CARROLLTON - On a mid-July Saturday morning 7-on-7 at Carrollton High School, Byron Holmes was sweating profusely as the sun and humidity were sweltering.
Get The Latest News!
Don't miss our top stories and need-to-know news everyday in your inbox.
He was not alone.
Most of the Hawks had their hands on helmets or knees between every play, and whenever someone got a break, they would drench themselves with water to keep their cool. They would repeat that process.
With five weeks to go until the first week of the 2018 high school football season, it was evident in Holmes’ eyes.
“We all gotta get in shape,” Holmes said about his team’s fitness. “During our dead period we’re going to work pretty good as a team and get in the best shape as we can, and be ready for week one.”
The WIVC South All-Conference linebacker returns for his third year in the front seven. Including his all-conference recognition, Holmes led the South in total tackles with 162. Listed at 5-foot-8, he is a deceptively hard-hitting linebacker, which is something everyone surrounding him will take notice of, especially the youth.
“It’s pretty exciting knowing that there’s going to be people looking up to you and there’s always people watching in case you’re doing something bad. The young guys always watch, so I try to be [a good] example,” Holmes said. “I’d rather wrap up and make a tackle than hit someone hard, but if I get the chance, I’ll them hard and try to cause a fumble.”
Holmes will be a key contributor on offense as well at running back. Last season he rushed for 947 yards on 169 carries with 16 touchdowns, and averaged 5.6 yards per carry. Holmes led the conference in points with 148. Additionally, he was second on the team with 1,358 total yards and added 20 total touchdowns.
Speaking of youth and team fitness, Holmes noted how the incoming freshmen class had taken to the weight room, pressuring the upperclassmen to do the same.
“They’ve been putting in the work. We gotta get the whole team in there though. It’s going to take a team effort,” Holmes said.
Along with Holmes, the Hawks return a good amount of their star athletes like quarterback Hunter Flowers and all-state wide receiver Nathan Walker. Holmes is particularly cautious of the incoming offensive line after graduating multiple experienced starters. However, he does a have a positive outlook.
“We lost a good majority of our starters last year. The thing I’m most worried about is our line, but we went up to that camp in Maroa, and they were holding their own, so I think we’re going to be pretty good. With us seniors and starters that we have out there it’s more like we trust each other. We’re dependent on each other to make plays for the team and not just one person doing it all.”
