Players and coaches alike agree: The Waxahachie Football team is strong this year.

Coming off of a recent Forney win and preparing for Homecoming, the players weighed in on where their motivation comes from. Head Coach Shane Tolleson said the team’s weaknesses will become strengths as they tackle the season.

“Someone is always out to beat you or take what you have,” Tolleson said. “That is enough motivation for us.”

Tolleson said one area to be aware of are the key spots where the team is “young.”

“We have three sophomores starting on defense and 3 sophomores who play on offense,” he said.

But rounding out the team defensively are the seven returning starters, all seniors, and strengths in the offense. Included in the offensive lineup are a “great group of wide receivers, two solid running backs … and an offensive line that is coming together,” Tolleson said.

For senior running back Bryson Linnear, leadership is his motivation to succeed on and off the field.

“Being a good leader is doing good in everything and giving it your all at everything you do — and that’s from being in the classroom doing your work to not feeling like practicing after school — you still have to do it and be great at it,” Linnear said.

Senior running back Wade Lemons said it’s important to remember to have fun even in the intensity of the season to not lose your “spark.”

“I believe we will go as far as we let ourselves go because no one can realistically stop us,” Lemons said.

Looking ahead, the varsity Indians will take on Duncanville on Friday, Sept. 20 and DeSoto for Homecoming. Both teams are the defending state champions, and Coach Tolleson said he is “looking forward (to) playing them.”

Lemons echoed Tolleson’s sentiment mentioning that the teams are going to bring a lot of competition.

”The games that are more challenging are the most rewarding to win,” Lemons said.