After a 1-2 start, the South High football team reached a turning point. Coach Chris Capullo knew something had to change.
The Colonels responded to their second loss by refocusing on the culture and standards they wanted to establish. Since then, South has won four straight games, improving to 5-2 with Saturday’s 14-13 victory over Doherty.
“That second loss was our low point, and we regrouped and went back through our culture, our mission,” Capullo said. “We talked about how we want to respond to situations, how we want to handle ourselves, and how we want to be more focused as a team.”
That renewed focus has carried over to practice, where Capullo said players have embraced a faster pace and higher expectations.
“The kids are a lot more focused. They move a lot faster,” Capullo said. “They know the expectations and standards. We want to practice fast, and we want to be competitive in everything we do.”
Capullo credits much of South’s success to its offensive line, a group he believes deserves more recognition.
“I would 100 percent say the offensive line has been great,” Capullo said. “They don’t get enough love. We all know who the guys are that score touchdowns, but the offensive line doesn’t get nearly enough press, and they do a great job.”
The linemen began preparing long before the season, committing themselves to the weight room and carrying that work ethic onto the practice field.
“They really bought in back in January after a kind of miserable season in 2025,” Capullo said. “They lived in the weight room, and they’re down here practicing as hard as they can every day.”
That commitment has helped create a more balanced offense, with different players contributing throughout the season.
“We’re just playing way better team football,” Capullo said. “This year, everyone’s contributing. That’s the big thing; everyone has a part. Cyrus Johnson runs for 300 yards one week, Jay Kelly throws for four touchdowns, and Andy Mercedes catches three touchdowns.”
But South’s improvement extends beyond its offense.
Senior defensive back Daryl Julius said the Colonels have become better at maintaining their composure when facing adversity. Speaking before the Doherty game, he pointed to the team’s performance against Tantasqua as an example.
“Keeping our composure has changed the most,” Julius said. “Last game, against Tantasqua, everyone predicted we would lose, and we just took that grit and played our hardest that night.”
That resilience has developed alongside stronger relationships among teammates.
Julius said spending more time together away from football has helped build trust and strengthen the team’s bond.
“Hanging out off the field, going out to eat together more, and doing more things as a team has really helped us,” Julius said. “In the past, we would barely be with each other, but now we’ve grown into a family.”
Free safety Cayden Burnham echoed that sentiment, saying the relationships players have built are an important part of the team’s turnaround.
“What they don’t get to see is how much of a team we really are, how much of a family we really are,” Burnham said. “There’s a lot behind the scenes that has gone on since last season, especially since we didn’t have a great season. Turning it around this year has been special.”
For Burnham, one of the most memorable moments came after South’s victory over Clinton, when the team celebrated together on the bus ride home.
“There was music, and everybody was singing, dancing, and clapping. Even Coach Cap was having a great time,” Burnham said. “With all of us being so diverse and from different places in life, being able to connect on that level as a team is really important.”
Junior running back Cyrus Johnson said the Colonels have also learned to use their early setbacks as motivation rather than allowing them to define the season.
“After our loss to Shepherd Hill, we were able to start fresh and not let it stop us. We used it as motivation to move forward,” Johnson said.
Johnson played a key role in Saturday’s win over Doherty, catching a 12-yard touchdown pass from Jayson Kelley in the first quarter. In the fourth quarter, Andy Mercedes caught a 23-yard touchdown pass from Kelley, and Johnson added the winning conversion rush to secure the 14-13 victory.
Johnson also credited the offensive line for helping make his success possible.
“I love everyone on the team, especially the O-line,” Johnson said. “Without them, I’m nothing.”
Before Saturday’s matchup against Doherty, Capullo stressed the importance of remaining focused on the next challenge rather than looking too far ahead.
“We’re only going one game at a time, but every one of them is now the biggest game of our lives,” Capullo said. “And that’s how they’re treating it.”
Saturday’s one-point victory gave the Colonels their fourth straight win, another sign of how far they’ve come since their 1-2 start.
