Rockwall-Heath prepares for rivalry showdown with Rockwall

Rockwall-Heath head coach Casey Dick said it best.

In order to play for the Hawks, there's one non-negotiable every player must bring: energy.

"It doesn't matter what time," Rockwall-Heath linebacker Carson Adams said. "Early or late, that's just something we need to bring every time because eventually that's what's going to win us games."

The Hawks have already clinched a playoff berth and are hoping to do some damage in Class 6A Division 1.

For many of the players, the best part about this year is playing with a group they've known since grade school.

"Our bond is just something that you can't teach anywhere," Adams said. "We've been playing together since like 2nd-3rd grade. Our bond is unbreakable, and that's what's keeping us strong throughout the season."

"We all support one another, and we're able to be competitive on the field, Rockwall-Heath quarterback Prosper Neal said. "At the same time, when we get off the field, we're brothers and a close group."

That intensity that is evident in practice carries over to the field on game days, especially when adversity hits. Rockwall-Heath has responded with a big win after every loss this season. With the postseason around the corner, they say they're already prepared to walk through any fire.

"We're resilient because we're going to stay together and we're not going to break apart," Neal said. "We're not going to argue or anything like that."

"That's something that's kind of rare in high school football as far as how connected they are," Dick said. "They're a really connected group, bonded group that's been through a lot. There's not a whole lot that fazes them."

Rockwall-Heath certainly won't need any extra motivation this week.

The Hawks square off with their crosstown rivals, the Rockwall Yellowjackets, in a matchup that always carries a little more meaning.

There's plenty of pride on the line. But despite all the hype, the Hawks are treating it like any other team standing in their way.

"You have to have emotion, but not too much emotion to where you can't go out and not be able to function," coach Dick said. "That's something we're continuing to preach."

"This is one that we circle on the calendar to start the year," Adams said. "This is what we look forward to every year. Again, I've been playing these guys since I was 5, 6 years old. This is definitely something I'm looking forward to."