Editor’s Note: This story will appear in “Playmakers,” The Vicksburg Post’s annual football preview magazine. The special edition will be included with the Aug. 24-25 weekend edition of The Post and includes previews, features and more for all of Warren County’s high school teams.

During its impressive 10-year run atop the MAIS’ eight-man football division, Tallulah Academy has endured its share of rebuilds and reboots as players come and go.

It’s been a while, though, since it’s had one like this.

The Trojans lost nine seniors to graduation and only have three on this year’s roster. Five starters total are returning.

Head coach Bart Wood looked at that more as an opportunity than a crisis, though. He said there is still plenty of depth on the roster, and the young players coming up should form the core of Tallulah’s next great generation.

“It’s rebuilding. I’m expecting good things out of the young kids. We’ve just got a good many freshmen and sophomores who are going to be starting this year,” Wood said. “It’s just what you do. You’ve got to ride it. We’ve got a very young team, but we’re going to be very competitive and very athletic. It’s a fun group to coach.”

On paper, there are plenty of similarities to last year’s team. Ten seniors graduated after the Trojans reached the MAIS Class 2A championship game in 2022. There are 25 players on the roster, whereas last year there were 26.

Tallulah weathered those losses to finish 9-4 and reach the second round of the Class 1A playoffs.

The difference this time is the youth and inexperience. Instead of players who have at least had a couple of years of varsity practice reps, if not game experience, now it’s freshmen and sophomores stepping into prominent roles.

At quarterback, for example, one senior succeeded another in 2023 when Hayes Hopkins followed three-year starter Dee Morgan. This time, Wood’s options are either eighth-grader Luke Moberley or sophomore J.T. McDaniel.

“We went through it last year, but we were doing it with seniors and not sophomores,” Wood said. “We almost had to rebuild last year because there was hardly anybody coming back that played. It’s a lot easier doing that with seniors than it is sophomores.”

McDaniel saw plenty of playing time at running back in 2023 and will play there again if Wood goes with Moberley at quarterback.

“(McDaniel) did great. I’m more concerned with some other positions than J.T. at running back or quarterback,” Wood said.

One of the few veteran starters that is back is center Eli Labauve. Wood called him a soft-spoken leader who does his job well.

Tallulah’s other seniors are Mac Cagnolatti, a linebacker, and wide receiver Laken Wilder.

Labauve will be flanked by guards Stewart Grady and Tripp Gayle, both first-time starters on the offensive line, and tight end Denton Ray.

“He’s a quiet leader, and that’s what I like about him,” Wood said of Labauve. “I would be a lot more worried if we didn’t have him there. He brings so much to the table for us.”

Tallulah has been to six state championship games and won three since moving to the eight-man division in 2014.
Although adding another championship trophy to the school’s collection might be a tough task this year, Wood said he isn’t lowering the program’s high standards just because of some roster churn.

He noted that the young players had great success at the junior varsity level and expects them to continue it with the varsity.

“We knew this was coming, that we were going to have a young team,” Wood said. “If you look at the JV team last year, they dominated. They never went into the second half with the starters. If we can keep everybody together I think we’ll do good this year. We’re not going to be oh-fer, for sure.”

2024 TALLULAH ACADEMY SCHEDULE
All games start at 7 p.m.
Aug. 16 — at Tensas Academy
Aug. 23 — Riverdale
Aug. 30 — at Franklin Academy
Sept. 6 — *Briarfield
Sept. 13 — *at Union Christian
Sept. 20 — Wilkinson County Christian
Sept. 27 — Prairie View
Oct. 4 — at Columbus Christian
Oct. 11 — at Prentiss Christian
Oct. 18 — *River Oaks
Oct. 25 — *at Claiborne Academy
*MAIS District 2-1A games