WILLIAMSBURG, Va. (WTKR) – If the 2023 Class 3 state title game taught Lafayette anything, it's that the program doesn't know how to quit.
"In the second half, we knew we had to fight," said senior offensive lineman Mason Mills. "If we would have started the game with the mindset, I think we could have won."
After getting down 21-0 to powerhouse Liberty Christian, the Rams punching back against the Bulldogs. They'd cut the lead down to one score in the fourth quarter, though they would ultimately fall 28-14 in the game.
"When you play a team like Liberty Christian, one that's known to be a dominant team," said head coach Andy Linn, "and you play them like we did in the second half it gives your kids confidence."
"It changes everything. We're coming out being the underdog and we have a chip on our shoulder," said defensive end Tristin Harris. "We're showing everyone that we can do it."
The blue and gold go into 2024 with that belief pouring over, looking to win the program's third state championship after getting so close last season.
A trip to Spotsylvania starts out the campaign for Lafayette, which won eight of its last nine games in 2023.
"We have so much confidence," Harris said. "We're just ready to get out here, do it all again, and make a statement for the 'Burg'."
There will be some attrition at important spots for the Rams, which lose starting quarterback Hayden Oleksy and running backs James Spencer and Naz Wolmart.
"You just have to trust in who you are and what you do," Linn said. "We trust our system, both offensively and defensively, both those systems have been pretty successful for us. And you just the kids as good as you can get them in that system."
"Just drill the fundamentals," Mills said. "That's all you can do because some of our guys are new, so we're just going to take it one step at a time."
When the Rams hit the field again, they know they'll have a target on their back. Such is life when you win 10 Bay Rivers District championships in 12 seasons.
"We have a reputation that we want to maintain," Mills said. "So nobody wants to be the team that falls or is the year that Lafayette didn't do good."
Now Lafayette sets its sights on making success in 2024 look like it nearly did one year ago.
"It looks like a state championship ring," Harris said.
"We won a lot of districts and a lot of regions," Linn said. "We'd like to get another shot at the state championship."
