Southern Air Cenla Summer Camp: Pineville Rebels

PINEVILLE, La. (KALB) - The Pineville High School Rebels finished the 2021 season 3-7, but the Rebels are confident that this season the drought will end, and they will have their first winning season since 2006.

As Coach Bryant Bell enters his second year as head coach, his goal is the same as last season.

“Our motto has not changed since the day I got here,” said Coach Bell. “We know we are not going to win a state championship overnight and definitely not in a year, but we can come out here and get a little bit better every day. Eventually, we will get somewhere with these small steps.”

The Rebels are facing a few challenges as the season quickly approaches. They lost 25 seniors last season, and there are only 11 this season. There are only four starting Rebels returning this year, two on each side of the ball.

One of them is Junior Quarterback Jaylan Witty, who started the middle of last season against Ruston as a sophomore, and he finished the season with eight touchdowns and over 1,800 passing yards.

“I feel like I was held back a little last year,” said Witty “I am pretty excited, I get a full season to take control this year.”

The Rebels are used to running the ball on offense, but they lost three of their running backs as they were seniors, but don’t worry, Coach Bell has a trio ready to continue the trend of picking up first downs and running in for touchdowns.

“We sort of have a three-headed monster,” said Coach Bell. “With junior Jacoree McGill, junior Jaylan Fortson and senior Ty’Darrius Harden, Ty’Darrius is more your thunder back. He is your bigger guy, we are repping him at linebacker a little bit, and the other two are a little quicker and shiftier.”

There is a key senior that will be an iron man on the field this season, Greg Willis. He will be playing outside linebacker, receiver, and catching kicks. Willis had to step up as he is the guy many of the players look up to.

“I have had been more of a team player, more of a leader and trying to lead in the right way,” said Willis.

The sophomore class is what makes up two-thirds of the Rebels’ huddle this season, but it is all about the seniors to look out for this season.

“Offensive Lineman Alex Courville, the lone returner on the offensive line,” said Coach Bell. “We are expecting big things from him and big leadership from him as well. On the defensive line, we have Jacob Asbury, senior Defensive Lineman, he missed a few weeks last season due to an injury, but he is hungry to get back.”

Coach Bell and the Rebels will continue to go through somewhat of a rebuilding process this season, but he said he hopes to give a few teams a run for their money, and maybe, even take the rivalry against Alexandria Senior High School for the first time in eight years.

To see who the Pineville Rebels will play this season, click here.

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