WAKULLA COUNTY (WTXL) — Derek Allen Jr., a former Wakulla player, has guided his alma mater to an 8-2 record and a district championship in his first season leading the program.
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For Wakulla football, winning isn't just a goal — it's an expectation. And for first-year head coach Derek Allen Jr., that's a standard he knows all too well.
A former War Eagle himself, Allen has returned to his alma mater and led the program to an 8-2 record and a district championship. As Wakulla prepares to host Bay in the first round of the playoffs, Allen says this season has been about much more than football.
Coming home to lead the program he once played for is something Allen doesn't take lightly. But even in his first year at the helm, he knows that success on Friday nights is something this community has come to expect.
"Yeah, it's a big deal. Big deal for me, might not be for the community because this is what's expected in Wakulla. But yeah, I got a good group of coaches and a good group of players, and it's all because of them," Allen said.
Getting to this point hasn't been easy. The War Eagles have faced heartbreak off the field, losing both a coach and a player this season. Through those difficult moments, Allen says his players, coaches and the entire Wakulla community have found strength in one another.
"Yeah, it's definitely been tough. We've had our ups and downs, like you said, losing a coach, losing a player. But I think everything kind of brought us a little closer. The players, the coaching staff, the community. So yeah, we've just kind of leaned on each other and been there for each other all season," Allen said.
That togetherness has helped Wakulla put together an eight-win season. But with an 8-2 Bay team coming to town, Allen knows the challenge ahead. Two teams with identical records — but two very different styles of football.
"They're more of a team that likes to spread it out and get the ball to their athletes, and we like to play within that phone booth and kind of run right at you and see if you want to tackle. So it'll be two different styles of play tomorrow night, but somebody's got to win, somebody's got to lose," Allen said.
While Allen has already brought a district championship back to his alma mater, he says the job is far from finished. The War Eagles will look to keep their season alive Friday night at home against Bay.
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