POCA -- Seth Ramsey stood outside Poca’s makeshift football locker room – after a sticky July flex-day workout, it was cooler outside, he said, than inside the Dots’ wrestling room, which served as a football space as their digs were under renovation – and doled out popsicles.
“As long as they keep giving me that stipend where I can afford to buy them, we’ll keep getting them,†Poca's 11th-year coach deadpanned.
The sugary, icy treats were equal parts practical and symbolic. The Dots are hungry.
A decisive setback to Sherman in the 2024 regular-season finale left Poca perhaps one win shy of qualifying for the postseason.
The Dots have used that as fuel, their coach said.
"I think any time you end the season the way we did, whether playoffs [were on the line] or not, any time you miss the playoffs, that motivation should be there,†Ramsey said. “We’ve had numbers-wise a lot more guys out. We’ve had a lot more guys in the weight room and doing things over the course of the offseason they need to be doing.â€
Poca has improved by one win in each of the last two years. Ramsey sees that as progress, with the caveat that three years out of the postseason is long enough.
The good news for Poca is, 2021 and its nine wins and state semifinal appearance isn’t as far away as it might seem.
“A lot of these guys are younger brothers of guys who were on those teams,†Ramsey said of Poca’s four straight winning clubs from 2018-21, “and this is a community school, so Friday nights, your community’s always out here. So these kids ... they saw the Ethan and Toby Paynes and Gabe Keeches and Dillon Taylors and the Matt Stones and all those guys play.
“And it’s something that they need to experience for themselves, and the only way to do that is put in the work and get better each day that we’re out here, and to put ourself in a position to where we’re back to playing meaningful games at the end of November.â€
Poca has its most athletic team since then, Ramsey said, in that pursuit. The Dots also expect to be deeper than 2024, when a 3-0 start, followed by injuries in key places, melted into a 1-6 limp to the finish.
"Every school our size is in the same boat we’re in,†Ramsey said. “You can’t afford to lose this guy or this guy, because then you’ve gotta play musical chairs with everybody. But we feel a lot better right now about where we are depth-wise.â€
Back to direct it is quarterback Kam McBride, who threw for 1,398 yards, 15 touchdowns and 17 interceptions last season.
He’s worked on ball security, Ramsey said, and has “a pretty live arm†in addition to an even-keeled outlook beneficial to a signal-caller.
Spencer Jones, who ran for 525 yards and four touchdowns on 88 carries in spot duty last season, figures to become Poca’s bell cow in the backfield.
“He won’t say it, but I’m sure he was pissed last year when he didn’t get the ball more,†Ramsey said of Jones. “And not in a bad way, in a, ‘I think I can help us win, get me the ball, let me go’ type-deal. He's a competitor, just a hard-nosed kid, and we love him to death.â€
Colton Petry, a bruising runner who Ramsey tabbed likely the Dots’ best player, will play some tight end and fullback. He had 280 receiving yards and five house calls in 2024.
"He's hard-nosed, he works hard and he’s one of them kids that look the part when they get off the bus, too,†Ramsey said of Petry.
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A veritable host of receiving candidates create the depth Ramsey referenced.
Jack McClanahan, who had 290 receiving yards and two scores in four games in an injury-shortened campaign last year, is back out wide and will also return kicks.
"When he’s on the field, we’re a lot faster football team,†Ramsey said. “Jack can stretch people vertically."
DJ Combs (273 receiving yards, two TDs in 2024) has a knack for being in the right place at the right time in route-running, Ramsey said. Fourth-year starter Peyton Cook, formerly the Dots’ quarterback, brings versatility. Senior Nathan Christian, new to Poca’s football team, has athleticism, speed and ball skills, the coach said. Colton Dunbar is “like a Swiss army knife.â€
Freshmen Camryn Bonnett – younger brother of graduated stud back Preston Bonnett – Rylan Lett and Prince Brandon have stood out early. Juniors Blake Dillard and Levi Carroll have also grown their games to get in the mix as well at receiver.
Center Brody Godbey got an earlier-than-expected heaping helping of varsity action last year due to injury ahead of him and returns to anchor the line. Ramsey touted his improved strength and mobility, as well as low center of gravity.
Senior Daniel Burns brings height, good footwork and a long, lean build to the tackle position. Senior Cameron Cobb is working at guard, junior Nick Barber possesses leverage and good feet and Dylan Cline is back seeking a guard spot after an ACL injury last season.
Freshmen Robert Cook and Gavin Fore have bright futures up front, Ramsey said.
Burns, Godbey, Cline, Barber, Cobb, Fore and Cook are competing for snaps on the defensive front.
Corey Cook, a second-team all-state linebacker last year despite missing three games, returns to lead the linebacking corps. He tallied 59 solo tackles, 42 assisted and 17 for loss last season. On the last one, he broke his ankle and still made the tackle in the hole, Ramsey said.
Petry and Dunbar project to flank Cook as the weak-side and strong-side linebackers, respectively. Dunbar led the Dots in tackles last season with 54 solo stops, 78 assisted and 16 for loss. Petry chipped in 44 solo and 65 assisted tackles, including nine behind the line.
"They all have pretty good instincts and they’ve worked really hard in the offseason,†Ramsey said of the linebackers. “This will be the best linebacking corps we’ve had since ‘21.â€
Peyton Cook (24 solo tackles, 22 assisted last year), Jones (24 solo, 34 assisted), Camryn Bonnett, Lett, Dillard, Carroll, Braedyn McNeil and Dalton Bragg are in the mix at linebacker as well. Chris Cook, Corey's twin brother, will play strong safety as well as seeing some time in the box, Ramsey said.
McClanahan is back at free safety, where he made second-team all-state as a sophomore in 2023. Combs and Jones will play cornerback. Christian, Carroll and Brandon add depth in the secondary.
Ramsey praised the competitiveness, spirit and emotion of the Dots’ offseason workouts and said a return to focus on fundamentals, especially in blocking and tackling, has him optimistic this is the year Poca participates in playoff football again.
“We've had to really look in the mirror a lot in the offseason and question some of the things that we’ve been doing and our approach to things, because it just hasn’t worked the last few years,†Ramsey said, “and we’ve had a renewed mindset and a renewed energy over things.
“Our next step with this group is getting in the postseason. We’re gonna fight our hind end off and try our best to get there.â€
