WILLIS HIGH SCHOOL HAS BECOME A HOTBED FOR NEXT LEVEL TALENT IN THE SPAN OF THE PAST FOUR YEARS, WHICH HAS THE WILDKATS PRIMED FOR A BIG YEAR.
While some athletes have moved in from other schools, their home-grown talent have deep roots. Much like DJ Lagway, Jr., Jermaine Bishop, Jr. grew up a Willis Wildkat – going to games and loving the purple and black.
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“A lot of family members have influenced my love for football,” he said. “I started playing very young and have never looked back. My family and community has been very supportive.”
Speaking of his family, his father Jermaine Bishop was a standout athlete for Willis, and his cousin, Michael Bishop, was a Wildkat legend. The Bishop name put Willis on the map, especially when Michael thrived at Kansas State and finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting in 1998.
For Jermaine, living up to the Bishop family name is an honor. The life-lessons learned from his Dad and cousins inspire his game today.
“It’s a huge honor to rep the Bishop name,” he said. “There’s always a target on your back when you have that family legacy, but I just embrace it. They’ve taught me the right mindset and work ethic to do this at the next level.”
As a freshman on varsity, Bishop burst onto the scene winning the District 13-6A Defensive Newcomer of the Year. He tied for first in the district interceptions and subsequently blew up this Spring as a high- level recruit.
“Last year was a great experience... truly, it was just a blessing,” Bishop said. “The guys welcomed me onto varsity and helped me start my journey.”
After his freshman year, Bishop, Jr. saw his recruitment explode. He picked up a dozen Power-5 offers in the offseason.
What has the rise to stardom been like for the rising sophomore?
“It’s honestly a dream come true,” Bishop said. “It’s just a blessing for my family and myself. I try to stay humble, keep a good mindset and just be a guy the younger players can look up to.”
Much like the other Bishops who came before him.