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Tigers retain control in Big Northern race
By Christopher Johnson
REPORTER
Class 3A State Polls continue to feature the top-seed designated Byron Tigers climbing and well on their way into stratospheric territory as they work through a closing schedule featuring three of their final four games away from home.
However, where the 7-0 Tigers have been playing has really not been a factor lately. They continue to win everything and lead the way in the hotly-contested Big Northern Conference and they stand uncontested.
However, if they win one more time and if that comes on the road in Dixon this Friday night in the week eight regular season game, Byron will have to get back in the groove of winning everything at home again.
They’ll be required that distinction due to their ever-looming number one, host-seed designation in the 3A State Football Tournament.
A regular season finale that ends in a victory over Rockford Christian will probably require Byron to have to stay home for at least the first two games of the second season, if upsets in the field don’t cause a shift in planning.
The Tigers face the possibility of spending a lot of time in the field in November in Byron and could potentially not leave home until the 3A Semi-Final requires their presence.
The rules mandate a team with six wins gets to pay a visit to the second season, when the environment doesn’t dictate differently. The teams with more wins generally get to be home in the first round game.
A little over a week ago the Tigers knocked off the North Boone Vikings by better than 40 points. That win gave Byron its ticket to the post-season with its 6-0 mark.
In week seven Byron assured it was serious about playing at home and winning when they did it. Oregon learned in another 40-point win by the host Tigers.
Byron set the plate early and starting overpowering the Hawks defensive front. Huge holes led to large gains and touchdowns collected.
By the end of the first quarter, Byron was already in front by three scores, 21-0 and was looking to assure it could get as many opportunities for as many players, when the moment allowed it.
Passing short with the ensuing run after catch kept the chains in motion and the clock stopped at ten-yard gain intervals.
The Tigers tacked on 28 additional points in the second quarter and put the guarantee of mercy in place for the second half of the game.
With the score 49-0 and playing into the third period, the visiting Hawks connected on their only feeding of the evening.
A seven-point exchange including a kick-through for score made the margin six-scores at 48-7. Byron began facilitating its replacement plan as the fourth quarter began.
There would be no additional scoring in the Friday, Oct. 8 Big Northern meeting. The final horn sounded with Byron improving to 7-0 this year with the 49-7 win.
Byron gets its last significant test on the regular season schedule this Friday night in Dixon. Kick-off is scheduled for 7pm.
The Dukes are two games back of the conference lead and trail second place Genoa-Kingston and Stillman Valley, which enter their week eight games with matching 6-1 marks and in a tie for second.
If Byron gets past Dixon, Rockford Christian’s numbers against offense seem to indicate the Tigers will move to 9-0, guaranteeing one, two, or potentially more home games waiting in the 3A State Football Playoffs beginning, Friday, Oct. 29.
