Players of the Pine Belt: Wayne County senior offensive lineman Brenden Roscoe

WAYNESBORO, Miss. (WDAM) - Second-year Wayne County head coach Jack Hankins feels good about what the War Eagles can do offensively this season – returning starting quarterback Carter Hankins and running back Isiah Boyd.

But the key piece in allowing those guys to flourish is senior offensive guard/tackle Brenden Roscoe.

“As a team we came a long way from what we was,” Roscoe said. “And the team together going as a whole we’re being better, we’re becoming the team that we want to be.”

That, of course, is a championship team.

Roscoe has seen three head coaches in four years at Wayne County – starting just about every game at offensive guard or tackle.

He’s grown into a tough, senior leader for the War Eagles.

“You gotta be a little dirty when you play that role,” Roscoe said. “And protecting my quarterback, that’s like protecting your family. It teaches you life lessons and playing O-line, it gives me that.”

“He pushes the other guys but he does it the right way,” Hankins said. “He doesn’t put himself above anybody. He’s very selfless and he’s tough when he has to be and he’ll give you the shirt off his back. We’ve got an unselfish bunch this year and that’s the key to a lot of success right now. They just want to work and they want to have fun and we want to play and get back to Wayne County football.”

The kind of football they play in Waynesboro typically leads to the postseason – but Wayne County missed out last year after losing its final three games by one possession.

The attention to detail has increased this summer as the War Eagles head into fall on a mission.

“Knowing all the work that you’ve put in to get to this moment and being able to finally show what the work is,” Roscoe said.

“You gotta bring it every Friday night and being close is not good enough,” Hankins said. “I think toward the end we were all there in a five-way tiebreaker for the playoffs and we didn’t make the plays that we needed. Let me tell you, this region’s tough. You better bring it because there’s not only good players, there’s good coaches and it’s that way every Friday night.”

Here’s a look at Wayne County’s 2022 schedule:

• 8/25 – vs. Quitman – 7:30 p.m.
• 9/2 – vs. Oak Grove – 7:30 p.m.
• 9/9 – vs. Tylertown – 7:30 p.m.
• 9/16 – at Pascagoula – 7:30 p.m.
• 9/23 – at South Jones* – 7:30 p.m.
• 9/30 – vs. Florence* – 7:30 p.m.
• 10/7 – at Brookhaven* – 7 p.m.
• 10/14 – vs. Natchez* – 7 p.m.
• 10/21 – at Hattiesburg* – 7 p.m.
• 10/28 – vs. Laurel* – 7 p.m.
• 11/4 – at West Jones* – 7 p.m.

*Indicates Region 3-5A opponent

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