Mosley is entering a lower classification this fall, but don’t expect the Dolphins to lower their expectations.
After competing in Class 5A, Mosley drops into Class 4A and joins one of the state’s deepest districts alongside Leon, Chiles, Lincoln, Rickards and Arnold. While the classification has changed, head coach Tommy Joe Whiddon believes the road to a district title may be even tougher.
“There’s more teams, so there’s more competition,” Whiddon said. “Chiles made a run last year and we played Rickards in the non-district and had to do everything in our power to beat those guys. Leon, we haven’t played in a while, but any year in Florida these teams are going to take a lot of pride in their program. We expect it to be a competitive dogfight and that’s what we want.”
The Dolphins also remain scheduled to face longtime rival Niceville in a non-district matchup.
“We’re not in the same district, but our guys are fired up to play them and they’re fired up to play us,” Whiddon said. “There might not be as much on the line, but I guarantee both sidelines are wanting to win more than anything else.”
Mosley returns one of the area’s most experienced quarterbacks in senior captain JP Holsombake, who will lead an offense featuring running back Sammy Chisholm and a talented receiving corps led by Ga’Marcus Halstead and Khalil Lauderdale.
Lauderdale is the player Whiddon believes could emerge as one of Bay County’s breakout stars.
“I think everybody in Bay County should know who Khalil Lauderdale is,” Whiddon said. “He just has that type of potential.”
Tight end Tanner Page also steps into a larger role after gaining valuable experience late last season, while an offensive line anchored by DeMarcus Smith, Dea Jordan and Jarren Jernigan has already logged significant varsity snaps.
“It’s a young group but an experienced group,” Whiddon said. “They’ve played a lot of football, and we definitely have a lot of confidence.”
Defensively, replacing last season’s production up front will be a priority, but Mosley returns plenty of talent.
Defensive captain Cole Archambeau teams with Rutherford transfer Elijah Waldrop to form a pass-rushing duo that is capable of over 20 sacks this season.
“When you’ve got two guys like that down there that can bring a lot of pressure, it makes it tough,” Whiddon said. “In our padded camp, both of them flashed, making a lot of plays for us.”
At linebacker, team captain Kane Colbert returns alongside versatile senior and Arnold transfer Charlie Cotter, whom Whiddon described as a “Swiss Army knife.”
“He’s a Swiss Army knife that can do a lot of different things,” Whiddon said. “We can play him out in space, we can bring him off the edge.”
Perhaps the biggest defensive addition is one the Dolphins already had.
Cornerback Kingston Paul returns after suffering a season-ending meniscus injury just three games into last season.
“He’s a real D-1 guy, He is a Division I corner,” Whiddon said. “When you have that guy that can just take one guy off the field, that allows you to do so much more with the rest of the guys.”
His return gives Mosley a proven shutdown defender in the secondary alongside Dawson Reed.
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Leadership has also been a major emphasis throughout the offseason. Holsombake and Archambeau were selected by Whiddon as captains, while Chisholm and Colbert earned captaincy through a team vote.
Rather than asking his new leaders to replace last year’s seniors, Whiddon has encouraged them to lead in their own way.
“You don’t have to try to be them,” Whiddon said. “You just have to be you. Consistently be you, and people will see that consistency.”
He also believes leadership begins with service.
“Your ability to lead is directly proportional to your ability to serve others,” Whiddon said.
That philosophy starts with what Whiddon calls the simplest rule in the program.
“Rule No. 1 of Mosley football is simple: show up,” he said. “The things in life that are important to you—you show up.”
District Prediction:
Class 4A, Region 1 District 2: Champions
Mosley enters the season as the favorite to win the new six-team district after defeating Lincoln, Arnold and Rickards last season. Still, the path won’t be easy. Injuries can quickly alter a team’s outlook, something the Dolphins experienced last year when several key players suffered season-ending injuries.
Mosley’s toughest district tests will be a home matchup against Lincoln and road trips to Chiles and Rickards. With six teams in the district, the Dolphins have margin for error and could likely lose one or two district games en route to the district title.
Adebanji Bamidele is a sports reporter for the Panama City News Herald. He can be reached at abamidele@gannett.com or through X, formerly known as Twitter, @AdebanjiBamide1.
This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Mosley football enters Class 4A with championship expectations
Reporting by Adebanji Bamidele, Panama City News Herald / The News Herald
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By Adebanji Bamidele, Panama City News Herald | USA TODAY Network
