Winning a state championship in 2019 has not made this year's Mona Shores football team content.
"It makes us more hungry," Sailors senior safety Khyree Hamel said. "Because we know we can go back-to-back and a lot of teams don't do that."
The seniors have really taken ownership of the team.
"This is kind of our year and our team," Mona Shores senior receiver and safety Gary Humphrey said. "Our class was always close so it was fun to do it last year but now that we get to do it and it's our team, it is just so much better."
On Wednesday Mona Shores quarterback, safety, holder, punter, punt returner and kick returner Brady Rose was named one of four finalists for the State Champs! Mr. Football award.
Rose is a star, no question, but it's the Sailors plethora of great players that has them on the cusp of another state title.
"It's just kids that play football I think how it's supposed to be played," Sailors head coach Matt Koziak said. "Where they don't care who gets the accolades. I know Brady gets a ton of attention and rightfully so, but these kids, there is no animosity, they are just so happy for him and they know it is a reflection of their hard play too."
The other players say they are happy that Brady gets the attention.
"I like seeing his success," Hamel added. "I really do. It's crazy because I have played with him for a very long time."
"He actually gets kind of annoyed of it because he kind of feels like they give him too much of the attention," Humphrey said. "But I think he deserves it."
When opponents gear up to stop Rose, it is good to have other people to make plays.
"We try to come up with some answers," Koziak said. "It is good to know you have guys like Keondre Pierce who has played in three state championships and Khyree and Elijah (Johnson and Farnum) and Gary Humphrey. It's good to know that you have guys, a great cast of guys where if they are stifling the run on Brady Rose, then we have options."
"You know everybody is going to key on Brady so when he can get it to other people, that is a good thing," Hamel added. "So we use our weapons"
"I feel like that just makes it that much harder for other teams to go against us," Humphrey said. "Because first you see Brady Rose and you have to go against him and then you see the other kids around him and it is just crazy."
The Sailors look to finish off an unbeaten season and win a second consecutive state championship on Friday at 1 p.m. against Warren De La Salle at Ford Field.
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