Tank Franklin (4) follows Chance James (17) through the line
Alex Cash (12) hunts for running room
Daquan Johnson (7) moves the ball down the field
Travon Brown (1) turns the corner and picks up yards
"Winning breeds winning" and Flomaton head football coach Doug Vickery said he's witnessed that winning attitude in the 2019 Hurricanes that wrapped up spring training Friday night in Flomaton in a jamboree featuring Flomaton, Washington County, Monroe County and Southern Choctaw.
In a unique format, the jamboree saw each offense playing against each defense and each defense playing against each offense.
Vickery said he liked the format because it gave players time to rest and said the one thing you don't want is somebodying hurt in a spring game.
"It went well," Vickery said. "I was very pleased with our intensity. Obviously as we look back at the film we will find things we need to improve on, but I saw a lot more positives than negatives."
Vickery said winning the Class 3A state championship last year brings a lot of positives into the new season.
"First off it builds confidence and the players know they can compete with anybody," he said. "Second, we had five more weeks of practice and games and these kids learned a lot in that extra time on the football field."
Vickery said some of the close games also showed his players that they have the ability to overcome adversity and just because they are down heading into the fourth quarter they now know they can still win the football game..
"Playing on that big stage in Auburn is an experience they will always remember," Vickery said of the championship game. "No stage is too big for them anymore. We have a lot of players coming back that played on that big stage."
He said the winning attitude that came with winning the state title carried over to the winter workouts and into the spring.
"Overall I think we added 10 to 12 pounds of muscle mass during the winter workouts," he said. "You could see that Friday night. I thought we were very physical, especially on defense."
Vickery said he had 47 players go through spring training and as soon at the final school bell rings they will begin the summer workout programs as they eye Aug. 5, which is the first day of fall practice.
Vickery said he's got several seven-on-seven tournaments scheduled during the summer and said the kids are focused on making a run next year for another title.
