BECKVILLE, Texas — It may be a new year for Beckville sports, but the immense community support will never waver.
On Monday evening, it was time for "Meet the Bearcats", an event to celebrate and introduce the fall sport athletes for the Bearcats.
"It's always a hit here. People come out for whatever we have going on, whether it's a football game, Meet the Bearcats, or a volleyball game," said head football coach Cody Ross. "They always come out and support our kids, and tonight is no different. There's a lot of excitement in the air for a new year."
Beckville is certainly a school known for its top-tier athletic programs at the 2A level. Volleyball is no exception, as the Lady Bearcats will always compete at a high level. This year's squad is younger than usual, but they still boast some experience coming back.
"I'm super excited. We have a brand new team because some of our seniors left last year. But I feel like we all work well together," said senior volleyball player Maddie McAfee. "I try to encourage them mainly because we're all going to make mistakes. So, I just try to be the best that I can to be the best example for them."
All of Beckville has been waiting all offseason for the return of football, and this year's team has the potential to be their most exciting yet. The Bearcats enter the year near the top of the polls for 2A, and face a ton of challenging matchups to begin the year.
They kick off Thursday night of the first week at Timpson, state-semifinalists last year. However, the Bearcats know what they're capable of, and they believe they're ready to prove why they're one of the premier teams in 2A.
"We have a lot of seniors coming back so we're looking forward to that. We did graduate some leaders, but I feel like our seniors are really going to step up," said senior quarterback Calan Castles. "We have a lot of experience, guys that have played since freshman or sophomore year. As far as experience, I feel like we're better than most teams."