TENNERTON — In continuing to bring you the best sports coverage in Upshur County, the My Buckhannon sports department is pleased to present another edition of our exclusive — Raising the Jolly Roger With…

In ‘Raising the Jolly Roger With…’ the My Buckhannon sports department will interview a senior student-athlete from Buckhannon-Upshur to get to know them better and what makes them tick both on and off the field. Don’t settle for cheap knockoffs!

Our student-athlete this week is Elijah Bryant — enjoy!

1. Please list all the sports you have played at B-U and what year you played them? My high school sports include football 2019-2022, freshman through senior year; baseball 2020-2023, freshman through senior year; and archery 2019-2023, freshman through senior year.

2. What has been your favorite athletic moment at Buckhannon-Upshur that you participated in? My favorite athletic moment was when our team beat Bridgeport my senior year in a baseball game with a score of 6-3.

3. Describe your toughest practice at Buckhannon-Upshur. What sport and who was the coach? My toughest practice was my junior year in football season.  It was a cold rainy day and when you would hit someone all you felt was a pain that wasn’t normal and you just had to keep fighting through the pain the whole practice. My coach was Zach Davis.

4. Do you have a favorite saying from one of your head coaches? One of my favorite quotes from a coach is when my assistant baseball coach, Todd Lane, said “I don’t care if it is a tomato, hit it square.”

5. What was or is your favorite class you have taken at Buckhannon-Upshur and who taught it? Why was it your favorite? My favorite class in school was my greenhouse class, taught by Joseph Hymes. This class was my favorite because it was a class that taught things I like to do.  We worked all day in the greenhouse, growing food and flowers to sell.  

6. What is your favorite thing about being a Buccaneer? My favorite thing about being a Buccaneer is the support that the school and community give to the sports and athletes in Buckhannon.

7. If you were asked to play another sport, what would it be and why? If I was asked to play another sport, I would do golf. Golf is a sport that I was raised around and just have always wanted to get into playing.

8. Who is your hero and why? I’d say my hero is Russ Warner.  He has always been there to teach the young kids and give the kids advice as a coach.  He is always willing to work with people even when they don’t ask for help.

9. What do you want to be when you grow up? When I grow up I want to be a high line electrician.

10. What are you initial plans after graduation? After I graduate I am going to work over the summer and then I will be attending the University of Pikeville where I will be shooting on their archery team.

11. What question do you hate to answer? I hate to answer questions that want me to brag about myself. I have never been the type of person that wants to brag because I know, and have been taught, that it is not effort from just one person but that it takes a whole team to do what is needed to succeed.

12. Who is the best athlete in your family? The best athlete in the family is me, but most of my family grew up doing sports since we were old enough to participate.  I have a little sister and if she keeps her work ethic she will be just as good as me, if not better, when she is older.

13. Do you have a favorite vacation spot? If so, where? My favorite vacation area is Gatlinburg, Tennessee. 

14. What is your favorite food and one thing you won’t eat? My favorite food is cheeseburger casserole and one thing I won’t eat is beans.

15. What advice would you give to a young athlete ready to start his/her time as a Buccaneer? Don’t be afraid to do anything you want to do.  Show your coaches what you can do the first chance you get, even if you are a freshman.