With the start of high school football practice less than two weeks away, it was time for me to start hitting the turf in search of this season's stories.
Tuesday's visit to Biloxi High School connected the 2008 season with past fortunes.
One of the beauties of high school football is the family connection to each school. When you think of Gulfport, you think of the Barneys, Barkums, Garners and Carlsons, to name a few. There are the Ladners, Hamels and Hardys at D'Iberville, the Wonsleys in Moss Point or the Beaugezs in Ocean Springs.
When the Indians line up this fall, senior offensive tackle Cooper Powers and senior center Brock Allen carry on the football traditions of their families.
Powers' dad is Don, and his brothers Beau and Ben preceded him with the Tribe.
Brock's dad is former Indians star Billy Ray Allen, and his uncles are Gene Allen, John Allen and Joe Allen. And he has a cousin Jamie who played football for Biloxi.
"My brother Ben played offense and my brother Beau played defense," the 5-foot-11, 253-pound Cooper Powers said. "When we watch old videos of each other, we say, 'you got a good block there' or 'hey, you got a good hit there.'
"When we get my videos, I hope we can go back and enjoy the nostalgia of that.
"Football is a family thing. My sister-in-law and nieces and nephews look to come down and watch me play, and football in general. I know my nephew will play when he gets older."
Since Cooper's nephew is one-year-old, he will have some waiting to do.
Likewise, the 5-foot-10, 265-pound Brock Allen benefits from some chalkboard talk with his dad.
"Every Friday night after the game, my dad sits down with me and tells me what I did right and what I did wrong," Allen said. "We have a runover of the game, every play. You didn't do this, you could have gotten that guy. It's helped me out in the long run, made me better.
"I have a lot of live up to."
Both Powers and Allen are part of an offensive line that hopes to propel the Indians into the state playoffs. The Indians have gone to a shotgun offense, one that incorporates the spread with the misdirection attack that Coach Steve Jones has run in the past.
Both o-linemen are excited about the season, energized by offensive line coach Jerry Fremin.
"He molds us together, gives us great feedback and we give him good feedback," Powers said. "Position, posture and punch. We live by that creed."
Family ties aren't always exclusively with one school.
Nick Stewart - who plays linebacker, nose tackle and long snapper - has connections that make the Hattiesburg game special. Stewart moved to Biloxi from Baton Rouge. Former Southern Miss coach Jim Carmody is the uncle of his mother, Mary. Nick's uncle Steve snapped at Hattiesburg High for four years.
"We hear a little bit when Hattiesburg plays down here," Stewart said. "When I was in 10th grade we beat them up there. We're due for another win."
Stewart and his teammates don't have long to wait.
The Indians open their season at Hattiesburg on Aug. 29.
Got another tradition?
Send in your family football tradition to Doug Barber.
And a chance for these seniors to carry on a family tradition.
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