Tigers Roar to a Record-Breaking 5-0 Start
Written by: Beckett Carter Illustration by: Ali Teufel
**Stats listed are prior to the 9/29 Andover game. The Tigers’ season has gotten off to a hot start with a 5-0 record for the first time in the school's history. The Tigers are surprising people week after week beating teams that, just a short year ago, would have smashed us. The Tigers have turned it around. Wins over Hutchinson, Salina Central, Valley Center, Andover Central, and most recently Andover, have been just another step in this team's journey to state. The question remains: can they get there?
The 11th-ranked Tigers, according to Max Preps, have proven that they can keep up with the big teams and even dominate their other ranked opponents. They currently sit first in the Ark City Chisholm Trail league and second in division 5a.
The Tigers have had a powerful rushing attack, carried on the back of senior running back Lucas Dickman, who in four games has already rushed for 722 yards and seven touchdowns. Quarterback Derek Morgan has added 109 yards on the ground himself. Morgan's ability to run the ball isn't all he has brought to the table. He’s passed for 433 yards and six touchdowns, spreading the ball around to all of his receivers. Of his four receivers, three have over one hundred running yards and the fourth is sitting at ninety-nine
The Tigers Defence is the name of the game. D-squad has only let one opponent score 20 points this season, and only one more score more than seven. The Tigers have a menacing defensive line led by senior middle linebacker Nick Giffin. The IKE defensive front has a total of seven sacks this season. Giffin is leading the team in tackles with 45 and senior Tyler Flinkman Is leading the team in interceptions with two.
The only downside to this roster is that Injuries are piling up. Seniors Max Brown and Isaiah Martin have missed games but will hopefully not be out for the rest of the season. Tyler Flinkman suffered a broken hand and has been ruled out for the rest of the year. But with plenty of depth on the team, the Tigers have proven that they can still win games and be successful.
Tiger Nation is confident that this team can take them into the playoffs and potentially a victory on the biggest stage in Kansas football.
