Photo by MS Scoreboard

By Robert Wilson

      Three of the MAIS Big 4 – Jackson Prep, Jackson Academy and Madison-Ridgeland Academy – have won three consecutive state football championships.

      Prep won seven in a row from 2012-2018 and three in a row from 2006-2008, JA won three in a row from 2009-2011 and MRA won three in a row from 2019-2021.

      Hartfield Academy will try to join those three teams with a three-peat this season.

      The Hawks are coming off its best two seasons in school history, winning 26 games with only two losses and back-to-back state championships, the first time they have won state football titles.

      Hartfield has six offensive and five defensive starters off last year’s MAIS Class 6A state championship team, which finished 12-2. The Hawks avenged their only two regular season losses with wins over MRA 17-14 in the semifinals and Prep 19-14 in the championship game.

      Now, Hartfield and head coach Craig Bowman will try to win another one.

      Bowman, a Montgomery, Ala., native who played football at Millsaps College, was the Mississippi Scoreboard Metro Jackson Coach of the Year after leading Hartfield to a 14-0 record and its first state football title in school history in only its third year of Class 6A. The Hawks were the first team to finish14-0 in the largest classification in MAIS history. Bowman, starting his sixth season at Hartfield, has a 53-11 record, an 82.8 winning percentage.

Hartfield had never beaten the Big 3 6A schools before defeating Prep in the regular season three years ago. Since then, Hartfield has a 12-5 record against those three teams, 4-0 against JA, 5-3 against Prep and 3-2 against MRA.

.     “I am not sure that winning a state championship has changed our confidence,” Bowman said. “I believe that our players and staff believe in what we do and who we are as a school and program. Our players love playing in big games, win or lose. If anything, the past two seasons have built confidence in the way we lift weights, the way we practice, and the way we prepare.

“I believe that we do a really good job of developing players. Our players buy into what we ask of them, and they take it to the next level. They work on their own outside of the times that we are together because they want to be the best versions of themselves. We do not talk about winning a third championship very often. We know it is out there, but I believe it is more about building a legacy than chasing a trophy. Our past success is not something that we can rely on, it is something that we are trying to build on. This team has its own story to write this season.”

Photo by Brad Bridges

Bowman is excited that he has toughened up his schedule this season. 

      “We want to play in big games,” Bowman said. “We worked really hard to add the games against Columbia High (one of the favorites in MHSAA Class 4A to open the season Aug. 29 at Hartfield) and (defending MHSAA Class 7A state champion) Tupelo High School (play Oct. 3 at Tupelo) for this season. In the first six weeks of the season, we play the three Metro schools and the two MHSAA schools. It is going to be really tough, but also a lot of fun. I am not sure what our record will be going into October, but we are very excited about the challenge. Our state has great football programs, public and independent, that need to be playing each other. Look at the states around us. They do it and it is great for these schools. I hope we can continue to play top competition in the coming years.”

The biggest losses to graduation were 2024 wide receiver-defensive back-return specialist Kenzy West (Houston signee), and defensive linemen Reggie Vaughn (Arkansas signee), and London Simmons (Alabama signee). West was the 2024 Performance Therapy/Mississippi Scoreboard Metro Jackson Player of the Year and produced 1,568 yards and 25 touchdowns last season.

      But Bowman has plenty of athletes coming back to face those tough opponents, led by one of the best players in the country and one of top athletes in Mississippi history.

      Senior defensive back-wide receiver-kick return specialist Bralan Womack is rated the No. 2 player in Mississippi, the No. 1 safety and No. 12 player in the country in the Class of 2026 by 247 Sports.

      He has 34 Division I offers, including 13 from the SEC, and has narrowed his choices to four schools, Auburn, Florida, Texas A&M and defending national champion Ohio State. He is expected to announce his decision on August 21. 

The 6-foot-1, 196-pound Womack had 39 tackles, 8 interceptions, 2 pass break ups, and 4 touchdowns, caught 54 passes for 1,045 yards and 13 TDs, had 5 punt returns for a 22.5-yard average and 2 TDs and had 3 kickoff returns for a 42.7-yard average and 1 TD last season as a junior. He was the first team all-purpose back selection on the 2024 Performance Therapy/Mississippi Scoreboard All Metro Jackson team.

Womack had 26 tackles, 7 interceptions for 89 yards and 2 TDs, 1 fumble recovery for a 52-yard return, and caught 32 passes for 562 yards and 10 TDs two years ago as a sophomore. He also averaged 54.8 yards on four kickoff returns and 2 TDs and averaged 30.1 yards on nine punt returns and 2 TDs.

      “I believe that Bralan Womack has the potential to be one of the top players to come out of Mississippi,” Bowman said. “His commitment to daily improvement is unmatched. I am not aware of a better player to come out of the MAIS. Being the top player in the country at his position doesn’t just happen. It takes years of training and surrounding himself with good people. Bralan is also one of the best teammates I have ever been around. I have sat in the room with him and some of the top college head coaches and Bralan is always talking up our school and our team. He loves the guys that he gets to go to practice with every day and it shows up Friday nights. I am so grateful to be around this character of kid and his family.”

      Another top player returning for Hartfield is senior running back-linebacker KD Catchings, a 6-2, 220-pounder who gained 1,065 yards, 8.4 yards per carry, and 15 TDs and had 37 tackles and 6 pass breakups last season as a junior. He has committed to Liberty and has Division I 15 offers. Catchings is rated No. 42 player in Mississippi in the Class of 2026 by 247 Sports.

“KD was a 1,000-yard rusher for us and one of our top linebackers last season,” Bowman said. “KD is a very fast and physical player. “

Senior linebacker Coleman Williams is the leading returning tackler with 57 tackles, fourth on the team behind two SEC signees in Simmons and Vaughn and Cooper Howard.

“Coleman is the leader of our defense,” Bowman said. “Coleman is tasked with making sure everyone gets the calls and gets lined up right. This is a kid that is an extremely hard worker and as smart of a football player as I have ever coached. I look for really big things this year from him.”

Another top returning player is senior defensive back-wide receiver and South Alabama commitment Teryn Green, who had 43 tackles, 3 interceptions and 7 pass breakups and had 4 catches for 41 yards last season as a junior.

“Teryn is a 200-pound corner that can run, cover, and tackle extremely well,” Bowman said. “He has a year under his belt and has learned our system (after transferring from Warren Central). He made a really big impact in the semifinals and state championship game last year.”

Photo by Brad Bridges

      Another key returning starter is senior linebacker-H back Coleman Yoder, who caught 11 passes for 134 yards and one TD last season as a junior.

“Coleman is a very important piece to our offense and has had a really good off season,” Bowman said.

Junior Ethan Elliott replaces Cayman Tapper at quarterback. Tapper, a Pearl River Community College signee, passed for 2,425 yards and 29 TDs last season.

Hartfield has three transfers who are expected to contribute, 6-3, 296-pound sophomore offensive lineman and Ridgeland High transfer Jaylen Williams, junior wide receiver-defensive back and Brandon High transfer Logan Drummond, and junior wide receiver-defensive back and East Rankin Academy transfer Luke Wesson, son of former major league baseball player Barry Wesson.

The new coach on staff is former Ole Miss player Tariqious Tisdale, who is a defensive line coach.

Womack and Williams are expecting another great season.

“Winning two in a row shows we know how to handle big games,” Womack said. “It gives us confidence, but we also know we got to work even harder now. Everybody wants to beat us, so we can’t get comfortable. We lost some key guys, but we got some new players who are stepping up. We’re younger in some spots, but we’ve got a lot of energy. We’re still tough and focused, just got a little different mindset this year. I’ve gotten better at leading and tackling more on and off the field. I’ve worked on my game a lot – stronger, faster, smarter. I just want to do whatever it can to help my team win again. We’ve got to stay locked in, no shortcuts We need to keep working, stay humble, and play as a team. If we do that every week, we’ll have a real shot at another ring.”

“Winning back to back state championships does give us some confidence but we also know that makes us a huge target for the other teams during the season,” Williams said. “This year’s team is different from last year’s team in a leadership type of way. It took us to lose two straight games to start having some leaders step up and that made this year’s seniors want to start from the jump and not wait. Some new starters I would have my eyes on are juniors Logan Drummond, Ethan Elliot, and LJ Davis. They have stepped up for us this year and have improved a lot in the offseason They are going to be a big role on our team this year. Some major things for us to do to win that third straight championship are definitely playing as a team, watching film, and being prepared for any occasion. We know we have a tough schedule this year but it is going to take work on the field to win, but also work off the field.”

“I think winning generates excitement and pressure,” Bowman said. “We have the best fans in the state. Our home atmosphere is incredible, and our fans always show up to cheer for these players. Hartfield is a really tight community, and we show up for each other. Our students and fans are so supportive of all of our coaches and student athletes.”