Football-playing cousins enjoying senior-year success

Both teams entered undefeated and state-ranked – the Panthers at No. 1 in the Class 1 media poll; the Cardinals at No. 10.

MCHS took advantage of a pair of early South Shelby turnovers and didn’t look back en route to a 46-8 victory.

After the post-game handshakes and well-wishes, four senior cousins – three Panthers and one Cardinal – posed for photographs.

Monroe City wide receiver-cornerback Jaylyn Countryman and South Shelby quarterback Trey Countryman are first cousins. Panthers’ lineman (and sometimes bruising running back) Landan Holland and lightning-quick running back Cameron Jones are more distant cousins.

Those three players – and their senior teammates – had never lost to the Cardinals in varsity football. That was not lost on Holland. In fact, he was a “South Shelby Surprise” carrying the football; even scoring a touchdown.

“It was a good feeling. I liked the energy we came out with. We had a different kind of fire,” Holland said.

For the four related seniors, the years zipped by. If they think time has flown, imagine what their older relatives think.

Jaylyn Countryman remembered youthful days spent with Trey at their Grandma Lisa’s house.

“Even then, we were playing football outside just passing it around,” Jaylyn said.

“I moved away to Kansas City then came back to South, but I remember all the time we were running around as little kids talking about football,” Trey Countryman recalled. “It’s crazy to think that years later, we would be competing out on the field, but it is what it is.”

Over the course of time – Jaylyn, Trey, Cameron and Landon were friendly foes.

“We were always playing each other,” Jones said. “Our eighth grade year, we didn’t lose to anybody but South Shelby. Even in youth league, that was the only school we lost to.”

Jaylyn stated there was a time that all four cousins played together … with success, albeit in a different sport.

“We were in middle school. At the Monroe City Fourth of July basketball tournament for two or three years in a row, we won it every time,” he said.

Lisa Countryman attended the Monroe City-South Shelby tilt.

“She wore a shirt that says Monroe on one side and Cardinals on the other,” Jaylyn said. “After the game she just told us she loved us, she was proud of us; that we both had a good game.”

Trey openly speculated post-game about the possibility of getting a rematch with Monroe City in the district playoffs. Jaylyn had a response to that scenario – or, perhaps, it was issuance of a warning.

“I just know I’m the better Countryman.”