Almost a full year since last season ended, and Bullitt East Football is back for the 2025 season, with brand new goals and a clean slate of expectations.
The Chargers ended last season with a 6-5 record, falling in the First Round of Playoffs. Despite losing plenty of seniors, the team is starting this season brand new, with the same kind of intensity that can send opponents a strong message. Through various goals, intentions, and qualities, this brotherhood is locked in from start to finish.
There are many expectations that the football team is trying to achieve this season. Recovering from falling short last season, they’re coming out hot and ready to push themselves even further this year. Everyone in Mt. Washington comes to these football games every week, and it’s what the students look forward to on Friday nights. Going into the second year of the newly renovated Mike Egan Field, every single section gets packed out on Fridays, and the team wants to make the entire town proud, representing them and Charger Nation with true pride.
“The perfect way to handle in-game events every single time is to take it on, helmet first,” senior defensive back Zion Sanders-Craig said. “There are going to be times where things don’t go your way and we play a competitive sport where the offensive is supposed to score the football, which they’re going to do sometimes. Handling that with your head up high and ready to go into the next play is how you get through an entire football game.”
Going into his final year, Sanders-Craig believes the team now has the guys that are ready to play physically in the state and shock everybody across all areas. They’ll be taking on tough opponents all season long, and they’ll continue to be tested at home and on the road. But if there’s one thing that’s true about this group, it’s that they stick together through thick and thin, just like in the meaning behind their “Work As One” mantra. There’s no doubt that this team is a true, tight-knit family, on and off the field.
“The brotherhood of the football team is very strong this year,” senior running back Cole Fackler said. “This is the last time all the boys will play together after playing little league together. Most of them have learned how each other play since they were four years old. The senior class especially is strong with each other and it’s their last ride with one other. In the past years there hasn’t been that trust in each other, which could cause a lot of trouble on and off the field. The way these boys have bonded over a game truly shows how much a sport can affect your life.”
Through the years, the team has been through so much together as a brotherhood, shaping them not only as tough athletes on the field but as individuals off the field. Going into this season for the seniors, this is their last ride with each other. As Fackler mentioned, a lot of them have been playing with and learning each other’s styles for most of their lives and even through the beginning of their football careers, so the bond has definitely been a strong force through all the noise.
As the season gets deeper, all the players keep their individual and team goals in mind. From wanting to go back to state, win the title, make the most out of all the big and small things, and more all are key pieces that keep them driven and motivated to make a strong run, all the way from regular season to playoffs.
“Take your time, don’t try to rush everything and just wait your turn.” senior running and defensive back Jayquan Crawford said.
As Crawford begins his last year of high school, he wants younger players to look up to him and all the other upperclassmen. As a team, he wants everyone to get them all together, talk to one another, try to cheer them up. He mentioned that with their strong family-like community, they don’t shut down when being yelled at, and everyone’s work ethic is really strong. Defense wins games, and that’s a key part he’s been preaching to everyone so that they can lock in all parts of the offense and defense in their favor.
Through commitment, dedication, brotherhood, and work ethic, Football’s 2025 squad is ready to be physical and send a strong message to the entire state. When mentioned by Sanders-Craig about the team’s focus, they don’t burn in the fire, they stay cooking and hot in the kitchen. They’re ready to put on a show for the entire Mt. Washington community, and the Friday Night Lights will be bright, shining on the Chargers all season long.
