2009 Tiger Football Season Report

                        When the 2009 season began we had the same dream as every other team involved in high school football, to earn a berth in the state championship game at the University of Wyoming.  With the reclassification of football by the WHSAA, the Tigers would be playing in the 1A 11-man east conference.  This proved to be one of the toughest conferences in all levels of football.  Teams were very equally matched and it was going to come down to who could make the fewest mistakes and stay healthy. 
            The Niobrara County Tigers finished the regular season with a 6-2 record.  The two losses in the regular season were against Lingle and Pine Bluffs.  Lingle ended up playing for the 1A 11-man State Championship.  One feather in the cap of the Tigers was the defeat of the eventual State Champions the Southeast Cyclones.
            Once again the Tigers were rated among the best rushing offenses in the state.  We had a very impressive ground game with many skilled running backs.  Teams could not focus on one back because we had 4 that could hurt you on any given play.  To the surprise of many, the Tigers also added a very effective passing game.  This helped to open up the run and defenses could not put 9 men in the box to defend us.  On defense, the Tigers ranked 6th overall and for their size were an extremely physical team.  Teams have figured out that when you play the Tigers you had better be ready to be hit for all four quarters.  Even when things did not go the Tigers way, the team never gave up and could keep their heads held high. 
            The team finished with 29 players and 1 manager, consisting of 6 seniors, 11 juniors, 7 sophomores, and 6 freshmen.  Next season the Tigers will return 11 varsity letter winners and 9 starters on either offense or defense.  Some key positions we will need to fill are on our offensive and defensive line.  We need to get stronger and develop better technique to face bigger lines.  We are all very excited for next season.  The Tigers have already put tremendous pressure on themselves to not just make it to the playoffs but to the championship game.  Through hard work and a productive offseason, this can become a reality.  We are looking for a bigger turn out in our weight room over the summer and the Tigers will be attending at least one team camp.    
  As always, the support of the parents and community was exceptional and greatly appreciated by the Tigers.  There is never a lack of school spirit and pride in Niobrara County.  This support also comes from people such as the Tiger Pep Band, the Tiger Booster Club, the school administration, the staff, the student body, and our Thursday Night Dinner Club.  The Dinner Club was once again run by Tim/ Wanda Spivey, John/Lisa Mellot and assisted by all the senior parents.  They worked extremely hard getting donations for the meal and doing all the cooking.  The meals were wonderful and built great team unity.
            One reason the football team has continued to grow and build positive young men is due to the hard work and dedication of my assistant coaches.  Ryan Nelson and Bill Edwards are exceptional coaches and have the team’s best interest at heart.  They are not only knowledgeable but also put in many long hours breaking down tape, planning for games, and coaching the JV team.  They truly care about the young men that make up our team.  Without the dedication of these men, the program would be at best, subpar.
 
Matt VandeBossche
Tiger Football Head Coach