The Thrall Tigers varsity football team will face the Rosebud-Lott Cougars on Friday, Sept. 5, at 7 p.m. The Tigers will look to bounce back after a 31-3 loss to Thorndale in their season opener.
Thrall defeated Rosebud-Lott 38-21 last season, but the Cougars enter this matchup with momentum after a 58-0 win over Florence last week. The Tigers will need significant improvement from both sides of the ball to come out on top.
Thrall’s defense will be tested against a Cougars offense that piled up more than 400 yards in its opener. The Tigers struggled in the secondary against Thorndale, giving up multiple long passing touchdowns, and will need to shore up coverage to limit Rosebud-Lott’s big-play potential.
Offensively, Thrall managed only a field goal last week as it continues to adjust to a new quarterback and replace several key contributors from last season. Senior running back Christopher Kelm, one of the Tigers’ few returning veterans, will be a focal point in the ground game to ease pressure on the inexperienced signal- caller. The key for Thrall will be playing a clean game. Winning the turnover battle, protecting the football, and giving the offense short fields will be critical, while limiting extra possessions for Rosebud-Lott will be equally important.
