The football team had a huge win at the homecoming game over Eastern Cincinnati Conference (ECC) rival West Clermont, with a final score of 35 to 21. This was their first homecoming football game win in six years and solidified the football team’s first ECC win in multiple years.
“The West Clermont win was awesome and it was fun to see the players enjoy a satisfying and much needed win,” Zyair Anderson, the first-year offensive coordinator, said.
The environment was electric after the game as students rushed the field to celebrate the huge victory.
“[We were] ecstatic,” Caylen Murray, ‘27, wide receiver and defensive back, said. “It was fun seeing all the student sections run out onto the field and we celebrated homecoming amid a great atmosphere.”
While the win was exciting throughout the night, the mood couldn’t last long; the team soon had to focus on their upcoming games.
“Our coaches have a 24 hour rule, where even if we win, we can only celebrate for 24 hours, and if we lose, we can only think about the loss for 24 hours,” Joshua Thornton, ‘27, wide receiver and defensive back, said.
This rule encourages the team to lift each other up during difficult times. Moving forward after difficult losses makes athletes stronger.
“It’s been tough, but the players have been resilient. They don’t quit, and we built a culture in the summer of not giving up, ever,” Anderson said.
Quarterback Will Rivers, ‘26, had great company in the receiver position, as Thornton and Murray received three of his five touchdowns.
“We motivate each other to keep going, and we just try to stay positive and keep our bond as a family strong,” Murray said.
Along with playing football, the players have to take on an extra challenge; staying organized and maintaining a balance between football and academics.
“It is helpful to have a set schedule and mindset of schoolwork above everything else,” Thornton said.
WHHS is well known for their academics rather than their athletics, usually being foreseen as the underdog in competitive ECC games.
Many players at WHHS are new to football or didn’t start until high school. This late beginning makes it especially difficult to secure ECC wins.
“I’m teaching them new stuff about football that they’ve never known about, because a lot of the players are new to football,” Anderson said.
Something that helps them play their best is their mindset before each game.
“We have a mindset going into every game that we are better than the team we are facing and hype each other up by listening to music or encouraging each other,” Murray said.
The players also look for inspiration from professional players and collegiate athletes to model their game.
“[My idols are] Jeremiah Smith and [my brother] Jeremiah Thornton because my brother was kind of an underdog out on the field, and it showed me even as the underdog, you can still have fun with the sport,” Thornton said.
The WHHS football team has its strengths on and off the field, making the players respected as student athletes.
“They are super smart, they get after it in the classroom and they take school as a high priority,” Anderson said. “[That] makes the coaching staff proud and amazed by the work our players put into this football team.”