BIGELOW, Ark. — In 2023, the Bigelow Panthers made history, going 14-0 and bringing home the small town’s first-ever football state title.
Now, in 2024, they know that to dream big, they have to think small.
“We focus week by week instead of a bigger goal,” Bigelow senior Braeden Winningham said. “We need to go into each day focused on the next game and the next day of practice.”
Bigelow head coach Luke Starks said it's a new year and team.
"It was a great deal last year... we soaked it in for a long time," Starks said. "We talk to the guys like it's a new year, new week type of thing."
Because each week, that championship trophy brings something else along with it.
“It’s a target on our back,” Bigelow senior quarterback Martell Macon said. “At the end of the day, we know we have to come in and do what we need to do.”
Starks isn’t worried about his team handling the pressure. After all, they’ve been there before.
“They played in a lot of big games, so I don’t feel like that’s something that really affects them, playing on a big stage or anything like that," Starks said.
Even in the regular season, the Bigelow community makes every game feel like a big stage.
“We have everywhere filled up," Winningham said. "You can’t even barely walk in the gates."
It’s just the kind of motivation the Panthers need as they try to go back-to-back for Bigelow, the town that feels like an extension of the team.
“I love it," Winningham said. “Feeling that community behind you is a great feeling. It makes you want to play even more.”
Macon agrees.
“Just knowing everybody in the stands is behind you [and] ready to go to war with you," Macon said.
The road to a second title starts at home when Bigelow hosts England on Aug. 30.