The feeling was you could just put the game on his back and he would get you where you needed to go.
Such is the case involving Wesley Lester, whose No. 28 Indianola Academy jersey will be sorely missed on the football field next fall.
Perhaps fittingly, when asked his best memory of the 2018 football season, Lester noted it was IA’s second round 16-13 playoff victory over Bayou Academy of Cleveland.
In that game Lester did what he did best, pounding the opposing defense with his 6-foot-2, 210-pound frame as he kept his shoulders in front of his hard-driving legs.
During what became known as The Drive, Lester and the IA offensive line helped execute a late fourth quarter, 67-yard march down the field to earn the Colonels their come-from-behind victory in the State AAA playoffs.
The Colonels would move on to become the 2018 State AAA runner-up while amassing a 12-2 record.
Thus far, Lester owns a state championship ring in two sports; one for claiming the 2016 football AAA crown and one for last spring’s 2018 state crown in baseball.
A three year starter on defense where he spent time at the defensive end and linebacker positions, Lester’s past two seasons have also found him holding down the running back position.
However, all of his performances were aided by much extra hard work during the offseason.
“I would lift weights at the school from 6:30 a.m. to 8 a.m.,” said Lester, “then go to Greenville four to five days a week to work with a personal trainer from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.”
The efforts paid off as Lester completed this past season with 234 rushes which netted team highs 1570 yards and which produced 26 of his 31 touchdowns scored this season.
Defensively at the linebacker position, Lester accounted for 43 solo tackles, 73 assists, and two touchdowns by way of a pass interception and a fumble recovery.
A recent MAIS All-Star selection, Lester’s future plans involves playing another sport in which he excels.
With next spring finding Lester back on the IA baseball field helping his team in their bid to repeat as state champion, his college days will also include the game of baseball.
For next fall the power hitting infielder will reside in Senatobia where he will be a member of the Northwest MS Community College Rangers baseball team.
While there, the son of Hubert and Tracy Lester has plans to major in Physical Therapy.
