By MAYAN PAZ
After a last-minute loss against Pittsburg State on the road, the Tigers (5-3, 3-3) are heading back to Lewis Field for their final home match as they will host the Missouri Southern Lions (1-7, 0-6). The game will kick off at 1 p.m. on Saturday at Lewis Field Stadium.
FHSU Head Coach Chris Brown addressed the team’s mental ability to recover from the closely contested loss to the Gorillas and to move forward to their game against the Lions.
“That loss was like getting hit in the face,” he said. “But those things happen, and we can’t just mop the floor with ourselves thinking about it. We had a conversation about it, and we know we need to get our best training week ready for our next match.”
Even though the Tigers moved away from a playoff spot, they are still in contention to get back to a playoff position, depending on some results elsewhere that would have to go in their favor and for a chance to play in a ball game.
“We need to stay focused,” Brown said. “Last year we lost focus at the end of the season and finished with a 7-4 record. If we win all of our games from now on, we still have a decent chance.”
Missouri Southern enteres Saturday on a three-game losing streak, most recently a 42-21 loss to Washburn. But the Tigers know that every game in the MIAA is a challenging one.
“Their record does not show their real abilities,” Brown said. “They are a really good and tough football team. We will have to play our best football to beat them.”
The Lions are led by quarterback Luke Sampson, who averages 238.1 passing yards per game, running back De’Shawn Larson, who averages 44.8 rushing yards per game, and wide receiver Draper Parker, who averages 67.7 yards per game. FHSU’s defensive back, Kobe Rome, who had an important interception at the back of the endzone against Pitt State, addressed the challenges that the defense would face in the upcoming game.
“They are very athletic and have some excellent players,” he said. “We will have to do our best in training and in the film room ahead of this game.”
This game against the Lions will mark the Tigers’ senior day at Lewis Field, and this year, it might be even more special than usual as 23 different Tigers will march on the field to play their last-ever home game at Fort Hays State.
“They mean a lot to me, I consider them as my own children,” Brown said about the senior class he’s going to see off this year. “We are going to honor them before the game. They have been through a lot of ups and downs, and they deserve to finish on a high note.”