Oak Hill High School had its first Friday Night Lights on August 28, 2019. Many new students have joined Oak Hill High School this year to become a Red Devil for the first time. These players have known each other since they were little; some grew up together. Becoming a Red Devil means that you are joining a family.
Coach Selvey said, “We are at a rebuilding stage and have lost lots of talented players. We’re using kids from the other schools to fill in that missing gap from the players they have lost. The new saying is who are we, what are we, what do we do.
“We want to have all the players to start understanding that they are now one whole team. This season we are trying to take pride in who we are and to know that we are all equal. Some of the team’s strength that they have relied on over the years was to push each player to the best they can be. We work on team building and thrive on lots of team effort.”
Each school has a different point of view on things when it comes to football and some players might have preferences for how they go about practicing.
Bryce Tucker, Oak Hill football player, said, “We have more coaches this year and have a lot of good players. We changed up a lot of our offense plays- more running than throwing. We also changed our defense. It’s better having the Fayetteville and Valley High School kids join us. The more people you have, the more chance you get on having new talent. They are all great guys and very nice. They’re also good hitters.”
Players usually start weightlifting so that they can hit harder and get stronger. Being in top physical shape is also a good way to prevent injury.
Devon Dean said, “The coaches are helping some of the younger players and getting them on the right track.”
Most say they love having both Valley and Fayetteville high school players on the team because they are all getting along and clicking.
Overall, it’s a young team. That means the leadership falls on the upperclassmen to get the younger players prepared.
David Cosby, Oak Hill football player, said, “We are always making sure if they mess up, to teach them to improve. We push each other and work harder.”
Some players say their focus is getting stronger and teaching each other new skills. A couple players say that not everyone is perfect and that they all have different skills they bring to the table.
Players also make sure they are getting proper nutrition before a big game and ensure they stay hydrated and get plenty of water.
So far, this year has been challenging for the Oak Hill Red Devils. The team has fought hard, but their effort hasn’t always showed up in the win column.
However, things are starting to change after their win over Lincoln Country High School last Friday night. The Red Devils played a good game and played very hard.
The Homecoming crowd was very big, and everyone was shouting cheers throughout the game. Everyone in the Oak Hill section was very happy and proud of the team.
During the second quarter, Oak Hill was up by only 3 points. During third quarter with eleven minutes on the clock, Oak Hill defender Khalil Gray recovered a fumble on Lincoln County’s 33-yard line. Then Cade Maynor completed a 26-yard pass to Rodell Allen for a touchdown.
Leonard Farrow received a 31-yard touchdown pass from Cade Maynor, followed quickly by Te-amo Shelton rushing for a 30-yard touchdown. The final score of the game was Oak Hill 33, Lincoln County 19.
With an exciting finish, the team hopes to build some momentum on the win. They can finally see their hard work paying off.