the program had to put juniors on the junior varsity and varsity teams. This year the team is bigger than ever with new players from the basketball, baseball, and lacrosse teams picking it up in the off-season. Although this allows the team to have more depth, there are some struggles.
“With the growth of the program, the challenge is [..] managing over 115 total members of the program now,” Coach Joe Mullinax said.
Another big challenge faced by the team is the multitude of injuries. Two QBs were injured and many first-years have been as well. The team has learned to handle the struggles by problem-solving together as a whole.
“[Junior] Bobby Nodar getting hurt was a big setback for the team because he’s a captain in our program and like a big contributor to our defense, so like it was hard to lose him but other people stepped up because we had that next-man-up mentality,” senior Carson Strieffler said.
The team has faced considerable amounts of negative feedback from other schools and even its own on their records in the past.
“I think what is really driving and motivating us this year to do better is being labeled as the horrible team [..], and I think it’s just motivated us to work harder and really turn the season around,” senior Jaice Tyler said.
Coach Mullinax believes the team is in a much better place than they were when he first came to the school three and a half years ago. Players are invested physically and mentally in this year’s season.
“For this to turn around, it’s going to take all of us. And it’s not because of me we’re winning now, or it’s not because of me that the energy is better. It’s because of us,” Mullinax said.
Deep Run football hopes to make it to the playoffs and beyond this year. The team had their first loss against Atlee on Sept. 6 with a score of 6-29. Their next game is at home against Meadowbrook on Sept. 20.
