By ANTHONY STEVENS
LEBANON, Va. (July 16, 2026) – The Pioneer football program is ready to begin its third season under head coach Hunter Norris. Lebanon is coming off a successful 8-4 campaign. The team won a Region 2D playoff game, a thriller at Virginia High, before suffering a season-ending loss at Ridgeview.
On Thursday, at the practice field at Lebanon High School, the Pioneers continued to prepare for the upcoming season with a 7-on-7 competition with Tennessee High.
“We’ve had 40-plus here throughout the summer, about every day,” noted Norris. “We’re looking pretty good. I like where we’re at. The attitude and work ethic of this group is great. They’ve come out with the right mindset. They’ve attacked the summer, and we’re looking to finish the next two weeks on a high note before we get into official practice.”
With junior Layne Jessee, a 6-foot-2, 220-pound running back, wide receiver, and linebacker attracting D1 interest, the 2026 season shows significant promise.
“It’s no secret, Layne is our guy,” Norris stated. “Most of what we want to do is going to go through him. We have some great pieces around him who can spell him. As a coaching staff, we have to do a good job of getting those guys some touches, too. Will Jessee, Easton Taylor, Braelyn Hess, Ethan Horne, and a couple of others we feel very confident in. If we can get the ball in their hands in space, they can make something happen. We have to keep people honest so they can’t just lock in on Layne. We’re looking forward to some people stepping up and leaving their mark here at Lebanon.”
Most teams use spread offenses and pass the ball frequently, but line play remains important in football. How will Lebanon look in the trenches?
“Depth is an issue for us, but I think that’s everyone in southwest Virginia,” remarked Norris. “We’re not a big school. We’re dropping down to Class 1 next year, but everyone is facing depth issues. The guys we have, we feel very confident in them. The reason we feel that way is their work ethic. We have some smart kids. We will lean heavily on Haiden Sears and Wesley Alexander. Those are two guys who will make or break us on the line, and they know that. We’re looking to scheme around them and let them lead the offense and defensive lines. We have some guys we can use to spell them on the defensive side of the ball and give them a break. They attacked it the right way. With their leadership skills, they’ve barely missed this summer. They’ve done a good job of staying committed and being here when they can. They are setting the right example.”
The Pioneers graduated 14 players, including their four-year starting quarterback Mike Reece. Lebanon will now rely on freshman Will Jessee, Layne’s brother, to take the snaps.
“We feel good about Will; he’s done a good job,” Norris said. “I got to watch Mike develop for two seasons, and it’s been a good summer watching Will. He learned from Mike, who was a great mentor and taught him a lot about the game of football, about what we want to do, how to be successful, and how to lead the right way. We talk about leadership not having an age or grade level. Will is not a vocal guy, but he leads by example and does what we ask him to do.
“We’re excited for Will not only at quarterback but on the defensive side of the ball. He is a kid who will play a lot of positions on the defensive side of the ball; he’s a versatile athlete. We’re looking forward to Will having a breakout season, his first year on varsity.”
High school football practice officially begins on Thursday, July 30th. On August 20th, the Pioneers will host Ridgeview for a Benefit game. The regular season officially starts on August 27th, with the prestigious “Coal Bowl” at Honaker’s Fuller Field.
