ORANGE, Texas — The LCM bears flipped a switch with the addition of Coach Eric Peevey.
“Look if we’re not in it to when a state championship then why are we here,” said Coach Peevey.
The Bears 4-1 district record plus their four-round playoff run was the most successful season LC-M has seen since 1997.
“We’re gonna win now,” said Coach Peevey. “Let’s figure out a way to win now. There’s no excuses about it. Let’s figure out a way to do it and even if we don’t achieve what we want, we’re gonna give everything we’ve got to do that."
"I think the kids were shocked by that but they know that that’s the way we believe right now and that’s the way it works, so I have no doubt in my mind that’s the same exact way they think right now. We’re here to win right now,” said Coach Peevey.
The core of last season’s roster remains in green and gold as the bears return 20 lettermen keeping half the team.
“Dean’s moved from that tight end to quarterback position and he’s really taken it by the reigns,"said Coach Peevey. "He knows it. He’s the guy. He knows that he’s gotta be able to be that quarterback but more importantly be that leader on the team."
"When you return two Willie Ray Smith Finalists with Da’Marion Morris and Amier Washington everybody knows what they can do and they know what they’re capable of," said Coach Peevey. "I mean it’s just obvious. They lead by example. Every day they’re the first ones in, the last ones out. Jarvis Riley, the defensive end, that’s another one that played 14 games for us last year. He knows what’s expected of him. We have a lot of guys that we’re in those roles and played a lot of those spots so I think that’s gonna be a positive surprise for us,” said Coach Peevey.
LCM is starting the season off without its Battlin’ Bear Stadium but this delay hasn’t demolished their spirits.
“Right know we’re in a situation where we don’t have a fence, we don’t have a field, we don’t have a scoreboard, we don’t have our jerseys in yet, but it doesn’t matter," said Coach Peevey. "We have a field and a ball. That’s all that matters and as long as we go out there at that level with that kind of attitude, hey we just ate here to play ball. That’s all I need is ball players then we’ll be fine.”
LITTLE CYPRESS-MAURICEVILLE BATTLIN' BEARS
2021 Record: 11-3, 4-1
District Finish: Tied for 1st
Playoffs: Bi-District (Palestine, W 34-24); Area (Columbia, 42-21); Regional (El Campo, W 24-21); Quarterfinal (Tyler Chapel Hill, L 31-14)
State Championships: None
State Championship Appearances: None
Playoff Appearances: 11 (Last 2021)
2022 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Aug. 25 - vs Hardin-Jefferson (BISD Memorial Stadium)
Sept. 1 - vs West Orange-Stark (Larry Ward Stadium, Bridge City)
Sept. 9 - at Bridge City
Sept. 16 - at Kinkaid
Sept. 30 - Legacy School of Sports Science
*Oct. 7 - at Vidor
*Oct. 14 - at Livingston
*Oct. 21 - vs Splendora
*Oct. 28 - at Lumberton
*Nov. 4 - vs Huffman Hargrave
(*) District