The Travis Tigers (2-0) needed to start off quickly with Mayde Creek, Katy Jordan, Randle, Hightower, and Ridge Point in the first five weeks of the season. Head coach Trey Sissom had his guys ready right out of the blocks.
“We knew what we had in front of us and I told the guys that we have to play our best football out of the gate,” Sissom said. “We had to get going now, and they have responded to the challenge so far.”
The Tigers knocked off Mayde Creek last week, 16-15, before taking down VYPE’s No. 12 Katy Jordan, 27-16, on Thursday night.
“Jordan is a great team and really huge,” Sissom laughed. “We just didn’t want to turn the ball over and leaned on our defense. We had a blocked FG and an interception for a touchdown by Davis Kinney (Northwestern-commit) to seal the game.”
Grant Merritt leads the defense up front, while Malcolm Graham handles the middle of the field at linebacker. Kinney and Oklahoma State commit Josiah Vilmael patrol the secondary.
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“Grant is so dependable, and Malcolm doesn’t realize he’s a 6-foot-3, 235-pound full-grown adult out there playing with high schoolers,” Sissom laughed. “Our secondary is special.”
On offense, wide receivers David Brewer and Ethan Williams are the leaders on that side of the ball, while Adeleke Ajayi moves the chains at running back.
“We lost one of our guys at quarterback with a broken collarbone against Mayde Creek, so we are really coaching up the guys we’ve got and they are doing great. Ajayi has patiently waited his turn and is now the guy. He’s making the most of his time.”
Next up are the defending Class 5A state champion Randle Lions.
“It doesn’t get easier, but a lot of our guys have started since they were sophomores and nothing really phases them. They are just taking it a game at a time.”