Down goes the purple team, again. Just a little fun fact for all you purple haters, Glen Rose has played Godley twelve times in its supposed “rivalry.” What is the record? Drumroll please…. 12-0. Sorry Godley, not today. The Glen Rose and Godley matchup started in 1950 and only lasted the following year in 1951. It took 51 years to meet up again in 2001 which again ended in 2003 until the eventual consecutive matchup from 2016-2024. Granted, my information is from a well-respected internet football site, but you know how that goes. Any “fact checkers” out there? Nevertheless, one staple remains golden, Glen Rose remains the thorn in Godley’s side that gets deeper every year we shut down the purple team down the road. One lingering nuisance that still haunts the Tigers is that defensive side of the ball. The Tigers filled that hole with the return of #33. It balanced out the D-line, allowing the Raymond-Ballesteros-Douglas powerhouse to control the line of scrimmage which, in turn, allowed Ryder Ribitzki to accumulate ten total tackles and become the stopping force the Tigers need behind the line. The package worked in unison to create pressure on the pass game and help turn down the yardage we have suffered in the previous games. Godley just could not make it happen on the ground up front with the studs in the box, giving the Wildcats all kinds of trouble. Do we need work? Absolutely! Too many deep plays happening in the air that we must stop. We have time folks. We must keep getting better! It was nice to see that joyous look on that O-Line coming off the field. I know the offensive line does not get a lot of recognition in the media. They do not get that Heisman-like trophy with the paparazzi flashes and a trail of entourage followers wanting their autographs. However, each of you should know where I stand. You are my heroes. Like a short little Girl Scout selling her chocolate covered Thin Mints, I stand before you with admiration for how hard you work and the feats you accomplish to make the Glen Rose offense successful. I witnessed Clark Anderson, with a crooked, dislocated finger, straighten his finger out, tape it up, and return to the trenches, finishing off the domination of the Wildcat defense. No tears, no glory; just downright perfect Tiger grit. All those boys, from Clark to Sawyer, Kaden, Chase, and Jaxon portray the brotherhood that this team needs to excel on that offensive side of the ball. “So, here’s to you, O-line brothers” for all that you do. We see you and thank you for your determination. Keep up the excellent work! Many of us have spent the Bye week in an anxious nervousness, trying to shake this feeling we have been in. The final seconds, as they ticked away, expelled that relief as we have come back to our righteous place in the win column. It was like a work of art coming out of Cliff Watkin’s genius chess moves, to orchestrate the playmakers of Evans, Groeneweg, Bowman, Males, and Sanchez to tick tock that clock away controlling the ball for 23:48. We witnessed the big, flashy connections between Evans and Sanchez. Brodey Bowman stepped up in his trustworthy role of being the big target Evans can always rely on. Bowman, like a sticky-icky ball magnet, can catch anything thrown at him. We also got to see that jazzy ability of Josiah to make yardage all night. Groeneweg and Males have stepped in as a dynamic duo of yardage gobblers, giving the backfield a true dual threat we have not seen in a while. Let’s not forget that down and dirty “White Rhino,’ who stepped up to hammer away first downs when we needed them. The matchup was a great combination of plays that got the job done in Glen Rose Tiger fashion. We even witnessed Jorge Mendoza hit that 49-yard field goal proving that he is a weapon when we need him. I hope this team can keep their focus and continue climbing that summit. Hopefully, our side distractions are finished now. I am sure a select few of Godley players thought that stealing flags from our town would force us into an imbalanced rage, however, seeing the flag with a big black “X” on it just fueled another beat down. With your disrespect flagrantly portrayed on the field, you may not get so lucky with those potential criminal charges next time. Best of luck Wildcats. I pray the Tigers can keep their bodies healthy and strong. So many of them are fighting through their pain and I see it. From a few still battling some healing pains, to Josiah getting attacked by a rogue chainsaw, we just need to figure out how to work through these obstacles. You’ve got this Tigers, keep climbing. Time to remind our district who we are again in 2024! Here we come Hillsboro…