By The People’s Paper MS Sports Team
MENDENHALL — The Mendenhall Tigers return home Friday night after a hard-fought 33–30 road win over Florence, looking to close their non-district schedule with another victory before district play begins.
Mendenhall will host the Callaway Chargers at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25. The Tigers enter the matchup 4–0 after last week’s win at Florence, while Callaway comes to Mendenhall following a 7–6 win over Terry.
In this week’s installment of Inside the Tiger Den, Coach Chuckie Allen said the Florence game tested his team in ways that a more comfortable win may not have.
“It was the type of game we needed,” Allen said. “It was a game where things were not going our way, but the guys never quit and always responded after taking a hit.”
Allen said the Tigers dealt with big Florence plays, calls that did or did not go their way, and a demanding four-quarter battle. Still, he said, the team continued to respond.
“I don’t like winning like that, but it’s good to know how the kids will react when things are not going right,” Allen said.
Tigers Grow Through Adversity
The coach said the Tigers’ response in Florence showed growth and reinforced a lesson the team will need throughout the season.
“I believe we grew as a team,” Allen said. “Knowing that when things are not going your way, you still fight to win.”
Allen recognized several players for important contributions in the Florence victory. Ty Davis, he said, did a strong job of controlling the offense during key drives. He also praised Jaiwon Williams, Lane Purser, and Jeremy Butts for solid offensive contributions. Eddie Weathersby Jr. earned special recognition as a player Allen called “a workhorse on both sides of the ball.”
“I like the fight we showed as a unit,” Allen said. “I’m looking forward to them improving next week.”
Callaway Challenge Ahead
The Tigers’ next test is a Callaway team Allen described as well-coached and coming off a big win against Terry. Mendenhall’s priorities are direct: eliminate mistakes and execute at a high level.
“We need to focus on eliminating mistakes and executing at a high level,” Allen said.
The Callaway game is Mendenhall’s final non-district contest before the start of district play, increasing the importance of the preparation this week. Allen said the team is treating each week as a new beginning, not relying on the success of the previous Friday.
“This week’s message has been, ‘Get better every day,’” Allen said. “That’s the only way to reach one of our goals for this year. Each week, everything starts over, and our record is 0–0. We’ve got to get better each day to win on Friday.”
Allen said the Tigers want to meet one of their early goals by winning all of their non-district games before moving into district competition.
Coach’s Corner
Allen is asking the community to bring its support to Mendenhall on Friday night.
“Every Tiger fan, come on out and support these guys,” Allen said. “They are working their tails off and representing the black and gold with pride.”
Game Details:
- Matchup: Callaway Chargers at Mendenhall Tigers
- Time: 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25
- Location: Mendenhall High School
