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By Pat Dailey (For Ozark Sports Zone.com)
This has been the season those around Branson’s program have been pointing toward as far back as five years ago. The Pirates’ current seniors went through junior high with only one loss.
They’ve logged plenty of varsity playing time the past two years leading up to this year in what coach Anthony Hays hopes is Branson’s first winning season since 2010.
“There’s definitely a lot of excitement around our seniors,” Hays said. “A lot of them are going to be three-year starters. They were very successful in junior high and had a good freshman year. While starting as sophomores, they took their lumps.
“It’s a tough task to play as a sophomore against top-tier teams in the state. There was a learning curve for them,” he added. “I thought last season we saw the switch click with a lot of those guys. They went from being young guys to experienced guys. That’s going to pay great dividends. They have developed into nice players and they’re a group that loves football.”
The defense is led by senior middle linebacker Colton Cooper, an All-COC Third-Team selection last year. He’s fresh from collecting 129 tackles that included 10 tackles for a loss and 4.5 quarterback sacks.
“He’s a stout kid, a good athlete and an incredibly smart player,” Hays said. “He’s already had a good couple years. As a sophomore, he was a major contributor for us and last year he was our leading tackler. He’s also a good contributor on offense at the tight end and fullback positions. He’ll be very valuable to us on both sides of the field. We will try to platoon as much as we can. But he’s one of those kids who is so valuable that we will play him a lot.”
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Alongside Cooper is junior Cade Grimm. He had 53 tackles last year.
“I love our linebackers,” Hays said.
Strong safety Landon Atwood has started 22 straight games and notched 107 tackles last year.
Cornerback Jaydan Hutchinson, safety Carter Jenkins and linemen Remington Collins and Cameron Boss also boast experience defensively.
Freshman punter Dane Efird has made a good first impression.
“He’s only a freshman, but has a big leg,” Hays said.
Branson has familiar names among its skill-position players on offense.
Quarterback Tristan Pierce completed 114-of-174 passes for 1,481 yards with 12 touchdowns and four interceptions as a junior last year.
“He had a quietly impressive year statistically,” Hays said. “He put up productive numbers. He’s very smart with the football.”
David Hadaller, a senior, is a proven commodity at running back. He ran 98 times for 433 last year.
“He missed four games and came back against Willard and had 150 yards rushing,” Hays said. “He played well in the playoffs against Republic. All of his production, he did that while missing four weeks of the season. He works hard and runs hard. He’s also an unselfish back. He’ll block for you. He’s the ultimate team player.”
Tay Hill, a junior, is a promising running back. His older brother, Jay Hill, rushed for 1,437 yards for Branson over the 2017 and 2018 seasons. Tay ran six times for 70 yards last year.
“As coaches, it’s kind of fun while we watch Tay run and think about the similarities between him and Jay,” Hays said.
Branson’s offensive line is anchored by 6-foot-4, 285-pound senior Joe Don Kirkland.
“He’s getting college offers and is our biggest prospect, as far as playing at the next level,” Hays said. “He’s our strongest kid in the weight room. He’s not just big. He’s athletic for his size. He moves well.”
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Cooper is Branson’s only returning receiver who had more than 10 catches last year. New passing targets are Hutchinson, Justin Gill and Cooper Saxton.
Hays has repeatedly alerted his players of the Pirates’ glory years in hopes they can make the program prominent again. He’s designated the team’s theme as ‘Rise Up.’
“We’ve talked to the kids about the rich tradition at Branson,” Hays said. “(Former head coach and current assistant coach) Steve Hancock had a lot of success here in the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s. It’s been mostly dormant since then. I feel like we have the pieces in place and momentum going in our favor to be very competitive. It’s time to rise up and get Branson back on the map as a premier program. This is a great group to put that challenge on. I think they’re up for the challenge.”
