CHESAPEAKE, VA (WTKR)- After back-to-back seasons with a 4-7 finish, Western Branch head coach Rashad Cook entered 2025 with a clear focus and mission: culture and purpose.

"The standard is always going to be the standard here at Western Branch," Cook noted. "That was set way before me. Our young men understand now what it takes to be a Bruin."

To help shape the future, Cook and company may tap back into the past. The 2022 campaign saw Western Branch claim the Region 6A championship and earn a state semifinal berth. 14 seniors on this year's team were freshmen on that roster, several of whom saw playing time. They experienced the camaraderie, brotherhood and attention to detail that made that team successful.

"It's the small things, the details," pointed out senior safety and receiver C

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