BY MAKENNA ALLEN
PHOTOS BY ALLISON SCHWEIZER
In the last game of the regular season, the Tigers soundly squashed the Northeastern State University RiverHawks for the fifth year in a row. The Tigers emerged from this year’s matchup at Lewis Field with a victory of 58-0. This defeat of the 0-10 RiverHawks secured the Tigers’ spot in the NCAA Playoffs while also earning the team the title of MIAA Champions for the second year in a row.
“Our kids played well. Our backs were against the wall for a long time. They were resilient,” Head Coach Chris Brown said. “We needed to win five games in a row in order for them to do this. And these kids did it.”
The Tigers burst into this final game of the season, scoring three touchdowns in the first three drives of the quarter. Senior Jacob Mezera started the game as quarterback, firing a 19-yard pass down the field to wide receiver Layne Bieberle for the first touchdown within the game’s first minute. Mezera extended this Tiger lead on the next drive with an 11-yard pass to wide receiver Dandre Reed.
Though backup quarterback Chance Fuller entered the game for the third drive of the quarter, the game’s third touchdown can be attributed to Harley Hazlett and his 42-yard pass to Bieberle.
Soon after, defensive lineman Sterling Swopes stripped the ball from the RiverHawks, allowing running back DJ Hickman to score yet another touchdown during the following possession.
“Getting started early, I think it deflated them (the RiverHawks) a little bit, got them thinking about how this game was going to go,” said Brown. “It’s always huge to get a fast start. If you can do that in a ballgame, you’ve got a great opportunity to win those ball games.”
The Tigers slowed this pace during the second quarter, however, putting up a comparatively fewer 3-points from a 42-yard field goal by kicker Dante Brown.
Nevertheless, the Tigers held firm to their 31-0 lead as they entered the game’s second half, demolishing the competition by an even greater margin than they were at the same point in last year’s game when the Tigers led 24-0.
The game’s second half continued in a similar fashion as both Hickman and running back Charles Tigner drove into the end zone during the game’s third quarter. A six-play scoring drive, resulting in a 29-yard field goal by Brown allowed the Tigers to continue into the final quarter with a commanding lead of 51-0.
Mezera’s 4-yard pass to wide receiver Manny Ramsey in the fourth quarter allowed the Tigers to cruise through the game’s final minutes.
With this victory, the Tigers earned the title of MIAA conference champions for the second year in a row. This was not an easy feat for the team following their two losses to Missouri Western State University and Emporia State University just five weeks ago.
“I feel that this one was a lot harder just because of all the adversity we’ve been through this year, just injuries and losing games we shouldn’t have really lost,” said Mezera. “I’m really proud of everybody sticking together and believing in what we’re doing. Here we are and it’s so much sweeter than last year’s game.”
In addition to this success, the Tigers laid hold of a spot in the NCAA Playoffs. The team sits in the number five position after moving up from the number seven spot following last week’s narrow defeat of Northwest Missouri State University.
For the Tigers, this final home game of the regular 2018 season provided even more to celebrate than a conference championship title and a spot in the playoffs. Indeed, the game also stood as the team’s senior day.
Prior to the game, 10 of the team’s seniors took to the field with friends and family to be honored for their contributions to Tiger football. Among those recognized were Jose Delgado, Jacob Mezera, Doyin Jibowu, Connor Shedeed, Aquil Knowles, Erin Gaither, Rex Diederich, Wyatt Parker, Malik Young, and Geoffrey Lodge.
Coach Brown praised the dedication of the class that has allowed the Tiger football program to grow and develop over the past years.
“Those guys did everything right, whether it was the weight room, whether it was summer workouts, whether it was practicing, getting treatments, whatever it might be,” said Brown. “That senior class is a resilient class. They’ve been through a lot of ups and downs but they find a way to win ball games.”
Though these seniors will depart next season, they still contribute their individual abilities to the upcoming playoffs.
Tomorrow, the opponent and location of the Tigers’ first playoff game will be announced on the NCAA website. Until this game, Brown will prepare his team as usual.
“We’ve got to handle it just like a normal week. The intensity level of practice will be better. Our kids will practice harder. We’ll be more focused,” said Brown. “They want to go win a playoff game because it hasn’t been done here in a true playoff. That’s our goal. Win the first one. Go win the next one and see how far we can get this thing rolling.”
