#HSFT20 - Stop #3 West Lowndes

The Panthers' season starts at home on August 21st against Ethel.

The high school football tour continues previewing region 2-1a...checking in with the west lowndes panthers head coach anthony king and company return to the gridiron following a successful 2019 campaign...while also adding some championship pedigree to the locker room ááááintro billboardááá west lowndes football is back and better than ever.

After a breakout winning season in 2019, the panthers want to continue building on the positive momentum that an 8-4 season brings.

Except for this year, head coach anthony king wants his team to do even more.

"we start off strong every year, but we kind of fade more towards the end," king said.

"this year, we want to finish and play all the way through."

Finishing strong this season starts with the defense for west lowndes.

Luckily for the panthers, they're learning from one the best football minds in mississippi: legendary three- time state champion head coach m.c.

Miller.

"when you retire, it gets boring," miller said.

"you get bored at home sitting around doing nothing and you want something else to do.

Here i am up in west lowndes."

Miller is working to implement an aggressive defense at west lowndes.

Miller says that his past team's found success with the defense as the focus.

"that's the name of the game.

If you're going to hit and tackle, you're going to win the ballgame.

That's all i want to do--make contact.

I think these guys will make contact."

"he's pushing us hard," junior ath marquez shelton said.

"he's teaching us everything we need to know."

Coach king believes his 2020 team, might be the best team he's coached.

However, when it comes to making a deep run in the playoffs, king says keeping his team focused on football is it's own challenge.

"we're trying to turn west lowndes into a football program because everytime it gets colder and the ball gets dribbling guys pretty much want to stop playing football and get ready for basketball," king said."

"people overlook us in football and think we're just a basketball school.

We have to prove them wrong."

Shelton said.

"we're going to try and change that with football winning down the line.

That way they aren't going to think about basketball season until it's time for them to play," miller said.

West lowndes has its sights set on being one of the top four team's in 1a this season.

That begins for the panthers at home on august 21st against ethel.

Reporting in columbus on the high school football tour, courtney robb wcbi sports.