Head coach Russell Ellington of the Robert F. Munroe varsity football team is optimistic about the Bobcats prospects in the 2022 season so far, despite a recent loss to Wakulla High School.
“We started off hot, 2-0,” Ellington says. “We took a much needed lesson at Wakulla, on some things we need to get better at, and tighten down from a coaching perspective all the way to a playing perspective, and I think we’re ready to get back out there next week and show what we worked on.”
Coach Ellington is also clear that the rest of the season will be tough as well, and that this is by design.
“I think the schedule this year is filled with tough matches,” explains Ellington. “The reason that we did that is because we wanted to be more prepared for the playoffs. The team that we lost to in the playoffs last year, Trinity Christian, had four regular season losses because they built up a tough schedule, and that helped them roll through the playoffs. When you go back to less competition you’re not going to see the Wakullas and the Florida Highs of the world. So that’s why we put that schedule together.”
When asked what he sees as the Bobcats strengths this year, Ellington points to the leadership and experience of the upperclassmen.
“We have a really good senior class,” says Ellington. They’re only about nine strong, but they’re leading us every day, they’re showing the kids what hard work means, they’ve been the biggest leaders in the classroom. We have three seniors with 4.0 GPAs right now, so they’re showing the kids that not only do you have to be a good football player, you have to be a good student and a good person. I think that’s our biggest asset right now.”
Here are some of the stand out players that Coach Ellington recommends watching out for this season:
“We have Ahmari Borden (#2, senior), he’s committed to Stanford, leader of the team on offense and defense. Makari Vickers (#8, senior), committed to Oklahoma. We’ve got Carson Bradley (#77, senior), D.J. Johnson (#5, senior), C.J. Figgers (#3, senior), Daevion Brooks (#17, senior), Janealius Davis (#58, senior), and D.J. Green (#22, senior).”
Coach Ellington’s goal for the season is to see his team enjoy more successes in the playoffs this year.
“The goal is to take the next step. Two years ago, we made the playoffs for the first time, last year we had the first playoff win. This year we actually want to make a run in the playoffs. We don’t want to be a school that’s just happy to be there. We want to get there and make some noise. We want to make a deep run and show everyone that Munroe can do anything anyone else can.”
Finally, Coach Ellington and the Bobcats are grateful for the support from their community as they continue to grow as a team.
“We appreciate the community support this year,” says Ellington. “It makes the kids feel good, they feel like Munroe is a part of the football culture in the Big Bend, where before we were kind of an afterthought. So we just want to say thank you to the community, and hopefully we’ll give you something to be proud about this year.”
Stephen Klein – Gadsden County News Service