WEST POINT – West Point High School junior Chris Calvert flies under the radar.
That is exactly how both Calvert and his coach Chris Chambless like it.
“He may be the most undervalued player in the state,” Chambless said. “We love him. We are glad he is one of us.”
At 5-foot-9 and 177 pounds, Calvert does not strike someone as an imposing force on the football field. However, his numbers prove otherwise.
As a sophomore, Calvert ran for 1,490 yards and 18 touchdowns.
“Little guys have to go harder,” Calvert said. “All I have ever known has been hard work. I love the game. If that means working harder to get better, that is what it means. I will always do whatever it takes to make my team succeed.”
Calvert’s breakout season was pretty remarkable by most sophomore standards. On some teams, he would have been the leading rusher. At West Point, he ran alongside fellow junior Marcus Murphy, who ran for 1,615 yards and 16 touchdowns.
With his speed, size and versatility all over the field, Murphy has quickly emerged as one of the state’s top prospects. On the other hand, Calvert attacks in silence.
“Playing alongside (Murphy) has been great,” Calvert said. “We have experienced so many things together. I don’t take any of this for granted. I know how special it is to get to start as a sophomore. The coaches have really believed in me and given me a chance to succeed. The big thing is to become better leaders. We have the ability. We just have to go out and lead.”
Chambless said Calvert’s worth ethic made him a believer rather quickly.
“Chris is always working,” Chambless said. ” His size will probably scare off some colleges. What these people don’t realize is the heart that beats inside that youngster. He will run through a brick wall if that is what is necessary to help the team win a game. He’s quiet and soft-spoken so you sometimes have trouble gaging how he is feeling. When the lights are on, it’s all business. He is to going to give you a tremendous effort.”
With senior transfer Clayton Knight penciled in at the quarterback position, Murphy will be featured more out of the backfield this season, as well as a receiver. With the other team’s focusing their defensive efforts on those two, Calvert knows what that means.
“I just have to take advantage of my opportunity,” Calvert said. “The offensive line was great last season and will be great again this season. We all have a chance to impact the game. When my number is called, I have to make the most of that opportunity. We really have all of the pieces to be a special team.”
Both Murphy and Calvert had a huge impact last season when West Point finished 11-3 and played for the Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 5A North State championship. A second straight season ended with a playoff loss to region rival Oxford.
“I don’t know if we realized how good we could be at the start of the season,” Calvert said. “It’s a big jump to varsity ball and we were trying to get used to everything. The hard work I put in during the summer (before the 2015 season) really paid off. After some of the big wins early, like Columbus and Noxubee County, I think we got settled in and really had a great season. We were disappointed in how the season ended though. I think that has been the big motivation for this season. We know we have what it to takes to win a state championship.
“We just have to set our sights high and go after it.”
West Point averaged better than 300 rushing yards per game. It is the style Chambless likes to play. While Knight will give the Green Wave another dimension to the offense, the desire to run the ball will be strong.
“Both (Murphy and Calvert) will be big for us out of the backfield,” Chambless said. “They have two different running styles. I don’t think you can look past what each brings to the table.”
With this being his junior year, the recruiting interest should mount for Calvert as the numbers continue to grow. He is taking what lies ahead in stride.
“You can’t get to worked up about the future when you still have two full high school seasons left to play,” Calvert said. “All you can do is work to get better. I am going to work every day that I am out here to become a better player. The coaches believe in me and my teammates believe in me. If you work hard enough, everything else will take care of itself. The chance to play college ball is exciting and a lifelong wish. What you do now is make you sure you don’t take any shortcuts to be there. You have to go out and prove you are one of the best.
“This team has confidence and believes in one another. You need each other to win. I don’t think anybody is working harder and than me or my team.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Scott Walters on Twitter @dispatchscott
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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