French Camp Academy football coach Nathan Wright figured out pretty quickly that he was going to like Seth Box.
Wright got Box as a seventh grader and knew he had a good lineman in the local kid.
“Seth is another guy who has ben with me since seventh grade,” Wright said. “It has been fun to watch him develop. As your lineman often are, he’s super dependable. He has had to go from center, guard to tackle and has to play defensive tackle all the way through. Again, he is one of those super fun kids to be around. He’s fun and respective. He’s going to bring the little things to the table every day and do them the best he can do them.”
Box is the final selection for The Webster Progress Times/Choctaw Plaindealer Eleven To Watch for 2019. Already announced were Israel Whitmore, Tylan Carter, and Calvin Talley of Choctaw County High School; Parker Burleson, Conner Shurden, and Caleb Massey of East Webster; M.J. Thomas, Deunte Watson, and Zak Morris of Eupora; and Bradley Edwards of French Camp.
Box, who is 5-foot-11, 230 pounds, will start somewhere on the offensive line for the Panthers and will also play defensive line. But Wright said Box is a multi-talented player who could play other positions.
“He is a guy that could do other things if our personnel was different,” Wright said. “If you weigh 180 pounds, you are going to have to play line here. He is also a baseball guy that pitches, catches and plays third. He has a really good arm. He could actually play quarterback for us if we needed him to. He actually played some quarterback in junior high. He accepts his role and does what he can do for the team.”
Like many lineman at Class 1A schools, Box will rarely come off the field for the Panthers.
“All of our kids pretty much have to play both ways,” Wright said. “He will play some defensive tackle but has some defensive end. Don’t know where we will settle with him at this year. It’s tough on those guys to play both ways but he’s one that can do it. He will be on the field 90 recent of the time. We have to give them that speech every year that they are going to have to play every down. Thankfully, my assistant coaches are guys who played for me so they understand. We tell them they have to understand that they aren’t coming off the field.”
Box knows what his role will be for the Panthers this year.
“I am playing on both sides of the ball and most special teams except for kickoff,” Box said. “I’m the long snapper on extra points and punts. We only have one senior on the line. This is his second year, so I’m sort of the leader of the guys up front because I have been there the longest. The younger guys look up to me.”
In the classroom, Box said his GPA is somewhere between 3.9 and a 4.0 and he has made a 24 on the ACT.
“He’s another guy that’s going to take care of business in the classroom and have a good ACT score,” Wright said. “Teachers are going to give him praise. He’s going to be as good in the classroom as he is on the football field. He is a district kid who lives here close.”
Box said after he graduates from French Camp, he wants to attend college, but hasn’t decided where.
“I might go to Holmes and stay there for two year and then maybe go to Mississippi State,” Box said. “I might try to play baseball if I get offered. I haven’t decided on a major yet. I’ve thought about forestry or maybe even a business degree. But I know I want to do something outside. I can’t imagine working a desk job, I’d go crazy doing that.”
Box said in the summer time, he works for his father, who owns a logging business where he runs some heavy equipment such as a knuckle boom, motor grader or bulldozer.
Box also plays on the baseball team for the Panthers. Last year, he split time at catcher and third base and also saw time on the mound, a year after missing the season with Tommy John surgery. Box led the team in hitting with a .382 average and led the team with seven doubles. On the mound, Box was 2-3 with a 3.26 ERA in 19.1 innings pitched. He struck out 25 and walked 10.
“He’s a good baseball player and his real passion is baseball,” Wright said. “He swings it well and throws it well. He’s one of those that might could go play college baseball. I doubt he plays any more football. He loves baseball. He will be our best pitcher in baseball. He’s a senior, he will have to be. I don’t know who will go with him. When baseball comes around, we pick it up and play.”
Box said he has been playing baseball since he was a little kid.
“That’s really what I love is baseball,” Box said. “I’ve been playing since I was 3 or 4 years old. I was the No. 2 starter in baseball last year but Holman Edwards graduated so I’ll have to throw a lot more this year. We don’t have many pitchers so I will be on the hill a lot.”
Wright said he is a typical country kid that enjoys hunting and fishing. He said he spends a good amount of time helping with the family farm and tending the 150 head of cows they own.
