Bryson Hiefnar has lived up to the Meigs County mantra: “Run the football and play aggressive defense.”
The 5-foot-9, 205-pound junior fullback and linebacker has been a workhorse for the Tigers, who will try to wrap up the sixth undefeated regular season in program history and this year’s TSSAA Region 3-3A title Thursday with a home win on senior night against Tyner.
“Bryson made the weight room a point of emphasis this offseason, and by the end of it he was the strongest person in our program,” first-year Meigs County head coach Tommy Bunch Jr. said. “He was lifting 1,100 pounds on three lifts. Not only did he get stronger, but he built a top-notch work ethic that has helped him become a leader for this team.”
Hiefnar was a heat-seeking missile on defense right from the jump with a combined 32 tackles (seven for loss) in the first two weeks against Hixson and Kingston. As of late, he has provided the offense a jolt with back-to-back career-high performances in which he totaled 140 yards against Polk County and Brainerd.
“He has really started to come into his own at fullback for us,” Bunch said. “He is not just a role player back there anymore but is a force for us running the ball. He is a major complement to our other players we have on offense.”