On Nov. 14, Tupelo High School’s varsity football team played against Starkville in the playoffs and lost. This was a very disappointing outcome for THS students when compared to last year’s season, where the team managed to fight its way to the state level before losing. The team, of course, is very saddened by their loss.

Nathan Cox, THS senior and center player on the football team, expressed his feelings on the loss.

“It wasn’t fun,” Cox said. “But the other team deserved it more that night. Good luck to the team next year.”

“It was a sad moment,” said Jarvis Smithey, THS junior and right guard. “It was the last time we got to play with the seniors.”

Despite this year’s loss, not everyone feels this season was a complete failure.

“I thought we had a good year,” said coach Lamar Aldridge, defense coordinator for the football team. “We won 8-4. We had a lot of injuries midway through the season. Others stepped up for them. Olive Branch was one of the best games we played. Our kids gave a good effort throughout the year. Our seniors did a great job leading us to the playoffs.”

South Panola won state this year. Aldridge is simply glad THS made it to the playoffs in the first place.

“Our region is one of the toughest,” Aldridge said. “It was just South Panola’s year.”

This loss does not mean THS has given up hope for future success. THS is already making plans for the future.

“We have a weight room right now and we’re working hard,” Aldridge said. “We’re working hard to get better.”

Other football players feel the same.

“We’ll be better prepared for next year’s season,” Smithey said.

Cox agreed.

“I hope they do really well,” Cox said. “They have the potential to be a good team next year.”

Aldridge said that he believes the team will be fine in the upcoming season, but the Golden Wave will be losing a lot of key senior players.

“We lost a lot of guys this year, like Jarvis Wilson and Justin Clifton,” Aldridge said. “We will be a lot younger next year.”

Smithey thinks that his teammates will be able to do the job.

“We have a lot of younger guys that have to step up and fill the positions of this year’s seniors,” he said.