Brayden Hardwick and his Pocola football teammates have enjoyed success in recent seasons. With success comes higher expectations, and Hardwick believes the Indians can meet those lofty goals and make a run at a state championship.
“High expectations is actually good,” said Hardwick, a senior receiver. “It might cause a little bit of pressure sometimes, but Ja (Posey, Pocola’s quarterback) pretty much relayed the message to the team that pressure is a privilege. So, as long as we know our identity and who we are going into each game every week and put the work in preparation, watch film, rep it out in practice, I believe that every Friday night it should just be in our hands, and we should be playing for a gold ball on December 14 (the date of the Oklahoma Class A-I championship game).”
Hardwick was the Indians’ top receiver on a squad that finished 9-3 and reached the A-I quarterfinal round. He caught 102 passes for 1,783 yards with 14 touchdowns. Posey, as a sophomore in 2024, ended up throwing for more than 4,100 yards and 39 TDs. Hardwick remarked that he enjoys the rapport that he and Posey have developed on the field.
“Oh, man, we’ve been knowing each other since about fifth or sixth grade,” Hardwick said. “One of my siblings is actually his cousin, my half sibling, so we’ve got a little bit of family ties there, but on the field and in the weight room, we’re pushing each other, no skipping reps.”
Even though the Indians will be missing two key cogs from last season’s offense, running back A.J. Lyons-Jerrell and 6-foot-8 tight end Dakotah Terrell, a University of Missouri signee, Hardwick believes the offense remains solid.
“Last year, we really only had one running back in rotation, and this year, we’ve got three,” Hardwick said. “Then losing a 6-8 receiver, obviously, that’s pretty bad, but we’ve got two other weapons coming back who are fast and strong; not as tall, but you’re going to have to pay attention to them for sure.”
Hardwick also sees plenty of action on the defensive side of the field, playing both cornerback and safety in the secondary. He’s spent the offseason both in the weight room and in the film room getting ready for his senior year.
Academics are also huge in Hardwick’s family, and he has spent an equal amount of time on his grades as he does playing football as well as basketball. Hardwick, who possesses a 3.4 grade-point average, shared some recent good news.
“I just got a pretty good report; I got a 25 on my ACT (exam),” he said. “There was a lot of studying this summer that went into that. So it’s really good to see results when you know you put the work in in all aspects, not just sports, but academics as well.”
Playing on Pocola’s basketball team, Hardwick was a part of the Indians’ consecutive runs to the state title game his sophomore and junior seasons. Now he wants to experience a championship-game appearance on the gridiron.
There’s an extra incentive for Hardwick should the Indians make it to the title game, which is at the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond.
“I’ve got two brothers that go to the University of Central Oklahoma right now, so it would be great to play in front of them at their home school,” Hardwick said.