WEST POINT — West Point football is a long-standing tradition rooted in success with 11 state championships to its name.
Those who come through it have to earn their stripes to work their way up the totem pole from backup to starter.
Senior running back Keshawn Henley is no different, getting just 45 carries as a sophomore. He waited his turn like everyone else, and when he got his chance, he took full advantage of it, with a unique spin.
Not many high schools in the country, let alone in Mississippi, have three running backs on their roster who could be No. 1 running backs at other programs.
The Green Wave do, and Henley has thrived as part of this three-headed monster.
“I knew when I first got up there for my sophomore year that I was going to have to work for it to get my plays and packages,” Henley said. “Like Coach told me, I’m not going to automatically start off the rip and get plays. It was going to come over time.”
“That didn’t bring me down or nothing. I just wanted to play West Point football, work hard every day at practice, be a team player.”
That team-first mentality is exactly what makes this three-headed running attack so lethal, but it’s also something that might be a deterrent for some players.
The goal is always to continue to play at the next level, to prepare for playing at the next level, and having three main running backs to go to might diminish that for someone who isn’t bought in.
West Point is bought in, and the Green Wave execute this to perfection, led by junior quarterback Kahnen Daniels.
Daniels ran for nearly 2,000 yards this season and 23 rushing touchdowns, but right behind him was Henley, nearly posting his second-straight 1,000-yard rushing season with 972 rushing yards and 14 rushing touchdowns.
“He embraces wanting to win,” West Point head coach Chris Chambless said. “He understands his role in our offense, and he understands that there are other guys that have a role in our offense. We try to get all of them involved, and it’s a good problem to have, but our kids haven’t looked at it as a problem.”
“They’re very supportive of each other, really good friends. They all pull for each other.”
Henley understands that better than anyone now in his senior year. He was once cheering from the sidelines more often than not when the Green Wave were on offense.
Now, he is a go-to guy for them and an important part of their offense, especially this year as West Point reached a seventh straight MHSAA Class 5A championship game.
Not only has his role on the team increased tremendously over the past few years, but his leadership position has increased tenfold, and he’s fully embraced it.
“It feels like the team, they’ll follow me and my path,” Henley said. “When I was a sophomore and a junior, the older guys, I looked up to them, and I always wanted to be in that position.”
Henley has finally assumed that position, and it’s made both him and the team stronger as a result.
Friday night’s state championship game in Hattiesburg will be his final high school game, but the 7 p.m. kickoff can’t come sooner.
“It’s going to be my last game with the West Point Green Wave, but I’m still going to be a team player,” Henley said. “It’s not about ‘I’ in this game as we try to get the big dub.”
MHSAA football championships at a glance
Where: M.M. Roberts Stadium at the University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg
How to stream: NFHS Network (misshsaa.tv), MyMS
How to listen: 89.9 FM
Friday
11 a.m.: Raleigh vs. Noxubee County, Class 3A
3 p.m.: Bay Springs vs. McEvans, Class 1A
7 p.m.: Picayune vs. West Point, Class 5A
Saturday
11 a.m.: Mendenhall vs. Louisville, Class 4A
3 p.m.: Scott Central vs. Charleston, Class 2A
7 p.m.: Brandon vs. Starkville, Class 6A
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 34 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
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