Warren County High School’s Head Coach Victor Hunt is thankful for a lot of things this Thanksgiving, as he prepares the Eagles for the fourth round of the state 2A football playoffs.
For one thing, he’s thankful for the team’s two losses this season – one at the hands of the Vance County High Vipers.
For a second thing, he’s thankful that his team is in pretty good health for this point in the season.
“We do have some kids banged up a little bit, but for the most part, we are healthy,” he told WIZS’s Scout Hughes and Steve Lewis.
He’s also thankful he challenged his team midway the season to be prepared to be practicing on Thanksgiving morning. Family meals and plans will have to be sidelined on Thursday, because the team will be preparing to be a part of school history – the first time the school has made it this far in the state tourney.
The #2 seed Eagles face #6 seed John Holmes Aces at 7 p.m. on Friday in Warrenton. This is new territory for Hunt and the Eagles, who made it to the third round last year.
Most of all, Hunt is thankful for the character the players have shown this year.
“We have a group of tough young men that really take pride in being from Warren County – they love where they’re from.”
Now in his seventh year as head coach of the Eagles, Hunt said this group of young men is reaping the benefits of previous teams that have laid the foundation for this year’s success.
“They all kind of set the stage for this moment,” he said.
The community is getting behind the team, too.
“I think what we’ve been able to do is bring some hope back, some excitement back to this area,” Hunt said. Sure, it’s good to have local rivals like Vance County and J.F. Webb, he said, but when you get to this point in post-season play, his team is letting people know that this area plays some good football.
The social media posts that say folks are rooting for Warren County to win are encouraging to Hunt.
“I’m glad it’s us this year, but I’m pretty sure that if the tables were turned, we would be doing the same for those people as well.”
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