From the Cheap Seats: Now the Real Work Starts

By Ryan Stonebraker
Sports Editor

  Each week, you the reader, get to see my efforts and hard work in putting together this sports section. Upwards of 15-20 hours each week of writing, editing, and making contacts with coaches are in your hands as you read this sentence. It’s hard to balance it sometimes and I consider it hard work. Add the many hours or traveling and attending events each week and the even harder work of being a dad, husband and citizen of Tipton, and sometimes I need a break from the grind. I thought about that Friday night after Tipton’s 56-13 loss to state ranked West Branch.

  When I make mistakes in the paper, it stings. My hard work doesn’t get a pay off. Likewise, the Tigers hard work in getting ready for last week’s game didn’t have a pay off.

  Last week, Tiger fans and yes, even some media members in Eastern Iowa, allowed themselves to dream a little last week of a Tipton upset of West Branch, postponing victory No. 300 for longtime West Branch football coach Butch Pedersen. That dream died in the second quarter when the Bears put up 20 points after Tipton’s first touchdown, an 88-yard pass from Peyton Elijah to Frank Bierman. The Tigers worked hard last week, like the three weeks before, like the work put in during the preseason.

  The Tigers faced tough odds of getting victory four in four games to start the 2018 season. Hats off to the Bears, they have a fine team, and regardless of who you were cheering for, you saw history. I doubt any of us will ever see a coach like Butch Pedersen again, one that stays at the same school for his whole career, let alone get a chance to collect win No. 300.
I would submit that the grind for the Tigers is just beginning this week. The hard work begins now in week 5. Don’t get me wrong, the Tigers have worked extremely hard to get to 3-1 this season and they should be proud of what they have done as should fans. It’s been since the 2012 season that Tipton started 3-0 in a season. It’s been since 2015 that the Tigers have reached the playoffs. That should be the focus now, not would have, should have, could have about a myriad of things about last week’s game.

  As district play begins this week, the Tigers welcome Camanche to town in the THS homecoming game. The Tigers will have special recognition and a tip of the cap to past football glory this week, welcoming back stars from the past. Can this year’s team capture their own glory this season? Time will tell.

  Tipton comes into Friday’s game the only team in the district with a 3-1 record. Camanche and Louisa-Muscatine are 2-2 with three others - Mount Vernon, West Liberty, and West Burlington at 1-3. The Tigers are No. 12 in the latest RPI standings released by the Iowa High School Athletic Association. The 2018 playoff structure is such that district winners automatically qualify for the playoffs from the nine districts in class 2A. That leaves seven spots open for the next best teams in the RPI standings. In theory, the top-16 teams would be playoff qualifiers. That has yet to be played out as this is the first time this structure is being used to determine the playoffs.

  The truth is that the West Branch loss hurts. I would say though that it’s not a four-game season the hard work that paid off to get this far with a 3-1 record can still pay off for THS with more hard work. It can lead them to the playoffs.

  The Tigers are second among district 5 teams in rushing yards (1,192) by 1-yard over Louisa-Muscatine and average 5.8 yards per carry. They are tied for second in the district with most points scored offensively with 107. The Tigers have given up 105 points on defense, however, and I stress this, if you take away the 56 points scored on them from West Branch, Tipton has given up 69 points in three games. That would be 23 points average, or three touchdowns, given up in three games. That falls in line with the rest of the district 5 teams.

  The same can be said about any of the other three football teams in our coverage area too. Wilton is in a similar position record wise as Tipton at 3-1 and are coming off of a close 26-13 loss to class 2A No. 4 ranked Benton last week. The Beavers have their likely two toughest district games in the next two weeks when they host Sigourney-Keota this week and go to Mediapolis next week. North Cedar picked up their first win last week, doubling their point total in their first three games combined with a 53-point outburst of points in their win. The Knights are in West Branch district and will be able to take that boost into this week. Then, Durant, evened their record at 2-2 and play in the toughest class A district where five of the six teams are 3-1 or better heading to district play.

  I don’t know about you, but I enjoy working hard and seeing the results of that hard work. The grind is what makes it great. I know our football teams do too or from my spot on the sidelines or on the phone talking with coaches, they do too. Let’s join together in witnessing hard work on display. It will be great.

  Yes, the Tigers run the football. Too much some say. So what? It makes my job challenging of finding the football when I take photos, but I’m used to that by now as head coach Joe Zeutenhorst’s predecessor, Josh Bahr had a spinner back offense. I enjoy that challenge, and it keeps me engaged in the game more.

  Yes, the Tigers are probably the best conditioned team I have seen in a few seasons that should be able to hang physically with any team they play. So what? Can they carry what I have seen into district play? Time will tell.