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Silsbee on the Brink of History: Tigers looking for first title game
After last weeks emotional regional final win over West Orange Stark 35-28, the Silsbee Tigers are, for the second straight year, playing for the state finals in Dallas. With last years 29-24 semifinal loss to Cuero, Silsbee has yet to make the big dance but Friday night's game against Wimberly could be a program defining win for Randy Smith's squad.
"All year we've been talking to our kids about finishing what you do," said Silsbee head coach Randy Smith.
"We're a little bit more focused this year on what it is we need to do."
The Tigers (9-4) will take on a solid Wimberly (11-3) team that features a balanced attack with senior QB Cooper McCollum (3,172 yds passing) and sophomore running back Moses Wray (1,165 yds rushing). McCollum is coming off a five touchdown passing game versus Geronimo Navarro in their regional final contest and is peaking at an optimal time.
The key for a Silsbee win will be to shut down Wimberly's offensive machine.
"We're going to have to put pressure on the quarterback and be sound in coverage," said Smith.
"They're really good up front, McCollum's allusive in the pocket, they don't give up a ton of sacks, they're really good on offense."
The Tigers will counter on offense with running backs Chris Martin and Dralyn Taylor who were instrumental in last weeks win over WOS.
It was Taylor's 23 yard touchdown run with just under two minutes left that counter-punched Silsbee to victory.
Taylor leads the winningest senior class in the history of Silsbee football.
"This group of seniors will be playing their 13th playoff game," said Smith.
Playing for history is much harder than playing from the past.
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VYPE SeTX Podcast: Silsbee HC Randy Smith
"I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past." - Thomas Jefferson
Silsbee vs West Orange Stark Preview: Both teams looking for redemption (PODCAST)
There's a perfect storm brewing in southeast Texas this Friday night as the Silsbee Tigers and West Orange Stark Mustangs meet for the fourth time in just over a calendar year. Silsbee defeated WOS in last years 4A D2 state quarterfinal final playoff game, snapping a nine game losing streak to the Mustangs that dated back to October 9, 2009.
West Orange Stark would appease that loss with a defeat of Silsbee this past October during the regular season 19-7.
Silsbee would lose their semifinal game last year to Cuero 29-24 but the win over WOS was arguably the biggest win in Silsbee history.
The win left a bitter taste with West Orange Stark who is accustomed to championships. The Mustangs won back-to-back titles in 2015 and 2016 and won 13 games in 2017. The last time WOS has not played over Thanksgiving weekend was 2010.
This Friday night brings together two football crazy communities to Beaumont ISD Memorial Stadium that could see record attendance.
"We're going to have 12,000 people at this game," said Mustangs head coach Cornell Thompson whose record is 117-21 at WOS since his first season in 2011.
"You'll be able to loot Orange (Tx.) this Friday night, we're the only two teams left," said Thompson.
The team features an overpowering WOS defense going up against a balanced Silsbee offense that averaged nearly 350 yards a game during district play. The game projects to be tighter than a rusted lug nut on a '57 Chevy.
"Finishing is a big point of what we try to do", said Silsbee head coach Randy Smith.
"It's the same way when you're in the weight room, you finish your sets, you finish in conditioning, all of those things come together in a game like this."
West Orange Stark has beaten Huntington, La Grange, and Bellville in the playoffs to get to Friday nights game. Silsbee has beaten Shepherd, Smithville, and Giddings.
The Mustangs have reached the state quarterfinals nine years in a row while this will be Silsbee's fourth appearance, having reached last season and again in 2015 and 1998.
"In order to be the best, you have to beat the best." - Ric Flair, NWA/WCW Word Heavyweight Champion.
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Listen to the VYPE SETX Podcast with Cornell Thompson & Randy Smith by clicking the play button below: