#HSFT17: Stop No. 31 — Nettleton Tigers

NETTLETON, Miss. (WCBI) — It’s been a rollercoaster rebuild for the Nettleton Tigers since finishing state runners-up in 2006.

The Tigers have reached the playoffs every other year, and are coming off a down year in 2016, finishing 1-8.

“I’m just hoping for improvement. I think we’ll have a good year. Guys have really bought in,” head coach Ken Topps said.

“Looking at the schedule, it looks like we have a good schedule lined up with some good competition and so, we’re ready to compete. Just ready to get out there and show what these guys have worked so hard to do.”

2017 is year two with Topps at the helm of Nettleton football.

The sophomore head coach is hoping the growing pains for a very young team a year ago pays off in the upcoming season.

“We were really young,” Topps explained, “I played some ninth and tenth graders last year. We’ll be young again this year…but guys got a lot of experience last year.”

“We’ve all worked hard and we’ve added more players,” senior wide receiver and defensive back Hunter Sullivan said, “We’ve had some come up from eighth grade that are pretty good and they’ll be getting some playing time too.”

“We can’t get to the point where we’re looking ahead,” Topps said.

“Treat everybody like they’re a state championship team. We’re going to go out and prepare for each game and take the same competitive mentality to each group. That’s the only way we’re going to get better. Not looking at goals on down the line, just looking atone game at a time.”

The Tigers return thirteen seniors, and Topps said his team will have around eight starters on both sides of the ball return as well.

New divisional opponents like Houston and Choctaw County join region 4-3A, but the Tigers believe they’ve put in the work to be successful.

“We’ve just got to work harder and focus more on the game than stuff that’s outside off the field,” senior cornerback Tatum Alred said.

“It’s all going to depend on what their mindset is and how they react to the tough part of the season,” Topps said on his team’s playoff chances.

“When we get to division, if they go out and do what I know they can do, I think we can.”

The Tigers kick off 2017 with a home battle against the Mantachie Mustangs.