WIMAUMA, Fla. — Aquilla J. Morgan High is Hillsborough County’s newest and largest campus. With a new school comes a new football team.
The Morgan football team will play its inaugural season with just 56 junior varsity players. The Mustangs’ players believe in building something from the ground up.
“To me, it’s about writing history,” Morgan wide receiver Martis Bunton said. “First ones to come here, first touchdown, first first down, all of that. It’s about building the first brotherhood, ever, at Morgan High School.”
“Maybe start a legacy or start something big,” wide receiver Jonathan Stephen added. “There’s not a lot of first things to do. I couldn’t pass something like that.”
Head coach Marlo Hollingshed is the man leading the Mustangs. He previously coached at Robinson High. Now he’s looking to build a winning culture at Morgan, but he knows it will take time.
“A lot of our kids are coming from Little League,” Hollingshed said. “It’s not a disadvantage in a bad way. From a coaching standpoint, we start with the fundamentals. Lay the groundwork and teach them how to do everything. By doing that, we set the traditions and foundations for Morgan High School.”
With no seniors, Morgan High will play a six-game junior varsity schedule this season and move to the varsity level next season.
“I expect us to grow, get better, and get ready for our varsity schedule next year,” freshman wide receiver Isaiah Bois said. “To me, this is just a training year to learn from each other, learn the sport. It’s a first for a lot of us.”
Bois is already making game-changing plays in practice, jumping high to grab an interception during Thursday’s workout, and he can’t wait to do that under the Friday night lights.
“We've got all these programs all around us that have been around for years,” he said. “It’s big to start something brand new, have everyone doubt you and come up from nothing.”
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