LOYD STAR

Loyd Star Hornets

LOYD STAR HORNETS

LOOKING TO REPEAT AS REGION 7-2A CHAMPS IN 2022

The Loyd Star Hornets are a program that come into the 2022 season riding momentum from a strong showing last year.

Loyd Star reeled off seven straight wins to begin the regular season and went unbeaten in Region 7-2A action to win the division for a second time under head coach Brian Ford.

Ford will begin his sixth season at the school with an experienced group that returns lots of talent from last year’s team, especially in the skill position group.

Returning to assist Ford are coaches Jarrod White and Dustin Sisco along with first year assistant Charlie Lowery.

Back to help the Hornets move the ball up and down the field are junior fullback James Godwin, senior halfback Bryce Ford, senior quarterback Carter Holcomb and senior h-back Julius Smith.

Godwin runs hard and with a low center of gravity as he bulldozed his way to a team best 963 yards on the ground last season. Godwin also scored a team high 11 rushing touchdowns.

Ford battled through injuries that kept him out of two games, but he still rushed for 803 yards and 10 touchdowns last season. His biggest game was the first of the season, when he rushed for 236 yards in thrilling 26-23 win over St. Andrew’s at home.

Holcomb stepped into his first full season as the starting quarterback for the Hornets in 2021 and looked like a natural from the jump. He passed for 904 yards and 10 touchdowns while also scoring three more times on the ground.

Smith, who’d previously played quarterback in his career, was the most versatile piece of the arsenal for Brian Ford as a play caller last season.

He rushed 83 times for 543 yards and 10 scores, while also catching 14 passes for 273 yards and three more touchdowns.

2021 RESULTS (9-2)

LOYD STAR 26, ST. ANDREW’S 23 (OT) LOYD STAR 48, MCLAURIN 14 LOYD STAR 54, SALEM 14 LOYD STAR 2, NORTH FORREST 0 (FF) LOYD STAR 33, STRINGER 15 LOYD STAR 35, EAST MARION 32 LOYD STAR 26, BOGUE CHITTO 24 ST. ANDREW’S 35, LOYD STAR 29 LOYD STAR 36, WEST LINCOLN 21 LOYD STAR 41, AMITE COUNTY 40 (OT) PISGAH 31, LOYD STAR 20

2022 ROSTER SENIORS

Julius Smith, Carter Holcomb, Bryce Ford, Garrett Carwyle, Caden White, Cortez Smith, Ethan Greer, Trevor Smith, Tristan Newell, Alex Smith JUNIORS

Tyler Leggett, Cooper Reid, Nathan Mills, Brandon Burt, Caleb Smith, James Goodwin, Hayes Smith, Brayden Rutland, Ashton McCullough, Conner Crotwell, Conner Cunningham SOPHOMORES

Omarion Clay, Gauge Montgomery, Braxton Williams, Luke Cotton, Zach Cotton, Brandon Jenkins, Ethan Smith FRESHMEN

Zach Reid, Anthony Humphrey, Jamisyn Kelly, Cooper Creel, Kaugher Melton, Kaleb Waldrop, Jake Smith, Trey Payne, Joe Taylor, LaJavian Nelson, Casen Easterling, Brady Straight EIGHTH GRADERS

Jordyn Kees

The offensive line will also be a group that returns some experienced pieces as the front five were a big part of the success Loyd Star had last season.

“We lost a couple veterans along the offensive line, but with so much back, we’ve got really high expectations for this group offensively and we want to keep clicking,” said Ford. “On the line, Trevor Smith and Ethan Greer are two seniors that really lead that group.”

Smith plays the game with a nasty streak and lines up at left guard for the Hornets. Greer is a third-year starter who’ll play right tackle. Junior Conner Cunningham is back at center after playing the position last season.

The new players on the line will be left tackle Ashton McCollough, a junior that Ford praises for his hard work in the offseason, and freshman Jake Smith.

Ford mentions senior wingback Cortez Smith, junior tight end Brandon Burt and junior wideout Caleb Smith as players that’ll have opportunities to also get the ball in their hands this season.

Caleb Smith led the team last season with 109 tackles and his importance to the Hornets as a defensive back had the coaching staff hesitant to risk injury by giving him snaps on offense in 2021.

Burt, who gets down on the defensive line as an end despite being outweighed by the opposing offensive lines, made 58 stops last season using his speed and quickness.

“I think we played better defensively last year than the statistics might show, but there’s no doubt we’ve got to be a better tackling team this year if our defense is going to be successful,” Ford said.

Freshman Joe Taylor will also play on the defensive line as will senior Alex Smith and junior Hayes Smith. Burt and Trevor Smith will likely take up the defensive end positions.

Goodwin returns as a linebacker and Holcomb will also play linebacker as Ford calls the quarterback one of the best tacklers on the team.

Ford mentions the development of fellow QB, junior Nathan Mills, as another reason why Holcomb will see more snaps on the defense.

Mills will be in the mix as a safety as will Caleb Smith. Ford mentions Garret Carwyle, Cortez Smith, Bryce Ford, Tyler Leggett and Clay as players that’ll be in the mix for playing time in the defensive backfield.

The quality of depth that allowed some of the main playmakers on the team to get a rest and not play too many snaps on both sides of the ball was one reason Loyd Star had such a strong season last year.

Junior kicker Cooper Reid returns after a strong season last year and Julius Smith will likely again handle punting duties.

Coming off a 9-win season, participation is up as recent success in the junior high program as well has Ford excited about the direction of his program.

“We pulled within five late against Pisgah last year in the playoffs, but we ended up not getting it done,” said Ford of the season ending loss for his team in 2021. “There wasn’t a dry eye in the huddle afterwards and that’s what you want. You want it to hurt a little bit because you know it means something to them.”