Are Bulldogs ready to step into spotlight?

TRINITY — Building a football program doesn’t happen overnight. It usually takes years to build trust among the administration, student-athletes and the community before positive results can be seen on the football field.

Trinity High School’s Bear Bradley and the program took a big step last year in Bradley’s first campaign at the Bulldogs’ helm and now he’s hoping that progression continues in the 2024 season.

Trinity, which finished 5-6 overall, including a 2-3 mark inside the Piedmont Athletic Conference last year, qualified for postseason play for the first time since the 2014 season.

“A lot of last year was me coming in and the kids getting to know me and the system and me getting to know what the athletes can do,” said Bradley, who has spent stints at Randleman, Southern Guilford and Wheatmore among other schools. “It’s hard on kids in general when someone new comes in, but we clicked and that made a huge difference.”

The five victories last year matched the most earned in one season since the 2017 team won six times.

“I think our guys, having a year in the program, are ready to step into the spotlight,” Bradley said. “We did play a lot of seniors last year, but we had juniors playing, as well as having more juniors pushing those seniors for playing time. Those kids learned how to compete and now it’s their time.”

One player who is returning and who seems to follow Bradley around just happens to be his son, senior Noah Bradley. Bradley threw for 1,546 yards and 13 touchdowns last year.

“He progressed a lot from Southern Guilford to Trinity and, of course, the system is easier for him to comprehend,” the elder Bradley said. “He definitely has a better feel for his teammates. As a quarterback, he took some lumps last year. He’s going to be smarter and he needs to take the proper reads. We always tell him to get the ball out and let your top athletes make plays.”

The Bulldogs lost a ton of weapons, including their top two running backs from a year ago, three of their top four receivers and four of their top five all-purpose yardage leaders. 

But there is talent on the roster. Daniel Rogers, Amen Wapples, Zaire Gil and Zorn Williams, among others, will be asked to lead the offensive backfield.

“It will be a good mixture, we will have some guys who can hit the edge — (Rogers) can hit the edge, he’s deceptively quicker than you think — while Zorn and Amen are more downhill, let’s go get it,” Bradley said.

Cam Nelson has been a dependable player on both sides of the ball as his importance increases even more so from last year. He will be at wide receiver, in the defensive backfield and battling for the backup quarterback position.

Leyland White and Ethan Willard can also catch the football. Western Guilford transfer Kha’Du Fuller, who could see time at quarterback in the Wildcats formation, will also be a key performer.

On the OL, Mason Heugly, JoJo Trahan, Emerson Hedgecock, Jason Green-Murray, Ireland Justice, who will also see time at linebacker, and Landon Vines will be counted on.

If the Bulldogs are going to take that next step, the defense will have to improve. THS surrendered nearly 31 points per game, including allowing opposing teams to score 58, 48, 44, 43 and 38 points in games.

“Last year was spent really getting used to a new system and now they understand the speed and tempo we want to play with,” Bradley said. 

Many of the players on the OL along with Michael Durham will also be on the DL and linebackers Wapples, Rogers and Cason Jax Dillard make up a solid core. 

Willard, Fuller, White, Jailen Smith and Nelson will lead the defensive secondary. Nelson led the Bulldogs with five interceptions in 2023.

“Our work intensity has been there,” Bradley said. “For us to continue, we have to build off last year and try and make a run in the playoffs. Our kids know that wins are not easy. They have to compete every Friday night.”