Players of the Pine Belt: Taylorsville junior running back Cobey Craft

TAYLORSVILLE, Miss. (WDAM) - Seth McDonald knows as good as anybody, you can win in Taylorsville.

A championship standard is already engrained in the players that don green and yellow.

But with those expectations come challenges for the first-year head coach –McDonald embraces them.

“With anything it’s about relationships,” McDonald said. “And if the kids trust you then they’ll run through a brick wall for you. Last year I was able to create that relationship and grow that relationship. Now as the head coach, the relationships are still growing but the roots are growing deeper.”

McDonald’s sole focus last season was the Taylorsville defense.

Now as the head man, he’s had a chance to survey the entire field and knows how important Cobey Craft is to the cause.

As a sophomore, Craft carried the ball 212 times for 1,356 yards and 18 touchdowns. He’ll again be a workhorse this season.

“I’ve grown a lot and realized a lot,” Craft said. “I’ve looked at film and what I did, going back and looking at the film, coach telling me what to do and just listening to him.”

“The thing about Craft is he’s the hardest working kid on the team,” McDonald said. “Obviously he’s the strongest kid on the team but he’s also the hardest working kid on the team. So with that, he doesn’t necessarily have to say anything because his actions speak louder than his words. I think if you go in there and you look in the weight room right now he’s gonna be the hardest working one and everybody responds to that.”

Just like those before him, Craft is setting the example this summer.

Just two years removed from a state championship, this group of Tartars want to make their own mark in history.

“It’s electric,” Craft said. “We’ve been working all summer, competing, getting on to one another when we mess up but uplifting each other knowing we’re going to state this year. And we’re going to keep that same consistency until we get there.”

“Last year we were a really young team and we were 7-4 and people were looking around at us like what’s wrong with Taylorsville?” McDonald said. “‘Cause we didn’t make a run at Jackson. But those kids have a year under their belt and a year in the weight room getting stronger and better so I’m looking forward to a great year.”

Here’s a look at Taylorsville’s 2022 schedule:

• 8/26 - vs. Magee - 7:30 p.m.
• 9/2 - vs. Morton - 7:30 p.m.
• 9/9 - at Raleigh - 7:30 p.m.
• 9/16 - at Lawrence County - 7:30 p.m.
• 9/23 - vs. Enterprise* - 7:30 p.m.
• 9/30 - vs. Mount Olive* - 7:30 p.m.
• 10/6 - at Salem* - 7 p.m.
• 10/14 - vs. Lumberton* - 7 p.m.
• 10/21 - at Richton* - 7 p.m.
• 10/28 - vs. Bay Springs* - 7 p.m.
• 11/3 - at Resurrection* - 7 p.m.

*Indicates Region 4-1A opponent

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