2021 36 Blitz: Bryan Station Defenders

LEXINGTON, KY (WTVQ)- Bryan Station’s turnaround and run last season was…well I don’t even know the word. The Defenders were 3-8 in 2019 and got beat 64-20 in their opening round playoff game.
In 2020, Phil Hawkins takes over. Station would lose their opener to Scott county 7-6 and then it happened. The Defenders rattled off ten straight wins, losing in the region title game to Dunbar. .

“You know I think the loss to Scott County ended up being a win for us,” says Head Coach Phil Hawkins. “You know the program had struggled so long with Scott County that when they saw how far the gap was closed that gave them some hope each week. and then to follow it up with a win. And it just started a train of wins. Confidence went through the roof and before you know it we’re sitting on ten-straight wins and in a regional championship.”

For the players, there was a transition period where they had to get used to Coach Hawkins.

“It’s been a lot really. And for real you learn a lot from it because different coaches got different playing styles, different ideas and stuff so you learn a lot on the way to that and that actually helped,” says senior defensive end Yedideyah Sledge. “Yea we had to adjust because with having a coach that’s really about winning, your mentality gotta be on point.”

But once those wins started coming, the defenders were all in.

Sledge
“When we started winning, we were like okay,” said Sledge. ” We most definitely might have a chance here and we did. And it was awesome and that’s why we’re ready this year.”

“As we were going, what a ride this is. And I think any coach would,” says Coach Hawkins. “You know halfway through my wife said you’re setting bar awfully high and it just kept going and going and going.”

So for the Defenders…what changed?

“I saw us work as a team. It started at the beginning of the season, preseason,” says senior quarterback and tight end Terik Mulder. “Working hard in the offseason. Got a new weight room. Working hard in the weight room. Working hard on the field. Practicing 2 hours and 30 minutes a day. It’s all about dedication.”

“We communicate,” says Sledge “When you’re on the field, everything is about communication. It’s key. you gotta know where that person’s supposed to be at and we’ve been actually pretty good at that.”

Coach Hawkins knew though to have a legit program, he needed to have a legit facility. And that started with redoing the locker room, but also taking their weight room up a notch and honestly, making it one of the better facilities in the area.

“We had a great winter,” says Hawkins. “We fixed the facilities up and the kids have gotten stronger. They want to be in the weight room. They want to be at practice. I think we started off pretty well this week and I’m excited to see the direction.”