The Luverne Tigers faced off against the Lanett Panthers on Sep. 22, emerging victorious with an 18-6 win.

Head Coach Ed Rigby expressed pride for his athletes as he discussed their determination to secure another win for the season as well as their resilience in the face of adversity.

“It was a great game and a hard-fought battle,” Rigby said. “Lanett is tough and they’re a championship caliber program with great players that know how to win football games, but we went up there and even though we were behind at half time our kids flipped the switch and got back ahead and took control of the game. It’s a great thing to know, as a coach, that we can do that.”

The Tigers were down 6-3 late in the second quarter when Rigby said there was a turning point in the game.

“Right at the end of the first half we made a goal line stand on the one-yard line,” Rigby said. “That really fired our guys up and then we were able to dominate the rest of the game.”

Rigby credited the Tigers defense with a stellar performance not only in Friday night’s match, but all season long. Currently ranked number one among the 2A division, Lucerne’s defense has only allowed 20 points scored against them in the last five games.

According to Rigby, top performers in Friday night’s match included the following:

No. 7 Myrez Gross with 22 carries for 123 yards, No. 10 Mason Miller with 11 rushes for 74 yard and a touchdown, No. 22 John McMillan with 5 tackles, 6 assists, and one tackle for loss, and No. 9 Alijah Hurst with 3 tackles, 5 assists, 1 sack on the quarterback and one tackle for loss.

The Tigers are currently standing with a 3-0 region and 5-0 overall record for the current season as they prepare to face the Calhoun Tigers for homecoming on Sep. 29 at Glenn Daniel Stadium.

Rigby said his team is prepared but practicing diligently to ensure another win.

“It’s homecoming so it’s big week for the school,” Rigby said. “[Winning] can become a huge distraction if you let it. We’re staying focused, though, and keeping our heads in the right place. This week it’s not about our opponent, its about us getting better.”