HUNTER COOKSTON
Writer
The Whitwell Tigers are coming off a season that ended in the second round of the Class 1A TSSAA Playoffs. Last year’s team was loaded with veteran talent—six of whom are moving on to play at the next level. This season, however, second-year head coach Owen Kilgore returns just four starters, presenting a new challenge as he works to put the right pieces in the right places.
“It’s been a big challenge in a sense that you have to put the pieces in the right spot. You have a heavy senior team that has played a lot of football, you know where those guys are going to be. This year we’ve had to move around and feel people out, but at the same time it has helped us put them in a better position to be successful. They have been waiting their time and are ready to go, there are no egos, they get a chance to make a name for themselves,” Kilgore said.
For over a decade, the biggest game on the Tigers’ schedule has been South Pittsburg due to the heated rivalry. This year, Whitwell revives an old rivalry—this time with Marion County. For the current players on both sides, it will be their first time experiencing the historic matchup at the high school level.
“I think there is always going to be a Whitwell and Marion County rivalry, even though these kids haven’t lived it in high school. It’s just good for both teams, the towns are going to be really excited for it,” Kilgore stated.
A major point of emphasis for the Tigers this summer has been tackling. Kilgore believes missed tackles cost the team in close games last season.
“We talked a lot about tackling. The games we lost last year, we didn’t tackle well. We were in position to make plays, we didn’t wrap up or didn’t put ourselves in the right spot, we have to tackle better.”
The Tigers will lean on leaders like Adam McDougal, Connor Staley, Eli Fine, and Xander Morgan. But they’ll also be looking for key contributions from Colin Beason, Talan Beason, Tregon Kilgore, Brody Harvey, Bennett Goforth, Tyson Brashears, Gabe Ross, Levi Griffith, and others to make a significant impact on the field.
Kilgore is eager to see the relationships his team forms and how that chemistry translates into wins.
