Baby steps
It’s finally showtime for the Belgreen Bulldogs.
After two years of laying the foundation and building the program, the Bulldogs are eligible to qualify for postseason play. And that’s great news for players and coaches alike, who have seen a different level of excitement in offseason and preseason workouts.
“The mentality has changed,” junior linebacker/running back Logan Alexander said. “Everybody wants to work now. Everybody enjoys being out here. We’ve finally got something to play for, and I think that’s made a big difference.”
Third-year coach Jonathan Raper, who guided the Bulldogs to a 6-2 record last season as a non-playoff eligible team, noted that having two years to build was not a necessarily a bad thing. But being in a region and playoff eligible is a game-changer.
“It was great that we had those first couple of years to build the foundation, but we really didn’t have anything to play for,” he said. “Now, for the first time, we’re in a region. We’ve got a chance to make the playoffs, and everybody’s really excited about it. Our workouts have been great. We’ve probably had the biggest turnout we’ve ever had because now we’ve got a goal we can actually achieve.
“At the end of the season we can hang our hat on something — making the playoffs, winning the region, finishing runner-up, or even third or fourth,” Raper said. “We’ve got something to play for, and that’s huge for our kids, our community, and our fans.”
Belgreen has enjoyed athletic success across its programs. Now, the expectation is that football will add to that success. Senior linebacker Carlos Alban said community support has grown along with the team the past two years.
“They’ve grown to love us more every year, and I think it’s just going to keep growing,” he said. “The little kids love talking about football, and they can’t wait to play when they’re our age. I think we’re setting the path for everybody coming up behind us.”
Many players had never played before showing up that first year. Now, everyone is anxious to see the fruits of that labor as Belgreen begins play in Class 1A, Region 7.
“We’re putting in more work than I’ve ever seen,” offensive lineman Angel Morales said. “We want to set the tone for the future. We want to show everybody we’re not here to mess around — we’re here to dominate. Over these next 10 games we’re going to go out, have fun, play our best, make the playoffs and hopefully win the region. That would be great, especially in our first year.”
Offensive lineman Angel Morales said there is more of an urgency now as Belgreen begins a new era.
“Definitely,” he said. “We’re putting in more work than I’ve ever seen. We’re hitting the weight room hard, conditioning hard, and just working every day. We want to set the tone for the future. We want to show everybody we’re not here to mess around—we’re here to dominate. Over these next 10 games we’re going to go out, have fun, play our best, make the playoffs and hopefully win the region. That would be great, especially in our first year.”
