The Pilot Point Bearcats’ varsity and junior varsity football teams donned their helmets and full pads for the first time this season and hit the turf on G.A. Moore Field at Massey Stadium for their annual Bearcat Showcase on Saturday.
The squads geared up and ran through multiple athletic and contact drills, giving their family, friends and fans a demonstration of the work they put in during offseason training.
“We started doing something similar in Celina years ago, and it's something I’ve carried with me since then as a way to go full-contact with the kids and a way to give the fans, who’ve been wanting to see the team, a little bit of a sneak peek and answer some questions about our kids, and I think we were able to do that,” Chad Worrell, Pilot Point athletic director and head football coach, said.
The Pilot Point community packed the stands at Massey while players lined up with the quarterback under center with a single running back behind them, waiting to receive the handoff, while three defenders were lined up on the other side of the ball, waiting to bring down the ball carrier.
The drill gave each position group—linemen, linebackers, running backs and defensive backs—the opportunity to get acclimated to full contact and run plays at a speed closer to what they will see during the season.
Each also allowed all the varsity players that participated the opportunity to compete and be evaluated by coaches, with players from each position group rotating after each whistle.
Worrell said he was highly impressed with his players' performance during the event.
“We had great effort on Saturday, and that’s what we’re looking for,” he said. “That first day that you’re in full pads and going full contact, you’re not looking for perfection, but we knew our older kids were going to bring it, and we had some younger kids step up, so it was a really good day overall.”
Senior linebacker Malik Lars said this year’s Bearcat Showcase was extra special as he begins his final season wearing the orange and black.
“It meant everything to me to get out there in front of my parents and the fans and show out one last time,” he said.
“And it helps us get momentum going into this season, and we’re working hard to keep pushing and go farther than we did last season.”
His classmate, senior offensive lineman Alex Luna, echoed his sentiments and added that the event was a great opportunity for the younger members of the team to gain experience.
“It meant a lot to go all out for our town, especially in our last season, and it really helped a lot since we have a lot of new guys,” he said. “[The showcase] helped them prepare and helped them see they can compete at the varsity level.”
Worrell added that he hopes the event helps get the players and the Pilot Point community fired up, with the season kicking off in a couple of weeks.
“I hope the kids came away from the event with a little more confidence,” he said. “All of them had some positive plays, and hopefully that gives them the confidence to step out on that field on Thursday or Friday. And I hope this reminds the fans that our kids are going to play hard no matter what. The last two years, we’ve had kids that give great effort on the field, and this team is going to be no different. This is going to be a fun group to watch.”
The Bearcats were scheduled to play their first scrimmage game against Sanger on Thursday evening at Massey Stadium, with the second scrimmage against the Gainesville Leopards set for Aug. 20 in Gainesville.
